Actuating the trigger

Locked
azariah
Member
Member
Posts: 4
Joined: January 25th, 2020, 9:12 pm
State: CA
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Actuating the trigger

Post by azariah »

Rule 5i says "Teams must start the Vehicle using any part of an unsharpened #2 pencil with an unused eraser, supplied by the Event Supervisor, in a motion approximately perpendicular to the floor, to actuate a trigger. They may not touch the vehicle to start it, hold it while actuating the trigger, or 'push" the Vehicle to get it started."

My vehicle does not have a trigger that can be pressed to be activated. Does holding the pencil in front of the vehicle to block it from going forward, and lifting it up to let it go forward, satisfy the conditions of this rule?

If this is not enough to satisfy the rule, can someone please give me ideas on building a trigger into the vehicle?

Thanks
User avatar
FiveW's
Member
Member
Posts: 48
Joined: April 9th, 2019, 9:24 am
Division: C
State: IN
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: Actuating the trigger

Post by FiveW's »

azariah wrote: January 26th, 2020, 8:50 pm Rule 5i says "Teams must start the Vehicle using any part of an unsharpened #2 pencil with an unused eraser, supplied by the Event Supervisor, in a motion approximately perpendicular to the floor, to actuate a trigger. They may not touch the vehicle to start it, hold it while actuating the trigger, or 'push" the Vehicle to get it started."

My vehicle does not have a trigger that can be pressed to be activated. Does holding the pencil in front of the vehicle to block it from going forward, and lifting it up to let it go forward, satisfy the conditions of this rule?

If this is not enough to satisfy the rule, can someone please give me ideas on building a trigger into the vehicle?

Thanks
I would lean towards it not counting, but it would vary from supervisor since the rule isn't that specific or detailed on what your proposing. Many mousetraps have easy triggers built in if you need ideas.
Avocado's Law
mtownley
Member
Member
Posts: 14
Joined: November 3rd, 2018, 10:19 pm
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: Actuating the trigger

Post by mtownley »

azariah wrote: January 26th, 2020, 8:50 pm Rule 5i says "Teams must start the Vehicle using any part of an unsharpened #2 pencil with an unused eraser, supplied by the Event Supervisor, in a motion approximately perpendicular to the floor, to actuate a trigger. They may not touch the vehicle to start it, hold it while actuating the trigger, or 'push" the Vehicle to get it started."

My vehicle does not have a trigger that can be pressed to be activated. Does holding the pencil in front of the vehicle to block it from going forward, and lifting it up to let it go forward, satisfy the conditions of this rule?

If this is not enough to satisfy the rule, can someone please give me ideas on building a trigger into the vehicle?

Thanks
No, you cannot use the pencil to hold the car. The part of the rule that reads "they may not touch the vehicle to start it" means nothing can be touching it. Even the pencil. The pencil is only used to activate the trigger. The car needs to be able to be in the ready to run position without anyone touching it. If your mousetrap does not have a trigger, then you should get one. We have proctored this event twice this year at invitationals. All vehicles without intact mousetraps have had construction or run violations.
babsbliss
Member
Member
Posts: 9
Joined: November 15th, 2019, 5:38 am
Division: B
State: NY
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: Actuating the trigger

Post by babsbliss »

I am guessing that a wedge between the wheels and the body, pushable down by the pencil, will be okay as long as it does not hit the ground? "Trigger" meaning a releasable device to start the car?
Bay112
Member
Member
Posts: 2
Joined: February 4th, 2020, 6:41 pm
Division: B
State: CA
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: Actuating the trigger

Post by Bay112 »

Please guide me how to create a trigger in the vehicle?
Locked

Return to “Mousetrap Vehicle B”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest