New year message from the FRA

[andy_kane]

Tim Answers.

1.You need to ask the event organisers individually for their comments.

2. Consequences = not even worth considering a minority to the detriment of the 98% majority of roboteers and a 100% of FRA event organisers

Those that have a problem with the FRA had the ability to change it with an election of personel last April. I suspect that the group you refer to are not members any way and therefore cannot vote but just carp from the outside.

Should you feel that strongly about issues in general, please read my original mail it does advise you on what you do, should you wish to change things within the FRA.

With respect I would advise that you either put or shut up.

[m2xt]

Hi all, long time no see. This thread has prompted my interest enough to register on the forum once again. Lack of spare time has meant no time to rebuild M2XT although it did come step closer last year and actually started building again. That was until I read the last FRA minutes and noted the FRA membership requirement to attend live events. I am one of those that Tim referred to that for their own legitimate reasons does not wish to join the FRA. On top of that, recent rule changes made the return even more difficult if not impossible for me. End result, one more heavy gathering dust + feathers.

Adrian, the path of FRA history has left more than its fair share of disgruntled Roboteers, rightly or wrongly. I am one of them and chose to close my forum account and maybe I€™m not alone which could be why the general consensus of posts on this thread may give a biased view.

I respect the decision of the event organisers and if that is their decision then so be it. All I would say is that rather than encourage roboting, I feel the FRA requirement to join the €œRoboteers Union€ as a turn off rather than an encouragement. Combat robots remains a strong interest for me and I regularly follow the technical threads with interest, so it does sadden me to finally admit defeat and realise that I need a new hobby now this one is dead for me.

All the best

Paul

ps. just about to post and spotted AK€™s post. €œSo not even worth considering a minority to the detriment of the 98% majority of roboteers and a 100% of FRA event organisers€ . If I had any doubts, they have just gone in an instance. Perhaps Andy you have the balance wrong, how many heavy combat robots still exist - I would guess far more than are currently FRA members.

[ewan]

If youre looking for numbers heres another that wont join the FRA for reasons beyond having to fork out £10.

[craig_colliass]

Tim I feel at the moment anything I write may not help. I hope to meet up with you at some future date and perhaps you and I can talk over a drink, I€™ll buy. But until then I wish you only the best.

Craig

[ady]

same here, obviously your problems are deeper than anything i know, but i can only imagine its yourselves that will lose out in the end, which is a shame for you aswell as us, as newbees like me cannot experiance competing against machines like yours. their are more heavyweights out their than fra members but the reason these are not competing is not because of the fra i believe, and if it was because of this why arnt all these people setting up their own organisation, with the commitment i have i would be at a lose end not competing and i find it hard to understand that the people who no longer compete prefer to leave their machines rusting away in a garage because of something so petty, sounds a bit of a sad ending for all these past robots.

[john]

double post

(Message edited by john on January 07, 200

[john]

imo they are not competing because its not on tv not because the FRA

if it was said it was coming back on TV tomo they would all be back within a month

[james...venom]

In my personal oppinion i think its worth £10 to see my hard earnt and built creation do what i spent many hours dreaming it would do. Ive had more than my fair share of FRA sour moments in the past as i to strongly believe in my oppinions and tend to stick by them. As was in my circumstance people dont really fall out with the FRA, usually its an individual(s) within the group that they have a personnal disagreement with.

On a whole i think it has taken a while but the FRA together (not as individuals) have been positive on the sport. There are alot of people that have gone out of their way and at their own cost to produce common build rules, event safety guildlines, arena & event assesing.....

We supported this because we feel that the work of these voulenteers (including ourselves) should be supported especially when both us as event organisers and all of us as roboteers simply rely on the work that has been done and taken for granted.

[stu]

James Cooper - ...people dont really fall out with the FRA, usually its an individual(s) within the group...

Spot on... !

Mr Stu

[lex]

I would agree with James that the FRA continues to do important work for the community and personally feel its a duty to contribute to the expenses incured by the work carried out. I dont know much, if anything, about the specifics of any personal issues between members of the FRA committee and other builders, but I would suggest its important to seperate individual problems from attitudes to and support of the FRA as an organisation.