Important 80 inches!!!

[jgannon]

Originally Posted by Laaba 80

The refs cant go out on the field with a tape measure

Why not? It happened last year with the 72" rule, and I've seen it happen this year.

[Danny McC]

Actually im pretty sure at VCU yesturday a team tipped over and the refs went out onto the field to measure them.

[geeknerd99]

Originally Posted by Danny McC

Actually im pretty sure at VCU yesturday a team tipped over and the refs went out onto the field to measure them.

We were penalized for that during our last match, semifinal #2. We tipped over, and we were asessed a 10-pt. penalty on top of losing anyway.

[IndySam]

Originally Posted by geeknerd99

We were penalized for that during our last match, semifinal #2. We tipped over, and we were asessed a 10-pt. penalty on top of losing anyway.

Di you immediately push your e-stop button?

[geeknerd99]

Originally Posted by IndySam

Di you immediately push your e-stop button?

I was robocoaching, but I was giving the E-Stop signal frantically. I don't know if it actually got pushed or not.

Would it have made a difference if we hadn't prevented the other team from accessing both of their trackballs? We did not have a way to retract our arm, so we were stuck in the expanded position.

[IndySam]

Are the refs being informed of the robots that can exceed 80" on a routine basis? How is this accomplished?

[Laaba 80]

Originally Posted by IndySam

Are the refs being informed of the robots that can exceed 80" on a routine basis? How is this accomplished?

The inspection crew puts a sticker on the robot that shows it can exceed 80in.
Joey

[IndySam]

Originally Posted by Laaba 80

The inspection crew puts a sticker on the robot that shows it can exceed 80in.
Joey

But do the refs routinely check for these stickers? I bet not. They have so much that they have to do already. Is the entire ref crew made aware of the posibility and how it can occur?

[Laaba 80]

Originally Posted by IndySam

But do the refs routinely check for these stickers? I bet not. They have so much that they have to do already. Is the entire ref crew made aware of the posibility and how it can occur?

I agree, they already have to much to look out for. They shouldnt need to worry about this. I dont know if the whole crew if informed.
Joey

[waialua359]

When our alliance partner 401 fell over and "violated" the 80" rule which was not in their control once they fell, it should not have been a penalty if the e-stop button is pressed. Just my opinion.

[geeknerd99]

Originally Posted by waialua359

When our alliance partner 401 fell over and "violated" the 80" rule which was not in their control once they fell, it should not have been a penalty if the e-stop button is pressed. Just my opinion.

In all honesty, the call becomes a moot point, as we lost fair and square anyways. Also, we effectively blocked off access to both of the other team's trackballs. This might have been the rationale for the moot penalty.

However, this call just added insult to injury. It does bring the issue to light though.

[waialua359]

Originally Posted by geeknerd99

In all honesty, the call becomes a moot point, as we lost fair and square anyways. Also, we effectively blocked off access to both of the other team's trackballs. This might have been the rationale for the moot penalty.

However, this call just added insult to injury. It does bring the issue to light though.

But, in match #1, the other robot "appeared" to have broken the 80" rule, but no tape measure came out. Our penalty that we had was caused by having to go backwards to avoid you folks in order to hurdle the ball since we were stuck in the corner.
As we were in situation, I made the call to do it, since the other two choices were to either hit your robot to avoid going backwards or to stop playing and certainly lose the match.
If we didnt have those two penalties, we would have won the match.
But, in all "evenness" we won a couple of matches on penalties also.
My only thing was you folks shouldn't be given a penalty if you cant control the robot being helpless on the ground.
If the rules are that even though your robot is physically capable of breaking the 80" rule, but is allowed to partcipate never crossing it, then it shouldnt work against you, if you have no control. No one in their right mind would purposely flip their robot to fall on the ground.
Referees work hard to make the right calls. My argument is not on the refs, but on the specifics of this particular rule.

You guys were great, despite your hard luck, and we would love to choose you folks again if given the chance in Atlanta. I'm sure you folks will get it fixed in time and do well in April.

See you folks there.

[Richard McClellan]

Originally Posted by waialua359

When our alliance partner 401 fell over and "violated" the 80" rule which was not in their control once they fell, it should not have been a penalty if the e-stop button is pressed. Just my opinion.

I'm confused....is this a rule? I must have missed it. If our robot falls over (which would probably make it exceed 80"), should our team drivers hit the e-stop?

[vic burg]

I would say that there is a reference point that the referees can use to determine if the robot is over 80", is there not? I believe that if a robot is higher than the ball sitting on the bars, than it should be ruled as over 80". Granted, the bars are at 6' 6" (78"), and the ball is 40" (if I remember correctly), so therefore, if the robot extends to the middle of the ball, than it is at least a borderline of 80" or higher, and if the robot can go above the ball, or can reach the top of it, than it is definitely taller than it should be. (this is referring to a robot that has fallen over. As in, the robot went to turn the corner, and he tips over, and he reaches the full length of [his] half of the field. and of course, if there is a ball laying on the ground, this would help to determine it.)
Thus, a penalty should be called if the robot can reach the top of the ball or higher. At least, that is my opinion. However, it is, ultimately, up to the referees.

[EricH]

Originally Posted by richardmcc2

I'm confused....is this a rule? I must have missed it. If our robot falls over (which would probably make it exceed 80"), should our team drivers hit the e-stop?

Yes--the new <G36>. If your robot goes over, hit the E-stop and you won't get any more penalties.