Answered: Driver load defence

[mrkfries]

Wanted to know what the ruling or how it should be ruled on defending driver load cones. More specifically as you are loading the cones your opponent is hitting your robot so when you drop them or grab them you knock them off the platform or lose them on the ground. I think it is a very gray area on how it should be ruled with defence. We really haven’t had this happen this year until the last tournament and our kids would like to know the correct ruling for the future.

[VEX_GDC]

There are no rules prohibiting this, thus it is legal. <SG3a>, quoted below, only applies to Robots contacting Cones on the opposing Loader. It does not apply to transitive contact through an opposing Robot.

<SG3> There can never be more than one (1) Cone on a Loader at any given time. There will be one (1) Cone on the Loader to start the Match. Additional Cones may be loaded by a Drive Team Member onto the Loader at any point during the Match. Cones must be placed upright and upon the Loader. Robots may not contact a Cone if it is being touched by a human.

Note: Cones are considered to be “in play” once they are placed on the Loader and may no longer be contacted by Drive Team Members.

a. Robots may not contact Cones on the opposing Alliance Loader.

Minor violations of this rule that do not affect the Match will result in a warning. Match Affecting offenses will result in a Disqualification. Teams that receive multiple warnings may also receive a Disqualification at the Head Referee’s discretion.

Please see this similar Q&A post for some safety comments about this type of interaction: Answered: Loader interference and safety? - VRC > In The Zone (17/18) - VEX Forum