Not to Be a Total Stick in the Mud

[CalTran]

Originally Posted by littlejimmy1058

There were kids with capes on in the pits. Ummmm safety hazard?

Same thing at KC, except at Greater Kansas City it was those superfan suits (Basically a full bodied spandex suit that goes from your feet and covers everything including your head.) I'll give some of them credit for wearing safety glasses over the suit , but still, I'm fairly certain it violates the same reason as to why I'm not allowed to walk around in full tint safety glasses. Having never worn a superfan suit, I'm not qualified to talk about the visibility from within one, but I can imagine that if a piece of spandex is covering my entire face, visibility is limited.

Here's to hoping some of the things mentioned in this thread change and the next 5 weeks of competition are more safety inclined.

[jeleser]

On the subject of yelling "Robot," I tried to only let myself say "'Scuse me," with enough volume to be heard but not yelling at people. Hearing "robot" all day causes it to become ignored (at least for me in a couple instances). I also noticed several teams, on several occasions, yelling "robot" when there was nobody blocking their path. For courtesy, if you feel the overwhelming need to yell "robot," at the very least don't do it when nobody is in the path.

[Karibou]

Originally Posted by CalTran

Same thing at KC, except at Greater Kansas City it was those superfan suits (Basically a full bodied spandex suit that goes from your feet and covers everything including your head.) I'll give some of them credit for wearing safety glasses over the suit , but still, I'm fairly certain it violates the same reason as to why I'm not allowed to walk around in full tint safety glasses. Having never worn a superfan suit, I'm not qualified to talk about the visibility from within one, but I can imagine that if a piece of spandex is covering my entire face, visibility is limited.

Depends. I've tried some on, and visibility varies greatly from not being able to see at all to being able to see with very "gritty" but slightly tinted vision. I would entirely argue that they don't belong in the pits, safety glasses or not. That being said, if the hood/face is down (most, if not all, have zippers in the back starting at the head, I don't see a major issue as long as they have safety glasses.

[jsasaki]

maybe FIRST can provide flat carts for teams with hardship to use at regionals.

[treffk]

I agree with all that is being said here and just want to add one thing. I witnessed a UL Safety Adviser ask 2 visitors to put safety glasses on when they were entering the pits and they got very upset and walked out. I know most teams do this already but a quick reminder to all parents and visitors will help keep the pits just a bit safer and the volunteers a bit less stressed.

[Phyrxes]

The extra cart idea is a great one for those of us with space in a trailer or box truck going to an event. Even a movers dolly would be a benefit to someone.

[AllenGregoryIV]

Originally Posted by Koko Ed

5. I saw several teams having to carry their robots to the field. I think it would be an awesome thing to do if a veteran would help them out with an extra cart (if they have one. One of those furniture movers might be all that's needed). Not only is it unpleasant to have to carry a 120 pound robot from the pits to the field but it can be dangerous as well). Who knows? It might attract the attention of a judge and get you a GP award.

This is something I think we can and have to fix and yes furniture movers with a bit of rope is all that is needed. Some sort of cart should be a requirement to compete not just a strong recommendation (http://frc-manual.usfirst.org/viewItem/6#4.2.2). If a team falls while they are carrying their robot through the pits it would be horrible. We require that you don't have sharp edges that might cut someones hand but carrying a robot through the pits is allowed and that might break someones leg.

[Koko Ed]

Originally Posted by AllenGregoryIV

This is something I think we can and have to fix and yes furniture movers with a bit of rope is all that is needed. Some sort of cart should be a requirement to compete not just a strong recommendation (http://frc-manual.usfirst.org/viewItem/6#4.2.2). If a team falls while they are carrying their robot through the pits it would be horrible. We require that you don't have sharp edges that might cut someones hand but carrying a robot through the pits is allowed and that might break someones leg.

Oh yeah, that reminds me. We should probably encourage teams to use gloves too. Carrying that weight that long with bare hands has got to be brutal. I mean some of those kids were stumbling by the time they got to the field and I'm amazed no one fumbled a bot to the floor.

[quinxorin]

Honestly, I have never seen these issues happen at a Michigan event (except people not getting out of the way for "ROBOT!"). Might be due to experience, but we all have carts, people never go beyond the blue curtains when they aren't supposed to (we don't even really bother with the drivers' passes anymore) and people were smart enough not to play around on the field or practice field bridges.

[jsasaki]

Originally Posted by AllenGregoryIV

This is something I think we can and have to fix and yes furniture movers with a bit of rope is all that is needed. Some sort of cart should be a requirement to compete not just a strong recommendation (http://frc-manual.usfirst.org/viewItem/6#4.2.2). If a team falls while they are carrying their robot through the pits it would be horrible. We require that you don't have sharp edges that might cut someones hand but carrying a robot through the pits is allowed and that might break someones leg.

Its a bit hard for teams that come from other places using crates and fedex to ship robots. Batteries and a half taken apart robot with bumpers are nearly 400 lbs. making a cart a requirement would not be ideal for such teams.

[AllenGregoryIV]

Originally Posted by jsasaki

Its a bit hard for teams that come from other places using crates and fedex to ship robots. Batteries and a half taken apart robot with bumpers are nearly 400 lbs. making a cart a requirement would not be ideal for such teams.

Teams should have to communicate with the regional director or with teams to find some way to have a cart. Carrying the robot for every match is not acceptable.

[Andy A.]

Originally Posted by jsasaki

Its a bit hard for teams that come from other places using crates and fedex to ship robots. Batteries and a half taken apart robot with bumpers are nearly 400 lbs. making a cart a requirement would not be ideal for such teams.

Lifting and carrying a robot to and from the pits isn't ideal either, and down right dangerous for the people lifting, the people the robot might end up dropped on and the robot its self. I agree that a cart isn't just a good idea- it's essential and should absolutely be a requirement just like safety glasses.

A trip to Home Depot can get you a very decent 'garden' cart for about 100 bucks you can put together in the pit. At the end of the event you can take apart and ship it home or sell it to another team or whatever.

It's money well spent.

[nitneylion452]

Regarding the cart issue, in 2010, we didn't have one. We had poles that we put trough dedicated holes in the robot to carry it everywhere. I was on the drive team, so I was carrying it very often. Even at ~90 lbs IIRC it was a pain and began to hurt my hands. Luckily, we had a short walk from the field to the pits, but at Hatboro this weekend, the walk was relatively substantial as we had to go to a separate gymnasium and the door was at the opposite corner of our pit.

Carts are extremely helpful and a requirement might not be a bad idea.

[Michael Corsetto]

Originally Posted by Koko Ed

5. I saw several teams having to carry their robots to the field. I think it would be an awesome thing to do if a veteran would help them out with an extra cart (if they have one. One of those furniture movers might be all that's needed). Not only is it unpleasant to have to carry a 120 pound robot from the pits to the field but it can be dangerous as well). Who knows? It might attract the attention of a judge and get you a GP award.

Speaking from personal experience, this can, in fact, win you a GP award. Back in 2007, my team then, 114, built one of the rookies at the PNW regional a robot cart out of castors and a piece of plywood. Not sure how the judges heard about it, but we won the J&J Sportsmanship Award.

In summary: Do good.

-Mike

[DampRobot]

In response to "why are there so many kids in the pits" question, I can say from personal experience that the pits are the best place to be at competition. They are the place to be if you want to help fix the robot, learn more about the team, and generally benefit from the competition experience.

But I don't need to tell commenters about that. If you are a part of FRC, you understand that. What I would like to remind posters about is how demeaning being thrown out of the pits is.

You have worked for six weeks, putting your team above friends, social engagements and sometimes even school to build the robot that now lies broken before you. Now, an older and supposedly wiser member of the team yells at you to leave. Your commitment doesn't matter, or the fact that you could actually help. Only the fact that you are a Freshman and look like you getting in the way.

I know that there are safety issues, and that order in the pits must be maintained. I hope you realize that just because you are an indispensable member of the pit crew does not mean that everyone else should just go away.