[Dave Scheck]

Our robot had wedges in 2003 and 2005 and neither were ever intended to be used as offensive tool.

In 2003 they were used as a defensive strategy to defend the top of the ramp and to defend a stack. We never used them to displace another robot. In fact, there's a match that stands out in my mind from Great Lakes....We were defending a stack and our opponent tried to drive over us. In the process, they got stuck on our wing. We could have used that position to drive forward and tip them, but instead, our drivers held their position for almost the entire match.

In 2005 wings were a necessity for us. With a lift going up as high as 15 feet, we needed to protect ourselves from tipping. The wings not only acted as outriggers, but they protected us in case a robot bumped/pushed/rammed us while we were elevated.

While I disagree with the rule, I respect the fact that it is clear. It's just another design constraint that needs to be dealt with.