Important Rules - 2007 Season

[hallk]

Maybe it is just me but is Fedex only shipping for one regional and nationals? And the crate can weigh up to 600lbs for Fedex to take it?
I sure hope I read that wrong because our crate is on the beefy side.

[chris31]

Originally Posted by hallk

Maybe it is just me but is Fedex only shipping for one regional and nationals? And the crate can weigh up to 600lbs for Fedex to take it?
I sure hope I read that wrong because our crate is on the beefy side.

2) Loaded crate must weigh 400 pounds or less in order to avoid charges

[Imajie]

Originally Posted by hallk

Maybe it is just me but is Fedex only shipping for one regional and nationals? And the crate can weigh up to 600lbs for Fedex to take it?
I sure hope I read that wrong because our crate is on the beefy side.

Fedex will ship to ONE regional, the Championships, and they will ship it back for free. Anything more you have to pay them to ship it.

[gburlison]

Originally Posted by hallk

Maybe it is just me but is Fedex only shipping for one regional and nationals? And the crate can weigh up to 600lbs for Fedex to take it?
I sure hope I read that wrong because our crate is on the beefy side.

Originally Posted by chris31

2) Loaded crate must weigh 400 pounds or less in order to avoid charges

But if it weighs more than 600 pounds, FedEx may not take it.

4.9.7. FedEx Weight Limit
Crates cannot exceed 600 pounds.
FIRST pays drayage costs for one crate up to 400 pounds only. Teams pay the
REMEMBER:
drayage cost in excess of 400 pounds, rounded up to the next hundredweight.

[Alexa Stott]

Originally Posted by MORT~11

As much as some people may think of the music coming form carts as distracting, it really serves a good purpose. We all know how difficult it can be maneuvering your cart from the field to the pit or vice versa...the music may seem obnoxious but it makes life so easy because people who are having conversations in the pit hear the music and immediately move out of the way. If you ask me its helps safety.

Unless you're in the pits trying to communicate with a teammate that you are, say, turning the robot on and warning them to be careful. In that case, loud music can prevent your teammate from hearing your warning.

Another thing with the music-I find that when judges are asking me questions, it's really hard to hear them because so many teams have loud, bad music playing. It is also difficult for them to hear us when we answer their questions. Of course, the arena is already loud because of music playing by the field and people cheering, but individual teams blasting music from their carts because they think it's cool that they put speakers into their cart is just plain annoying and excessive.

[Richard Wallace]

Originally Posted by Richard

I fairly certain that only the GDC and FIRST senior management know the game before kickoff.

Some key volunteers find out about field elements and gamepieces in advance (starting a few weeks ago), but these adventurous souls must:

1) have no team affiliation, and 2) sign a secrecy agreement.

I know the guy who does this mostly thankless job for the St. Louis region -- he's building whatever it is in his basement right now (and cursing the incomplete and ever changing documentation), so I won't be visiting his house until after kick-off.

Update from the aforementioned adventurous soul: construction of field elements for kick-off is apparently proceeding, but with some frustration.

Originally Posted by Unnamed Underappreciated Volunteer

It is certainly helpful to have a well-equipped cabinet making shop in order to generate all of the pieces required. You cannot build this with a circular saw and a drill. I think that they should lock Dean and Woody and Dave in a room and not let them out until they build one of these or start hallucinating. The results could be interesting and the Kick-Off would be in February with probably only one of the aforementioned parties present. Also, FIRST Engineering should be forced to watch Rosie O'Donnell and "The View" until they pass out. They should then be revived and forced to watch some more. This might sound extreme to some but I think it really lets them off easy.

Note: the volunteer had more to say, but you get the idea.

[Dylan Gramlich]

I have read thru these posts and am still confused on the maximum height of the crate. Is it 4'? cause that doesnt make sense. someone please help me on this one since we are trying to make a new reusable crate and want to make it compliant with the rules.

[Ricky Q.]

From 4.3.1

10) Have a footprint no greater than 4' by 4' and be no taller than 5'10" (70") high. This maximum includes the 4" by 4" lumber mentioned above.

[Dylan Gramlich]

ty both. its just i couldnt see that part of the rules in Connor's original post.

[FourPenguins]

Hmm...carts that fit through 30" doors...
A robot in last year's footprint with bumpers didn't fit through a 30" door. A hint perhaps?

If it isn't a hint...I don't feel comfortable with a cart that's narrower than the robot on top of if. Not at all. I barely feel comfortable with a 28" robot on a 30" cart. Repeal please? Please? Please? I am not rebuilding that cart. It's too awesome.

That said, I want my cart music. I know why they got rid of it, but I still disagree with it and I think we've lost a huge part of the character of FIRST.

[(Click_Here)]

Our team isn't going to be happy about the cart music rule, the team only spent about $700 on it last year from fundraising money.

Well we can at least use it during the build season in gleason works, they don't mind if we use it there anyways.

Theres all ways more rules to be added, there is never enough.

[Cory]

Originally Posted by 11Ed71

Hmm...carts that fit through 30" doors...
A robot in last year's footprint with bumpers didn't fit through a 30" door. A hint perhaps?

If it isn't a hint...I don't feel comfortable with a cart that's narrower than the robot on top of if. Not at all. I barely feel comfortable with a 28" robot on a 30" cart. Repeal please? Please? Please? I am not rebuilding that cart. It's too awesome.

That said, I want my cart music. I know why they got rid of it, but I still disagree with it and I think we've lost a huge part of the character of FIRST.

This "rule" has been this way for years. The point is to allow the cart through a standard doorway. Teams have, and will continue to make their carts larger (doesn't necessarily mean it's a good idea).

If you do want to keep your cart under 30", you just need a set of risers to put on it to hold your robot which would presumably be wider than the cart.

[nparikh]

Originally Posted by Lil' Lavery

Personally I plan on going around the pits blasting audiobooks....

That totally sounds like something I would do--push their buttons, haha!

[nparikh]

Originally Posted by Jak DiGriz

You guys...

It's what, 10 weeks until the first competition, and you all are going through rules on pit behavior and approved safety goggles with a fine-toothed comb! Not only is this ridiculously over the top, there is a good chance that any rule combing done today will be forgotten 8 weeks down the line, and you'll have to go over the rules AGAIN.

Use your time for something more... interesting. Like trying to get the game leaked. All FIRST volunteers know the game 2 weeks in advance. They're just sworn to secrecy and will disavow all knowledge! But seriously. They know the game.

Somehow I doubt that. I don't think FIRST is that naive.

[Richard Wallace]

Originally Posted by Lil' Lavery

Personally I plan on going around the pits blasting audiobooks....

Originally Posted by nparikh

That totally sounds like something I would do--push their buttons, haha!

Good idea for a project. Maybe someone will make an audiobook file of the 2007 Robot Rules -- then all the inspectors can walk around the pits blasting the rules for our general entertainment.