Just curious, as I haven’t found anything about it online so far.
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Usually those bumpers are only allowed for practice matches and not official play.
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If hi are talking about the typically white show bumpers they are just for practice and demos. If you are talking about the gold numbers outlined in white. That was legal in the past, but will not be this year.
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To expand on this, assuming you mean 118s competition bumpers, prior to 2022 legal numbers only needed to have a white outline, and allowed you to have any colors you wanted in the interior as long as you followed all other rules.
For 2023, this was changed to explicitly only allowing full white numbers, banning those kind of bumper numbers from competiton use.
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Ah, okay. Thank you.
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In 2022 as a Team Queuer, I found the white outline numbers very hard to read. It really helped if I could read the number at a distance. By the time they got to the queue, I had already checked my Match Schedule and was able to guide them right into their slot.
If I struggled to read a team number (which also included team members walking in front of the robot as they approached), I would have to hold them up, check the schedule, and then guide them to the proper space.
Please help the Referees, FTAs, Scorekeepers, Team Queuers, Match Scouts, Video Scouts, Sponsors, Spectators, and your parents by making your numbers easy to read from a distance.
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You can, however, still use different styles (i.e., fonts) for numbering, as long as they comply with the other number rules:
white Arabic numerals, min. font 4” (~11cm) tall x ½”(~13mm) stroke, and be easily read when walking around the perimeter of the robot.
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Remember that teams are required to have a human in front of the robot during transport by S5.4:
Lead the cart with a team member who can ensure the safety of those in the path of the travel area.
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Very good point. As they approach the field or queuing area, this team member should try to position themselves so they are not blocking the sight line of the Team Queuing volunteers. One option is to be on the diagonal of the robot corner, in front and to one side of the robot.
Often the Team Queuing volunteers are not familiar with the local teams. They are trying to make sure all the teams on the Match Schedule have arrived for their matches. When a team is missing they have to communicate to the Pit Admin or other volunteers in the pits to encourage the missing teams to make their way to the queuing area. If you are the team running late, they can notify the Lead Queuer and the FTA that you are approaching and to hold the gates open just a little bit longer to give you the opportunity to compete in the Match.
It isn’t easy to determine which team is approaching just by seeing them in their blue t-shirts. Even if you have an Egyptian chariot style Robot Cart, the volunteer may not always remember your team number so they can find you on the Match Schedule.
Being able to see the team number from a distance helps the Team Queuing volunteer check their Match Schedule and be ready to provide additional assistance when you arrive in the queuing area. We love when teams are early for their events. It is much less stress on the volunteers. We want to make sure you are in a good position so that other team that is always running late can get into their queuing position and not delay the start of their match. When their match starts late, your Match will also start late.
I highly encourage everyone (mentors, team members, parents, alumni, sponsors) to volunteer at one event as Team Queuing. It helps make the event run smoothly. It will also help you discover the little things your team can do that make a big difference for all the volunteers who make competitions possible.
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