air rifles in public?
- Thread starter Siberianfury
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I'm pleased that Josh managed his journey without incident 
I'm a realist though, and the reality is that in this country, guns are not perceived favourably.
I think we have to disagree on how to deal with matters.
I do know I would not have been happy to see my teenage son, on a bus, with an airgun, in a plain slip, regardless of how legal it might be.
Meanwhile;
Discussion is the heart of the forum
I've said my piece on this issue, I'm going to ask another Mod to oversee the thread since I have been quite involved in it.
It would be appreciated if folks would remember we have a no politics ruling.
cheers,
Toddy
I'm a realist though, and the reality is that in this country, guns are not perceived favourably.
I think we have to disagree on how to deal with matters.
I do know I would not have been happy to see my teenage son, on a bus, with an airgun, in a plain slip, regardless of how legal it might be.
Meanwhile;
Discussion is the heart of the forum
I've said my piece on this issue, I'm going to ask another Mod to oversee the thread since I have been quite involved in it.
It would be appreciated if folks would remember we have a no politics ruling.
cheers,
Toddy
rancid badger
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
This may be a little "off topic" but it does rather help to illustrate how something totally innocent can be twisted out of all proportion:
A few months back, well before Christmas, a group of adult L.A.R.P. enthusiasts, were "playing" in Chopwell wood. I say "playing" as I have no idea how they themselves, refer to "live action roll play" when they're doing it.
They dress up in all sorts of improvised kit, as well as old blankets etc and they generally look like a bunch of "Ancient Britons" for want of a better phrase.
Anyway they run about, acting out various scenarios, with a variety of theatrical prop type weapons, such as plastic/wooden swords, similar spears, war hammers etc etc.
Never any guns!
So, part of the game is to "kill" or "be killed", by other players.
Now then; one of said players had been "killed" and was lying at the side of one the paths/tracks in the wood. Now this was in broad daylight, however;
A "concerned member of the public, out walking their dog" decided to totally ignore, both the player and any vestige of common sense and after getting back to their car, phoned 999 to report a "dead body".
Now,to me, the obvious thing to have done, would have been to at least, try to get some sort of response from the "corpse" but no; they walked on by, never saying a word!
Then, once they were back to their car, decided to waste an estimated £125000 in the form of; Police helicopter, 2 riot vans full of coppers, a dog van, several patrol cars and a chocolate polis!(community support officer)
Now the "larpers" have written permission to do what they do, so guess who got in the neck for the false alarm?
The clown who made the call, was thanked by Mr.Plod, while the roll players were torn to bits by the senior copper present!
I might be in a minority but I have to say, that if I had been the senior copper there, the clown dog walker would have been asked some very serious questions relating to crying wolf and wasting police time.
for example:
Why did they walk past the "body", making no attempt at communication?
Why did they continue all the way back to the car park, before contacting the Police?
just two, of numerous questions you could ask.
I asked the same questions, of various members of the public, in the days following the "incident" and among several wild and outlandish responses got the following;
1: They were probably "frightened".
2: They feared being "ambushed" and potentially mugged/raped/murdered by someone else, hiding nearby.
3: They didn't know what to do for the best.
4: They wanted to stick it right up the "larpers" because they should grow up and act their age.
For what it's worth; I personally go for No.4 as the most likely true reason but I'm a cynical little buxxer!
The point here; is that there really are people who don't think through situations logically anymore.
There are also people; who will contact the Police, maliciously, just to get someone in bother.
As far as transporting air rifles home from the shop, when you've bought them; Well, I don't know about these days but in my day; they came in stout cardboard boxes, not slips. You bought the slip as a separate item and only used it for getting to where you were going to shoot. If you needed to return to the shop with the rifle, you put it back in the box. That's how we used to do it anyway.
regards
R.B.
A few months back, well before Christmas, a group of adult L.A.R.P. enthusiasts, were "playing" in Chopwell wood. I say "playing" as I have no idea how they themselves, refer to "live action roll play" when they're doing it.
They dress up in all sorts of improvised kit, as well as old blankets etc and they generally look like a bunch of "Ancient Britons" for want of a better phrase.
Anyway they run about, acting out various scenarios, with a variety of theatrical prop type weapons, such as plastic/wooden swords, similar spears, war hammers etc etc.
Never any guns!
So, part of the game is to "kill" or "be killed", by other players.
Now then; one of said players had been "killed" and was lying at the side of one the paths/tracks in the wood. Now this was in broad daylight, however;
A "concerned member of the public, out walking their dog" decided to totally ignore, both the player and any vestige of common sense and after getting back to their car, phoned 999 to report a "dead body".
Now,to me, the obvious thing to have done, would have been to at least, try to get some sort of response from the "corpse" but no; they walked on by, never saying a word!
Then, once they were back to their car, decided to waste an estimated £125000 in the form of; Police helicopter, 2 riot vans full of coppers, a dog van, several patrol cars and a chocolate polis!(community support officer)
Now the "larpers" have written permission to do what they do, so guess who got in the neck for the false alarm?
The clown who made the call, was thanked by Mr.Plod, while the roll players were torn to bits by the senior copper present!
I might be in a minority but I have to say, that if I had been the senior copper there, the clown dog walker would have been asked some very serious questions relating to crying wolf and wasting police time.
for example:
Why did they walk past the "body", making no attempt at communication?
Why did they continue all the way back to the car park, before contacting the Police?
just two, of numerous questions you could ask.
I asked the same questions, of various members of the public, in the days following the "incident" and among several wild and outlandish responses got the following;
1: They were probably "frightened".
2: They feared being "ambushed" and potentially mugged/raped/murdered by someone else, hiding nearby.
3: They didn't know what to do for the best.
4: They wanted to stick it right up the "larpers" because they should grow up and act their age.
For what it's worth; I personally go for No.4 as the most likely true reason but I'm a cynical little buxxer!
The point here; is that there really are people who don't think through situations logically anymore.
There are also people; who will contact the Police, maliciously, just to get someone in bother.
As far as transporting air rifles home from the shop, when you've bought them; Well, I don't know about these days but in my day; they came in stout cardboard boxes, not slips. You bought the slip as a separate item and only used it for getting to where you were going to shoot. If you needed to return to the shop with the rifle, you put it back in the box. That's how we used to do it anyway.
regards
R.B.
Things like that are isolated incidents luckily. Yes they have happened though,
Yet folk have won the lottery, which you may have played for 15 years and rarely won a tenner.
It will happen to a few, but not the other 99.9% of shooters/larpers.
But tell me any other sport that doesnt get bad press from time to time.
Did they dissuade football fans after the hillsborough disaster? No the fans carried on going to the game regardless and spared a thought for those who suffered for their sport.
People have been beaten badly with, cricket bats, baseball bats, golf clubs etc etc yet you wouldnt see a cricketer ashamed to stick his stumps in the soil and hit em for 6.
I will stand by my sport against the idiots who try to ruin it, and i wont hide when breaking no laws. If joe public came over and had an issue while i was out shooting i would politely explain what i was doing and what i had and assure them they and others had absoloutly nothing to fear from responsible practioners. Hell i have even let folk have a few shots after i piqued their interest.
Its the man behind the gun that ultimately decides any encounter.
Yet folk have won the lottery, which you may have played for 15 years and rarely won a tenner.
It will happen to a few, but not the other 99.9% of shooters/larpers.
But tell me any other sport that doesnt get bad press from time to time.
Did they dissuade football fans after the hillsborough disaster? No the fans carried on going to the game regardless and spared a thought for those who suffered for their sport.
People have been beaten badly with, cricket bats, baseball bats, golf clubs etc etc yet you wouldnt see a cricketer ashamed to stick his stumps in the soil and hit em for 6.
I will stand by my sport against the idiots who try to ruin it, and i wont hide when breaking no laws. If joe public came over and had an issue while i was out shooting i would politely explain what i was doing and what i had and assure them they and others had absoloutly nothing to fear from responsible practioners. Hell i have even let folk have a few shots after i piqued their interest.
Its the man behind the gun that ultimately decides any encounter.
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I disagree, these twins are always in the press and major attractions in the sport...
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