[BB] Bag & Tag in brief and MAR demystified

[EricH]

Originally Posted by AdamHeard

Uhhhh.... to a drayage facility? If you're paying to ship it privately, why not pay for a drayage facility?

Originally Posted by thefro526

Or even to a local team's facility? I'd imagine that someone would be nice enough to take in a robot for a few days.

Originally Posted by Wiifi

Either that or a sponsor's local facility.

That's exactly what I'm getting at. Any one of those needs to be arranged well in advance; and then what do you do with the crate while you're at the event? (I'm not exactly certain a drayage facility would allow a few people in to open a crate, remove stuff, close the crate, return a few days later, and reverse the process, either.)

What I would suggest is that one or two teams in the area of any given event make themselves available as "ship targets"; that is, places that teams needing to ship for whatever weird reason can send their crates to. Ideally, the teams receiving the crates would also have a transport vehicle for 2-3 robots (and if it's rented, then it's only fair that the teams who ship there at least help with fuel) and take all the robots to the venue. It's probably the "least pain" method, and it increases the work for multiple teams, but it ought to work fairly well.

Originally Posted by thefro526

Or even to a local team's facility? I'd imagine that someone would be nice enough to take in a robot for a few days.

I'm sure anyone's robot is safe in FIRSTer's hands.

[Dancin103]

Originally Posted by thefro526

Or even to a local team's facility? I'd imagine that someone would be nice enough to take in a robot for a few days.

This is a great idea, the only thing you have to worry about is getting that robot to the competition from the location you ship it to. I like the idea though!

Cass

[waialua359]

Great suggestions that we thought of.
However, the bigger issue is having to spend time, effort and resources to get it to event and from event to the next regional/championships......instead of the pack the robot and put signs on it, leaving it in the pit.
According to Bill, teams still ship robots to championships in a crate, right?
So what if you are going to CMP after just 1 regional?
Technically, all regionals would have to make provisions for that....I'd assume.

[kinganu123]

What???
Middlesex County isn't on there (Team 224 is in NJ), so are we not in MAR?

[EricH]

Originally Posted by kinganu123

What???
Middlesex County isn't on there (Team 224 is in NJ), so are we not in MAR?

The county listing was PA counties. NJ is a state, and is listed along with DE.

[Jimmy Nichols]

Originally Posted by EricH

I think the question then becomes, "To where?"

Glenn,

If you sign up for the Queen City Regional and you are not able to get an exemption. I will personally except the crate at my home and bring it with me in our team trailer for load in.

[Flalex72]

For the past two years we have had to ship our robot to the CMP from the home of team 1241, Rick Hansen SS in Mississauga Ontario, because FedEx does not offer shipping to our city. Last year a team from Mexico who attended GTR also had their crate shipped to Rick Hansen both in and out, and I would guess this is how the process would work for other teams who can't bring a robot with them. We had qualified the week before and brought the crate with us to GTR in a pickup, but in 2010 there was a team that didn't have one, and had to borrow one from a local team. We have to ship to a warehouse in Toronto on the way back, so a local company can pick it up and truck it home where FedEx doesn't cover.

[Travis Hoffman]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Nichols

Glenn,

If you sign up for the Queen City Regional and you are not able to get an exemption. I will personally except the crate at my home and bring it with me in our team trailer for load in.

I can vouch for the size of said team trailer. Tis quite large.

[JaneYoung]

Originally Posted by waialua359

I was told of a situation today that "could" happen.

Example:
Team 359 decides to sign up for Houston week 6-2012 season.
Team 359 applies for an exemption to have the robot shipped and drayage setup at regional.
Team 359 is the only team attending that needs an exemption.
FIRST denies your exemption and encourages you to attend another event that has more exempt teams pending.

Team 359 already booked airlines, hotels, etc. because its much cheaper to plan ahead.
Team 359's other regionals may be in jeopardy because of suggested change.

You've got to be kidding me.
With the window of time you are working in right now?

Goodness me.

Jane

[PayneTrain]

Originally Posted by waialua359

I was told of a situation today that "could" happen.

Example:
Team 359 decides to sign up for Houston week 6-2012 season.
Team 359 applies for an exemption to have the robot shipped and drayage setup at regional.
Team 359 is the only team attending that needs an exemption.
FIRST denies your exemption and encourages you to attend another event that has more exempt teams pending.

Team 359 already booked airlines, hotels, etc. because its much cheaper to plan ahead.
Team 359's other regionals may be in jeopardy because of suggested change.

This might be a silly way of looking at it, but if you have already signed up for the regional, and there aren't any regionals that have spots left and a shipping presence, I think they would work with you from there, wouldn't they? Also, leaving the reigning CCA out in the cold like that would cause a big stink.

In addition to that, I think you could find a way to ship the robot to a local team, and pick it up on Wednesday night.

I really hope that doesn't happen to you and everything works out.

[Basel A]

Originally Posted by Bill Miller

(For instance, if you have to cross an ocean or a continent to reach the nearest event.)

You may not be assured exemption from now, but I think the above is a pretty good standard to consider. For example, Team 359 will have to cross an ocean for any regionals (except Hawai'i) that they attend; therefore, they will almost certainly receive an exemption from BaT for all of those regionals, if requested.

Any team that would consider Bag-and-Tag such a hassle that they'd choose to bag, crate, ship to a trusted acceptor, arrive at the competition's location early, pick up the robot from that acceptor on Wednesday, and finally find a way to get the robot from the first place to the other, will probably be granted an exemption, because they would need an exceptional reason to choose the gruelling, described option.

[Pjohn1959]

Originally Posted by waialua359

I was told of a situation today that "could" happen.

Example:
Team 359 decides to sign up for Houston week 6-2012 season.
Team 359 applies for an exemption to have the robot shipped and drayage setup at regional.
Team 359 is the only team attending that needs an exemption.
FIRST denies your exemption and encourages you to attend another event that has more exempt teams pending.

Team 359 already booked airlines, hotels, etc. because its much cheaper to plan ahead.
Team 359's other regionals may be in jeopardy because of suggested change.

I don't care what you have to do. Houston would welcome you with great big Texas sized open arms!

[JaneYoung]

Originally Posted by Pjohn1959

I don't care what you have to do. Houston would welcome you with great big Texas sized open arms!

We can figure this out/make it work.. right, Paul?

Jane

[Tetraman]

...so...so no more massive crates in the pits? But those are some of the coolest photos you can take the night before thursday practice!

I wonder what we will do with our crate, since we don't go to Champs anymore.