[Rick TYler]

Originally Posted by XaulZan11

There are no rules that say you can't push a team (using bumper to bumper interaction), preventing them from going around the track outside of thier zone.

This does run the risk of violating <G38> and <G40>, the IMPEDING rules.

<G40> IMPEDING Traffic – ROBOTS shall not intentionally IMPEDE the flow of traffic around the TRACK. During Teleoperated Period, a ROBOT will be considered to be IMPEDING traffic if it is preventing an opposing ROBOT from proceeding around the TRACK. A ROBOT can be found to be IMPEDING traffic if:


• the ROBOT is traveling slowly relative to the approaching ROBOT, and moving to prevent the approaching ROBOT from passing, or
• the ROBOT is stopped on the TRACK and there is no clear lane of passage for the opposing ROBOT, or
• the ROBOT pins an opposing ROBOT against an arena element, border, or another ROBOT

This clause alone would make shoving and blocking illegal: "During Teleoperated Period, a ROBOT will be considered to be IMPEDING traffic if it is preventing an opposing ROBOT from proceeding around the TRACK."

One of the nicest examples I saw of legally slowing other robots down is the same one used in auto racing. By taking the inside line and forcing other robots to the outside, the inside 'bot effectively hampers the progress of another robot without IMPEDING it legally.