A plea for a quieter pit area

[thefro526]

Originally Posted by sanddrag

It's precisely this type of behavior that caused me to start this thread. It truly is odd how widespread this is, like instructions were announced in some mass e-mail I didn't get.

Over the last few years, Various members of our team have been told by the Safety Judges that someone should be leading the cart, clearing the way for the robot and drive-team. I don't remember ever being told to yell "Robot", I think it's just something that people believe to be the proper procedure.

Usually, our preferred method of clearing the way is saying "Excuse us, Robot coming through" in a slightly louder than normal voice.

Interestingly enough, this is all I could find in the safety manual on the topic of robot transportation:

Transporting:
 Make sure the robot is secured to the cart.
 Keep the cart under control at all times, especially when removing or placing the
robot.
 Use Gracious Professionalism around others to prevent damage or injury. Do not
include music on your robot transporter.
 Use patience and control when moving the robot, especially in crowded areas. Walk;
don’t run.
 Ensure that the cart will not roll away or pose a hazard, especially upon robot
removal. Use a chock block if necessary.
 Use the gate opening when entering/exiting the playing field. Don’t climb over the
railing

[Mr. Van]

I will add my (quiet) voice to those asking for a quieter pit.

I believe that the biggest part of the problem is the music volume in the pit area. When people must yell to be heard from a distance of 5 feet or so, there is a problem!

I agree with Jane. A regulation as to the number of people in the pit may be appropriate if we can't find another way to keep things safe.

-Mr. Van
Coach, Robodox

[AlexD744]

I completely agree with this, shouting "ROBOT" is completely obnoxious. However, saying "robot" at a normal volume for those about 5 feet in front of the robot, isn't. It's simply a way of saying, "heads up a robots coming through" in an easier way. It has become a common phrase in FIRST that is perfectly acceptable if used at a normal volume. Therefore, I woulds say that the word "robot" is not obnoxious unless it is screamed at an unusually loud volume.

[Swampdude]

At Florida, a lady at the announcement desk (which was at the exit from the pit to the stadium) asked our team to yell ROBOT. Later in the day as the drive team got silly and some other team coming out with us started saying "miscellaneous robot parts" "toolbox" "Human Player" coming through. I personally don't care and see it as all part of the FIRST flavor of the whole thing, like circus barkers. I like the traditions we've created like that. However at nationals when an over zealous safety captain wearing a reflective suit wants to escort us I think that's unnecessary.

[PAR_WIG1350]

Originally Posted by Swampdude

At Florida, a lady at the announcement desk (which was at the exit from the pit to the stadium) asked our team to yell ROBOT. Later in the day as the drive team got silly and some other team coming out with us started saying "miscellaneous robot parts" "toolbox" "Human Player" coming through. I personally don't care and see it as all part of the FIRST flavor of the whole thing, like circus barkers. I like the traditions we've created like that. However at nationals when an over zealous safety captain wearing a reflective suit wants to escort us I think that's unnecessary.

Although technically unnecessary, it CAN help. Visitors to the pits might not know how much room to leave in front of a robot cart, but if someone who is clearly leading the cart is there, they might realize that it is the best idea to cut in front of the cart and the escort.

On a related note, I was once at Windsor Castle while they were in the process of closing it to the public when suddenly a guard SHOUTS "MAKE WAY FOR THE GUARD" and plows through the crowd without waiting for or walking around anybody. Seconds later another guard walks by and some tourists ask for a picture and he stopped and posed for them.

[JaneYoung]

The fact of the matter is that yelling should be the exception rather than the rule.

People in charge of getting the robot to and from the field should be responsible for being alert, attentive, aware. The people in the pits should be responsible for being alert, attentive, aware - and keeping their area clear. How much effort is really given to using common sense and keeping your area clear? In areas where teams gather in the pits, in large clumps - who is responsible for breaking that up? The individual teams in the area get rid of/eliminate their share of the large clump and, presto, it disappears.

As the weekend progresses, more people are yelling: people are yelling, "SAFETY GLASSES", "NO RUNNING", and "ROBOTS COMING THROUGH". Some of this is just silly. If teams are becoming flippant and walking backwards, yelling jokes, not staying alert, not wearing their safety glasses, or running, then they are well on their way to creating problems. Why do this?

If you pay attention to the teams who are consistently on the field on Saturday afternoons, they don't have a lot of time for horseplay or goofing around in the pits and neither do their supporters. They all have a job to do. If you wonder why you don't make it to eliminations consistently, you can look at the little things like how you manage your robot/time as a team, on the field and in the pits. You would be surprised at what you would discover if you took the time to look. Little things add up and become a general attitude.

The volunteers are awesome. The venues go out of their way to have as good a flow of traffic as they can to help in pulling off an event that starts and ends on time. A lot of planning goes into the pit area but, once the teams enter, they are the ones who have to take on the responsibility of keeping things going smoothly and efficiently. Unnecessary yelling and careless handling of the robot/cart and pit are not part of that.

Jane

[AlexD744]

Originally Posted by Swampdude

At Florida, a lady at the announcement desk (which was at the exit from the pit to the stadium) asked our team to yell ROBOT. Later in the day as the drive team got silly and some other team coming out with us started saying "miscellaneous robot parts" "toolbox" "Human Player" coming through. I personally don't care and see it as all part of the FIRST flavor of the whole thing, like circus barkers. I like the traditions we've created like that. However at nationals when an over zealous safety captain wearing a reflective suit wants to escort us I think that's unnecessary.

The people at the desk asked us to do the same thing, the only problem was, there was no one in the hallway in front of us. Overall, they were doing a great job in keeping the pits safe though. No one could get in without safety glasses

[Brandon_L]

Just throwing this out there:

On the way back from inspection at NJ, it was just me and a mentor pushing the robot back to the pit minding our own business, not shouting ROBOT to everyone in sight. If someone got in the way we'd just say "excuse me, robot coming through" or something to them. A volunteer of some sort saw us, actually stopped us, and told me to walk back to the pit and get at least a total of 3 people. One to push, one to steer, and one to shout robot at the top of their lungs.

Yeah, we got pulled over for not shouting robot. I'm not saying anything about the volunteer, just saying we can't not shout robot

[DonRotolo]

Originally Posted by Brandon_L

and one to shout robot at the top of their lungs.

sigh. Not every volunteer speaks for FIRST, nor are they always the brightest bulbs in the pack.

I agree with this thread, shouting "Robot" boils my blood, and I'll stop here before I get in trouble.

[Grim Tuesday]

The point of yelling ROBOT is to get people out of your way. If there is noone in your way, then don't yell it.

[BrendanB]

Originally Posted by Brandon_L

Just throwing this out there:

On the way back from inspection at NJ, it was just me and a mentor pushing the robot back to the pit minding our own business, not shouting ROBOT to everyone in sight. If someone got in the way we'd just say "excuse me, robot coming through" or something to them. A volunteer of some sort saw us, actually stopped us, and told me to walk back to the pit and get at least a total of 3 people. One to push, one to steer, and one to shout robot at the top of their lungs.

Yeah, we got pulled over for not shouting robot. I'm not saying anything about the volunteer, just saying we can't not shout robot

That bugs me! To make it better, a few of us learned that if you yell robot and a safety person is around, you got tokens. (this was a few years ago)

[Karibou]

I was walking our robot back to our pit from inspection today, and was told by a volunteer to "announce my robot," when there was nobody in front of me for at least 30 feet. I politely told her that there was no need, since there wasn't anyone in the way. The response that I got was mo more than "well, you should anyways", and it certainly wasn't near the polite tone I had respoded with before. I was also told to do the same by a team about three feet away from my pit on the way TO inspection: along the lines of "why aren't you yelling?" I could see a reason to mention my robot if the pits were heavily congested, but I found that simply saying "excuse me, can we get our bot through" was enough to get past the few people in our way as we turned a corner.

[CoachPoore]

Originally Posted by BrendanB

That bugs me! To make it better, a few of us learned that if you yell robot and a safety person is around, you got tokens. (this was a few years ago)

I think I remember the incident you are referring to, Brendan. The following happened to 1519 at GSR in 2006. We were taking the robot to the practice field, and were chastised by a safety judge for not having a student out in front of the robot, shouting "Robot". We complied with their request, and approximately 10s later were given a safety token by a different safety judge, who complimented us on our safety practices

[BrendanB]

Originally Posted by CoachPoore

I think I remember the incident you are referring to, Brendan. The following happened to 1519 at GSR in 2006. We were taking the robot to the practice field, and were chastised by a safety judge for not having a student out in front of the robot, shouting "Robot". We complied with their request, and approximately 10s later were given a safety token by a different safety judge, who complimented us on our safety practices

Haha, since they changed the system this year I didn't even bother yelling robot!

[sanddrag]

Originally Posted by Brandon_L

A volunteer of some sort saw us, actually stopped us, and told me to walk back to the pit and get at least a total of 3 people. One to push, one to steer, and one to shout robot at the top of their lungs.

Yeah, we got pulled over for not shouting robot. I'm not saying anything about the volunteer, just saying we can't not shout robot

So, we've now heard of multiple instances of this administrative directive given at multiple events. It's coming from the top down. Whose brilliant idea was this?

Originally Posted by CoachPoore

I think I remember the incident you are referring to, Brendan. The following happened to 1519 at GSR in 2006. We were taking the robot to the practice field, and were chastised by a safety judge for not having a student out in front of the robot, shouting "Robot". We complied with their request, and approximately 10s later were given a safety token by a different safety judge, who complimented us on our safety practices

And this is why as a community, we should work toward fundamental reform of the safety award (given that I don't think we'd ever see it's elimination altogether).