Petition to end the shouting of ROBOT

[omsahmad]

This is one of those things that grinds my gears, too. The person in front of the robot in our team says robot using their 'inside voice' directly next to the person that is in our way.

[Mark Sheridan]

Originally Posted by MikeE

Very topical.
From last month: "NYC ends 30 year experiment with "Don't Honk" signs"

Yeah like this:
http://www.sodahead.com/united-state...stion-2245763/

Glad I live in So Cal, we have obnoxious drivers but no one uses their horns around here.

The ban is not a solution for New York nor would a ban help in FIRST. I certainly would not want to curb ones freedom of speech which is a heart of the above article. Certainly I would not want to deny my right to say certain behavior is obnoxious. Going back to sand drag's original post, mandating people to yell robot is just as bad.

Is honking a lot making the world safer, no. Could it be used to communicate displeasure at another driver, yes (so 1st amendment?). For yelling "robot", its over use does not make things safer, as people ignore honking, so are people going to ignore "robot". A few cases I noticed yelling "robot" is used to express displeasure of crowding a pit lane.

I could see "robot" working if used for rare circumstances (like a team distracted and blocking during a team photo) but not a the frequency rate I have observed.

[coalhot]

*raises hand in support of petition*

I should point out though that many times when students yell "ROBOT" or "ROBOT COMING THROUGH" it's because they are going by a pit that has an unusual number of people standing in the front. As a student at the Philly Regional, I don't remember doing it much, but I remember having to do it a few times when I was going by a pit that had 20 people around it. Tapping everyone's shoulder and saying "excuse me" just wasn't gonna cut it.

GP goes both ways. Yelling "ROBOT" is annoying, rude, and unnecessary. But so is having too many people in your pit, and not allowing the team to get by.

[Jay Trzaskos]

Can't teams just try a little harder to give yourselves adequate time to queue for matches? Maybe have a drive team member or coach walk ten paces ahead and ask people politely to step out of the way? I understand that there are going to be moments that you're going to be in a rush, and if that's the case feel free to speak up. But if you're not in the next match or two, you don't have to rush to the field and there is absolutely no need to shout anything.

But if your team is always late for their next match, and just barely making it on the field, then you've got a time management problem you need to deal with. Yelling ROBOT!! a thousand times over isn't going to do anything to fix it.

[SM987]

Agreed with all of the above. We're not part of the "ROBOT!" crowd. Really we should petition for a bicycle bell to be included in the KOP and maybe a reference to what it's for in the manual

[Brandon Zalinsky]

Originally Posted by Jay Money 1058

I personally the yelling

I accidentally the verb.


Also, at busy regionals, the only thing that works is yelling "robot". Quite simply, tapping people on the shoulder and saying "excuse me" doesn't work.

[DonRotolo]

Consider this petition signed.

[Michael Hill]

ROBOT!!!!

*rams robot into your ankles*

WATCH OUT!! ROBOT!!!

[RoboMom]

Originally Posted by Flak-Bait

Also, at busy regionals, the only thing that works is yelling "robot". Quite simply, tapping people on the shoulder and saying "excuse me" doesn't work.

“Those that say it can’t be done should get out of the way of those doing it” Chinese Proverb

Sorry, got to disagree with you. We had a 64 team regional last year doing just that. The safety advisors got the word out.

Again, the key is to have someone at the front of the bot as you move through the pits.

But I'm repeating myself. I will re-post this excellence advice from Brandon Holley: http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...4&postcount=35

[dellagd]

Yep. Signed.

I just find it plain annoying to have "ROBOT!" shouted everywhere all the time. Not only is it obnoxious but it just gets old after hearing it 100 times in the pits. An "Excuse me! Watch out!" Im perfectly fine with, but just yelling the word "Robot!".... come on guys. Were all smart people, we can do a little better I think.

[EricH]

I'm in. I was at L.A. on Saturday, and while it wasn't being yelled (per se), it was being said.

My usual response? Seeing as I was usually standing where there was plenty of room to maneuver around me, I just stood where I was. If someone had asked me to move politely, I most certainly would have, especially if the area was crowded.

I've said this before, but if the safety people are practically ordering teams to do this, do it as loud as possible, as close to their ears as reasonably possible, at every excuse, and nowhere else. They'll get the idea of how annoying it can be really fast. Bonus for then offering them hearing protection, BTW.


(There was also an air horn in the L.A. Regional stands, which was rather annoying and is banned by the Administrative Manual--but at least the user used it quietly and at appropriate times.)

[Christopher149]

At the events in Michigan I attended, they were almost requiring us to yell robot, which definitely is a change from the past.

[caseybarisax14]

My friend and me raise our hands in agreement

[lcoreyl]

*signed*

Originally Posted by seg9585

when I hear "FORE!" yelled on a course, I put my head down and turn by back to the sound. It becomes instinctual.

This analogy is far from the situation in the pits. If it was I imagine you wouldn't continue to react this way to "FORE!"

I also want to re-iterate the sending 1-2 members *in front* of the bot to help part the crowd is usually all that's necessary.

I also think in terms of making real change with this, then the focus should be on everyone in the pits *not* moving robots being aware and politely helping part the crowds.

[bulbajackel]

No, just no. I am saying this the most respectfully that I can but it is loud at this competition, and we can't simply be quiet (at STL for example). Yelling "excuse me!" may be seen as rude to certain people and yelling robot appears as it has been included in the FIRST culture. sorry to be the odd one out but it doesn't hurt anyone saying that... Maybe they shouldn't be down in the pits anyway because all they are being is a liability. Once the pits aren't congested with a lot, I mean A LOT of people then it would be easier to say excuse me to that smaller crowd. </rant>