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Unread 13-06-2007, 14:28
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Billfred Billfred is offline
...and you can't! teach! that!
FRC #5402 (Iron Kings); no team (AndyMark)
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Re: Least favorite rules?

For 2007, I had a few, which I present in countdown form:

5) The bicycle flags. It seems so simple, yet probably half of my stress this season (both as an inspector and a competitor) came from them. If it wasn't the fact that teams didn't put one on, it was the way FIRST made the mounting rules this year. Robots getting ringered wasn't pleasant either, but that seems largely to be an issue relating to this year.

4) The 72" Envelope Rule. It's survivable, but irritating. If folks believe they can build a superior robot with a bigger arm, let them!

3) Tape versus non-tape. I'm all for banning tape to hold a whole robot together, but I fail to see the benefit of forcing teams to look around for a box labeled "Safety Tread" instead of "Grip Tape". If FIRST is trying to stop teams from duct-taping their whole robot together (and rightfully so), then just ban the use of tape to join components.

2) Time-out rules.
To this day, I have yet to see a clear, audience-friendly way to convey who can or has called a time-out in eliminations. A timer at the scoring table would be perfect for this; even better would be to put the time-out clock on the field clocks. (I believe that the NASA field does this already; it's doable since no matches happen during a time-out).

1) Update 16's restriction on tools. It's been beaten to death, and was revised in time for the following week's events, but boy was that not my idea of a good time.
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William "Billfred" Leverette - Gamecock/Jessica Boucher victim/Marketing & Sales Specialist at AndyMark

2004-2006: FRC 1293 (D5 Robotics) - Student, Mentor, Coach
2007-2009: FRC 1618 (Capital Robotics) - Mentor, Coach
2009-2013: FRC 2815 (Los Pollos Locos) - Mentor, Coach - Palmetto '09, Peachtree '11, Palmetto '11, Palmetto '12
2010: FRC 1398 (Keenan Robo-Raiders) - Mentor - Palmetto '10
2014-2016: FRC 4901 (Garnet Squadron) - Co-Founder and Head Bot Coach - Orlando '14, SCRIW '16
2017-: FRC 5402 (Iron Kings) - Mentor

94 events (more than will fit in a ChiefDelphi signature), 14 seasons, over 61,000 miles, and still on a mission from Bob.

Rule #1: Do not die. Rule #2: Be respectful. Rule #3: Be safe. Rule #4: Follow the handbook.