pic: Deflating the tube (the easy way)

[Andy B]

I was not at this regional, so I cannot speak as if I know the entire reasons for cutting the innertubes, but from what I understand, it seems that the innertubes were cut because it was easier to do that than to take them off the spider legs or out of robot's manipulators. If that is the case, I must say I am astonished to see FIRST do something like that. If it was done out of laziness, as it seems it was, I am astonished that first would allow that to happen. It only adds to the partially true sterotype that Americans are lazy which completely goes against FIRST's goals.

[Josh Murphy]

I was at this regional and I was a volunteer for field reset. The robots on the field were doing a pretty good job at deflating these things let alone the head ref doing it with a pocket knife. It was a nightmare trying to keep the field going with ringers getting poped left and right. There was one match where one robot popped 7 tubes and several other occasions where at least 5 went. All I could say is "why did first choose these tubes".

[nikeairmancurry]

That would be our Keeper being cut off (Team 326). It was the first of two tubes he cut off of are robot, the ruling we were giving was that the Keeper was apparently still on the robot. I don't know if you guys can see that. The Second time was a spoiler that was hanging on the black rubber piece on the spider arm. To add insult to injury, he gave us the tube back, we hang it in our pit as a reminder that he can put keepers on during auton.

[Alex Cormier]

Originally Posted by Josh Murphy

I was at this regional and I was a volunteer for field reset. The robots on the field were doing a pretty good job at deflating these things let alone the head ref doing it with a pocket knife. It was a nightmare trying to keep the field going with ringers getting poped left and right. There was one match where one robot popped 7 tubes and several other occasions where at least 5 went. All I could say is "why did first choose these tubes".

i hear ya, same thing for FLR.

[jgannon]

Originally Posted by Andy B

I was not at this regional, so I cannot speak as if I know the entire reasons for cutting the innertubes, but from what I understand, it seems that the innertubes were cut because it was easier to do that than to take them off the spider legs or out of robot's manipulators. If that is the case, I must say I am astonished to see FIRST do something like that. If it was done out of laziness, as it seems it was, I am astonished that first would allow that to happen. It only adds to the partially true sterotype that Americans are lazy which completely goes against FIRST's goals.

Yes, keepers have been cut because it's easier to take them away from robots that way. No, it's not because the refs are lazy. During week 1, refs were wrestling them away from the robots. 375 sustained some damage to their gripper at NJ because of this interaction, and I'm sure they weren't the only ones who were at least uneasy with the idea of an outsider tugging on their robot. It's a little overdramatic, but it seems like a much better solution than hardlining on the disqualification for late keepers. Let the teams play.