I dont really think I can honestly answer this poll either. While I do try my best in most cases to follow rules & laws, I cant say I always do. Usually it isnt out of blatant disregard for rules, but out of common sense & moral judgement like most have mentioned in this post. We broke a venue rule this year because we didnt want to have to pay $15 per kid for enough water to keep the drive team from dehydrating and passing out. We broke the venue rule of bringing food in because our pit crew had to work until 8pm and they closed the food stand at 4pm. We knew the rules and broke them. I knew the rules and allowed my team to break them, so I dont feel that I can pass judgement that all other FIRSTers should NOT break rules. Personally, I dont think it has to do with getting caught. For me, its safety. I know that my drive team cant afford to pay for the $3/bottle venue water for the whole day, I know that my pit crew is too dedicated to leave the venue to go eat when we really need to get something done. They are self sacrificing and I refuse to let them obtain physical harm because of it, nor am I going to let the whole team down to force "mothering" onto them.
Funny thing is, I would never let my team break a FIRST competition rule. I am able to see the point behind all of the rules, and none of the FIRST rules will cause physical harm to my team. I dont let them work outside the windows, I wont encourage them to ram another team if a judge isnt looking, I wont let them add weight after they have passed inspection (without reweighing). But FIRST is a game, it isnt real life, a rule in the FIRST game isnt going to make one of my team members pass out.
As for rules/laws in general I end up with the same aspect as venue rules. Do I go 5 miles over the speed limit? Yeah, I feel safe driving at that speed. Do I go 50 miles over? No... its definitely NOT safe to do that. Do I use a handsfree device? 95% of the time yes, have I not been able to find it and picked up my phone? Yes if Im in a place where it wont cause me to get in an accident. Did I do things in HS & College that werent legal? Yes, but I did it with safety in mind. Does that make it right? No. But can I preach that others should still uphold in that case? I dont feel I should. I dont like the "do as I say not as I do" statement. Would I tell a kid never to get in a car with someone who has been drinking? Heck yes... that isnt a law, but its common sense & safety. Do I have a Stop DWI magnet on my car? Yes, because I feel it is unsafe. Again, I dont say that its right for me to break any laws or rules, but Im going to live my life by judgement and common sense.
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Jane
There is also a system in place to question the rules, asking for further explanation or consideration. Regarding FIRST, I believe in following the rules and in mentoring students in FIRST to not only follow the rules but to respect the rules and the people of FIRST who have carefully thought about, developed, and implemented them.
|
I realize the team forums are a place we can question rules, but it seems that there are some rules that they wont answer about. For example, how is it safer to have a team lug 100lb toolboxes down steep stairs into a venue instead of letting them go into the loading dock? How can a venue ban food, but then close their foodcourts 4 hours before the close of the venue? How can a venue not allow teams to bring in water bottles so they can charge $3 per pop? We actually did ask FIRST officials to give us permission to bring food in when our pit crew was starving, but it took them over 40 minutes to give us approval (I had already sent parents out to get food by then). I think honestly the answers are that FIRST has gotten too big and too corporate to have control over these things. Insurance and venue restrictions kick in. When they could hold it in a HS gym, no one cared where teams loaded in as long as they were safe about it, no one cared if they brought in water bottles or food, as long as they picked up after themselves.
I guess in close, I wish I could say that FIRSTers should always uphold rules, but I feel more that they should always act morally. If we raise them right, they will have a conscience, and if they go by that, they will do what is right. I want my kids to think for themselves, and if that causes them to break a rule every once in a while, then I know they are human, and I will forgive them for it.