Uniform rules and enforcers?

[The Lucas]

Originally posted by Sam Fladung
And please don't use the excuse that "they allowed this at the last regional."

I hate that line. Everyone assumes that if they passed inspection at the last regional, then you are just wasting their time and they don't have to listen to you. Many teams don't take it well when you tell them "you shouldn't have passed inspection last regional". I inspected at Drexel last year and some of the teams that passed inspection at previous competitions had obvious issues such as too many solenoids or no 40 amp breakers.

Some teams were very hostile about changing things when I noticed obvious violations. There is no reason for hostility, I am a volunteer trying to ensure a safe and fair competition, I am not here to make their lives miserable. I think one of the main problems is FIRST rules are often "soft" and are changed mid-season (*cough* tape measure, light visibility *cough*) so teams don't think they have to follow any rule cause if they complain enough it will be changed the next week. If FIRST enforced rules strictly no one would challenge them.

Since I have been on both sides of an inspection, I can understand the need for intelligent debate over the interpretation of some vague rules. I have won debates with inspectors (by won I mean the inspectors finally saw my point and agreed). I also lost a debate over wire size as an inspector (I was wrong and apologized for the hassle). I thought FIRST rules required 10 AWG wire from the breaker to all speed controllers regardless of the (small) motor connected to it.

Inspection is a big job for the few inspectors at the each competition. All teams must be inspected in 1 day and many wait till the last minute and/or require multiple inspections before they pass. It is difficult to get enough people with the know-how to be good inspectors. Even some professional engineers are not familiar enough with with the FIRST motors, controls, or pneumatics to notice violations. I remember one engineer inspector asked my team how our "hydraulic tanks worked without springs in them to keep the pressure", then we reminded him that they are pneumatic tanks.