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Unread 11-01-2007, 14:24
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Re: Off robot air compressor

Quote:
Originally Posted by sanddrag View Post
On the topic of the pressure switch, as an inspector, I saw numerous teams without one at the regional. They didn't even know what it was or how to program it. No one had an extra. What were we supposed to do? Render their pneumatic system un-usable because it is missing the switch? Or (per the manual) not allow them to place their robot on the field because it was missing a (trivial) required part? They payed big bucks to field a robot (just like everyone else), so, that they did, and there were no problems.
"Render their pneumatic system un-usable because it is missing the switch?" "...not allow them to place their robot on the field...?" Yes, that is exactly what you should have done.** Why? Because that is what the rules demand. As an inspector, you have agreed to enforce the rules as written and not make up your own. You may or may not agree with the rules. But the simple fact is that you are there to enforce the rules that are in place, and that every team expects to be enforced. If you cannot or will not do that, then you should not be an inspector.

What about the team that fully complied with all the rules (as the vast majority of teams do), and went to considerable lengths to make sure that our robot was in full compliance, and had to compete against the team that you let slide through? They paid the same big bucks to put a legal robot on the field, and they expect every one of their competitors to do the same. If the rules-skirting team beat the rules-following team, did they really win? The rules-following team would have every right to be furious about the fact that you let a robot in violation of the rules out on the field to compete, and potentially knock them out of the competition.

Every year we get lots of folks whining and complaining about FIRST's "soft enforcement" of the rules on and off the field. Yet we only have to look to ourselves to see how it happens. In the great majority of cases, we - the members of the FIRST community - are the referees, inspectors, judges, and volunteers that are there to enforce the rules. But we keep coming up with endless reasons why this rule isn't fair or that rule isn't practical, and give permission to ourselves or others to violate them. And the end of that process is a rule book that is meaningless, professional behavior is thrown out the window, and a "win at all costs" mentality takes over everything. In other words, it becomes pro wrestling.

If we expect the rules to have any meaning, and if we expect the teams to pay attention to the rules so that we can have a fair and even competition, then we have to be the first ones to recognize and abide by them. That is true in every aspect of the competition - whether we are acting as mentors, competitors, judges, inspectors, referees, mechanics, or just members of the audience.

-dave

** and when you are finished, you should go to every effort that you can to help them locate the missing part, and get it plumbed into their pneumatic system so they can pass a real inspection and legally get out on the field and compete in full compliance with the rules.
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