pic: Broken Bumper from 2007

[eugenebrooks]

The bumper construction rules are very specific, and bumpers are required, for a reason. The specifications lead to a bumper that will withstand the rigors of the competition.

It is a shame for an inspector to have to fail a robot for something like failing to construct and mount the bumpers properly, but if bumpers are not present and mounted properly according to the rules the robot should not be allowed to compete. This is not a small thing in the rules that can be ignored.

I hope that past damage to improperly made bumpers did not cause the rules adjustment requiring structural support for the entire length of the bumper this year. Many teams like to build cantilever wheel systems and I see no reason why they should not be allowed to do it if the bumper mounting is sound.

Flimsy structural support behind the bumper satisfies the letter of the rule, but not the intent. I think that making post mounting of the bumpers illegal is silly, in that it can be done with high strength. It does not affect us as we stopped building cantilever wheel systems a few years ago, but it certainly affects quite a few other teams.

I don't consider myself to be in a state that requires settling down...

Eugene