(via team 920B) <SG6> [...] Excessive, unnecessary, or unsafe actions while introducing a Match Load may be considered a Violation of <S1> and/or <G1> at the Head Referee’s discretion. [...] Match Load Triballs may be introduced by a Drive Team Member [...] By placing the Match Load gently onto a Robot from the Drive Team Member’s Alliance. This question is about the general definition of “Excessive, unnecessary, or unsafe actions” as referenced in <SG6>. Since there is no definition of any of these three words in the game manual, Q&A 1524 tells us to reference the dictionary definition in these cases: Excessive is: “going beyond the usual, necessary, or proper limit or degree” (dictionary.com) Unnecessary is: “not needed” (google.com) Unsafe is: “dangerous” (google.com) We will keep these definitions in mind for this Q&A. I am well aware that you cannot give a blanket answer that will address all scenarios and possible outcomes of a given situation, so please evaluate this scenario only based on the given information, and assume all other variables are legal and following the rules. I have also read other relevant Q&As about <SG6> and similar rules, and I believe this question is not answered by any other Q&As. The question is, is the following scenario legal? A member of a team’s drive team gently puts a triball onto their robot’s catapult. They never directly contact the robot, however as they load the triball, they push down the catapult transitively through the triball, so that now if they let go, the triball will shoot across the field. They let go and the triball fires. The head referee is watching and deems it not unsafe. The team is obviously demonstrating that safety precautions have been taken and is loading the triballs in this way in a controlled fashion. Is this a legal way to introduce match loads? If not, what rule does it violate and why? Does this violate <SG6>? Thank you for your time and consideration.
This Q&A is Read Only.
Official Q&A: VRC 2023-2024: Over Under
Match Loading and <SG6>
Although this question is mostly referring to safety concerns and verbiage, we feel that the hypothetical scenario described is more directly addressed by point 2 of <SG6>, which states that Triballs may be introduced "By placing the Match Load gently onto a Robot from the Drive Team Member’s Alliance."
The dictionary definition for "gently" includes such descriptors as "in a way that is not rough, harsh, or violent; in a way that is not extreme; moderately; softly".
[...] as they load the triball, they push down the catapult transitively through the triball, so that now if they let go, the triball will shoot across the field. They let go and the triball fires.
This description does not meet the definition / intent of "placing gently onto a Robot," and would not be a legal way to introduce Match Load Triballs, regardless of any safety precautions or concerns.