Given that "official" answer, I'd recommend fore-arming the team with their discussion points for when they need to make a case with the ref in hopes that "benefit of the doubt" will be applied. 

The fact that it's partially on the table makes it entirely on, but you may not be able to get past the argument that the groceries weight must be entirely supported by the table.

Good luck

Brian



Sent from my iPhone

On Nov 1, 2011, at 10:32 PM, VA/DC Referee Advisor <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> [Warning:  this message is philosophical and is not expected to be
> satisfying to anyone.  You don't have to read it.]
> 
> Well...
> 
> From Update 7, we know that the crate of bananas is a multi-part model
> 
> From Update 24, we know how to treat crates of groceries in the truck
> when it arrives In Base
> 
> From Rules 21 and 8, we know what it means to be In Base
> 
> From Rule 19, we know what happens to Cargo the robot loses contact
> with (Rule 11 defines Cargo)
> 
> In "Star Trek II:  The Wrath of Khan", Spock and Kirk note that Khan
> is handicapped by thinking two-dimensionally
> 
> In good engineering, you want to reduce variability in order to get
> reliable outcomes.  In the case of the Robot Game, the team wants to
> reduce variability caused by referee decisions and actions.  There are
> many ways that the team can reduce referee variability, including by
> removing the need for a decision, or by communicating and alerting the
> referee to impending situations.
> 
> I've had a private communication with Scott Evans, the Game Designer,
> about a related situation.  He commented, "However, Rule 21, Bullet 5
> is unclear when considered near Bullets 1, 2, and 3 of the same rule."
> 
> Rule 28 tells us that private communications are not binding on anyone.
> 
> Rule 21, Bullet 5 tells us that "Objects are ruled on independent of
> each other,..."
> 
> The word "object" is not defined in the Rules.  By Rule 3, "it should
> be taken literally whenever possible."  The other three bullets of
> Rule 3 are also pertinent to this discussion.
> 
> We have a rule that provides guidance about what to do if the referees
> have done all they can to rule correctly, yet the answer’s still
> unclear.
> 
> 
> The Bottom Line:
> I have an opinion about what should happen in the case of a stray
> banana, and I've already started to share it with the referees at the
> tournaments that I am participating in.  Your results may vary.  As a
> small consolation, surprises and the anticipation leading up to the
> disclosure of a mystery are considered enjoyable by many people.
> 
> 
> Steve Scherr
> Your Referee Obscuror
> 
> On Tue, Nov 1, 2011 at 9:18 PM, Sonya Shaver <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>> If ONE banana falls out of the yellow truck when bringing it back to base,
>> what would happen?
>> 
>> Thanks,
>> Sonya in Harrisonburg
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