[Jim Meyer]

Let me see if I understand this right. I think rule is addressing our "wiskers" that in our starting position are considered part of the base, but stick out in front of the robot after we "flop". Now they're saying we have to define our base in a vertical plane, so our wiskers sticking out the front don't count. This really isn't a problem for us since at our first regional we changed the positioning of the arm so part of our base is above the loading zone when we get tetras from the auto loader, we just never changed the whiskers. If it aint broke don't fix it right?

Have I missed something about a "load bearing surface" having to contact the zone? Normal whiskers that go straight down from your base are still fine right?

How does this new version of the rule apply to teams with "wheelie bars" (portions of the robot that fold out to help stabilize themselves)? Apparently those "wheelie bars" shouldn't count as touching the loading zones? Is this how it's being enforced? If my memory is correct team 65 uses these very effectively.

I think this whole "touching the loading zone" thing is ridiculous to begin with. It seems this whole rediculous rule was designed around preventing people from using a weight on a string to gain a permanant "don't touch me" rule. They're currently not enforcing the rule unless you are trying to retrieve a tetra anyway. Why couldn't they just extend this loading zone up 3" above the ground and say you have to have a structural (rigidly attached) part of your robot in that zone?