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Official Q&A: VEX V5 Robotics Competition 2025-2026: Push Back
2963: Safety While Extending Out of the Game Field
Given the length at which robots are reaching past their drive base in order to utilize descoring mechanisms on the goals, what safety rules are in place to protect the people standing around the edge of the field including team members, scorekeepers and referees? <S3> specifies "Completely outside of the field" however just a few inches outside of the field is far enough to cause damage. Similarly <S1> specifies damaging 'field element, block or field', but does this cover the field wires that are used to connect the remotes to smart field control or any drive team member/volunteer.
For example if a robot reaches outside of the field by 2-3 inches while driving next to the field wall and entangles the with cableing that was completely outside of the field perimeter would this be covered under <S3> or <S1> or not a violation at all?
What about if the robot makes contact with a person such as a scorekeeper while extending beyond the exterior of the perimeter wall? Would <S1> be applicable in that situation?
Safety rules are arguably the most important rules in our game manual, and should be enforced consistently and fairly.
If any human's safety (including event staff, referees, volunteers, and team members) is put into question by a Robot, an <S1> Violation may be appropriate.
If a Robot damages a smart cable that is connected to a field brain and/or a controller, an <S1> Violation may be appropriate.
As described in rule <S1>:
If at any time the Robot operation or Team actions are deemed unsafe or have damaged a Field Element, Block, or the Field, the offending Team may receive a Disablement and/or Disqualification at the discretion of the Head Referee. The Robot will require re-inspection as described in rule <R3> before it may take the Field again.