Driving Practice

[GMadCoolGirl]

so cool you will need a jacket

[Maffalfa]

Originally Posted by GMadCoolGirl

so cool you will need a jacket

So are we talking about something as cool as a refrigerator?

[GMadCoolGirl]

Originally Posted by Maffalfa

So are we talking about something as cool as a refrigerator?

yeah... you may need to hop in the dryer afterwards

[Maffalfa]

Originally Posted by GMadCoolGirl

yeah... you may need to hop in the dryer afterwards

Really? I was thinking more like the grill or something but that's just me I guess.

[GMadCoolGirl]

Originally Posted by Maffalfa

Really? I was thinking more like the grill or something but that's just me I guess.

I suppose that could be another option... it is a matter of preference

what ever works best for you

[Maffalfa]

Originally Posted by GMadCoolGirl

I suppose that could be another option... it is a matter of preference

what ever works best for you

Yeah I guess.

Do you think driving practice with a dog around would be distracting?

[GMadCoolGirl]

Originally Posted by Maffalfa

Yeah I guess.

Do you think driving practice with a dog around would be distracting?

definitely... especially if a couple cool people are there

[Maffalfa]

Originally Posted by GMadCoolGirl

definitely... especially if a couple cool people are there

Distracting for me though? I mean maybe for you, but for me?

[GMadCoolGirl]

Originally Posted by Maffalfa

Distracting for me though? I mean maybe for you, but for me?

I mean you would be driving, so as long as you aren't distracted... I don't need to focus on that so i can focus on not having the dog be hurt

[Maffalfa]

Originally Posted by GMadCoolGirl

I mean you would be driving, so as long as you aren't distracted... I don't need to focus on that so i can focus on not having the dog be hurt

How would the dog get hurt?

[GMadCoolGirl]

Originally Posted by Maffalfa

How would the dog get hurt?

I wouldnt want it to get squished or crushed

[Maffalfa]

Originally Posted by GMadCoolGirl

I wouldnt want it to get squished or crushed

But how?

[GMadCoolGirl]

Originally Posted by Maffalfa

But how?

You know how... but i suppose the dog would be safer here than in cabo

[kyle_hamblett]

One thing that I found helpful was to just spend time driving around. Drive over defenses, see how the robot reacts to them, learn what the robot can and can't do. I learned pretty fast that our robot can't turn in place, and the result was a dead battery before the end of the match.
Just like they say, practice makes perfect.

[fargus111111111]

Originally Posted by lark95

Personally i believe that the best robot to practice with is a mecanum drive-train. this is because how it drives is so very-able. if the floor is not level it will try to turn, if it is not balanced it will just be plain weird, however if you learn to position a mecanum drive train were you want it easily, then you can drive anything well.

The best drive train to practice on, in my opinion, is whatever your team uses the most, it would not make sense for my team to practice on a mecanum because we never build them, we always build some form of skid steer (arcade) drive.

As far as the best things to practice, it depends on what you are already good at, but the most important thing that we look for in a driver is smoothness, especially under time pressure. Ideally in a match the robot never stops moving unless it is shooting or loading and those should be very brief stops. I have told many people trying out for driver to slow down, don't try to go all out right away. A good way to practice this is to drive at demonstrations, especially ones with small children, you are concerned about hitting them, so you wind up practicing slow movements.

Demonstrations are really good places for an experienced driver to practice (as long as you are controlled enough not to hit anyone) because people often don't think anything about walking between you and the robot, the robot can get pretty far away from you, there are lots of distractions, and you are expected to make calculated, controlled movements. These are all things that a good driver on the field must be capable of handling. That being said, I always advocate safety FIRST. If you are not ready to drive a robot around people, DON'T! And always use bumpers in demonstrations.

Practice matches are really good for learning how to use your robot in competition however I don't find them as useful for just general driver practice. General driver practice usually takes the form of an obstacle course with consequences for major deviations off course or collisions ie lose a turn (or as previously mentioned, pushups). This helps to encourage precise and deliberate driving, both of which are far more important than fast driving.