No-show teams and trailers

[Daniel_LaFleur]

If a team doesn't show up, I'd like to see a caster (made from a kit wheel) attached to the tongue of the trailer with no robot, so that it can be pushed around.

This would change the dynamics of the game when a team could not be there.

[IKE]

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w..._150886_150886

Northern tool has a swivel trailer jack stand for $17.

Says it has a 750 pound capacity which should be enough for our trailer.

Seriously who has ever heard of a good trailer without a tongue jack?

[EricH]

Originally Posted by Richard

Fair comment, Chris. Time to build, improve, and/or repair robots is a precious resource.

How would you interpret <S04> in the case of no-shows?Should a no-show team's alliance partners be excused from the penalty required by this rule if the team says "our robot isn't ready so we won't compete"?

Remember that it's kind of hard to violate a rule if you aren't there...

I expect that once asked, this will show up in an Update on Friday.

[JesseK]

Originally Posted by Daniel_LaFleur

If a team doesn't show up, I'd like to see a caster (made from a kit wheel) attached to the tongue of the trailer with no robot, so that it can be pushed around.

This would change the dynamics of the game when a team could not be there.

Interesting concept.

Since the trailer hitches are supposed to be 7" wide I wonder if we could hook up 2 trailers to 1 robot in such a scenario. Even if it reduces a robot's mobility twice as much as 1 trailer does, it's better than just leaving the thing sitting around as an easy target.

[GaryVoshol]

Originally Posted by Richard

How would you interpret <S04> in the case of no-shows?Should a no-show team's alliance partners be excused from the penalty required by this rule if the team says "our robot isn't ready so we won't compete"?

Originally Posted by EricH

Remember that it's kind of hard to violate a rule if you aren't there...

<S04> starts, "Any robot used during a match ..." If it's not used, there's no penalty under <S04>.

[Carbon419]

Yeah, from what I understand the trailer is placed on the field and is basically open for any opposing team to score on. SO.... show up!

[Matt C]

Ok, but how is it held level? or is the tongue just hanging out in the open?

[GaryVoshol]

Originally Posted by Carbon419

Yeah, from what I understand the trailer is placed on the field and is basically open for any opposing team to score on. SO.... show up!

Where do you understand this from? Has it been stated in any FIRST documentation? Cite, please.

[Rick Wagner]

I want to verify I haven't missed something, but after the third update, there still seems to be no Q&A response or rules update that addresses this issue. The trailer tongue for a no-show robot will gouge the regolith when it gets shoved out of range of an opposing PS by an alliance partner. The trailer will also rest at a non-vertical angle, and might be tipped over backward fairly easily.

I would have posted my own Q&A question on this, but someone earlier in the thread said he would ask.

[cardinalman86]

Originally Posted by JesseK

Since the trailer hitches are supposed to be 7" wide I wonder if we could hook up 2 trailers to 1 robot in such a scenario. Even if it reduces a robot's mobility twice as much as 1 trailer does, it's better than just leaving the thing sitting around as an easy target.

Haha! Would you even be able to drive like this!?! It would be really awesome to see, but i don't know if the robot could get enough grip on the regolith to pull both of the trailers at the same time and still get enough speed not to get completely tossed around... it might be something to try.

Would you also fit within the LAUNCHING PAD?

[DMetalKong]

Originally Posted by Mike Starke

One thing that I do see, is that if FIRST did send a trailer out by itself, it's starting position is right in front of an opposing teams PS. As an insult to injury, that alliance could stock up on moon rocks in that PS position and at the start of the match have an easy shot to score points on the robotless trailer. I am intrigued to find out the ruling.

I doubt you will see teams try and take too much advantage of this due to G14.

[ChrisH]

Originally Posted by Rick Wagner

I want to verify I haven't missed something, but after the third update, there still seems to be no Q&A response or rules update that addresses this issue. The trailer tongue for a no-show robot will gouge the regolith when it gets shoved out of range of an opposing PS by an alliance partner. The trailer will also rest at a non-vertical angle, and might be tipped over backward fairly easily.

I would have posted my own Q&A question on this, but someone earlier in the thread said he would ask.

They probably have asked, but we won't see it until the GDC deigns to answer. We have a team trailer constructed and it is not very tippy at all. I don't recall if the hitch reaches the floor, but the low bumpers make great stabilizers and the possible angle off of vertical is not too great.

[Rick Wagner]

Thanks, Chris.

[GaryVoshol]

If the GDC is concerned about protecting the trailer tongue from hitting the side of a towing robot's bumper, surely they will be concerned with a robot running over a loose trailer tongue.

Note that this is not a life-and-death-designing-the-robot question. It won't matter until competition starts, so they may be getting to more important things first. Or they may be trying to come up with some kind of jig to use.

Has anyone asked?

[Nuttyman54]

Originally Posted by GaryVoshol

Has anyone asked?

I asked this on Q&A the day it opened. Still no response.