Foot Safety

[moo-mop]

Originally Posted by Furface

But would anyone like more rules or statements about safe practice?

I somewhat agree with your idea of making the safety ones a little more explicit.

One example that is quite often quoted on the board is that lone shooting is against the GNAS rules for safety when it is not (provided a few precautions are followed).

Also:

302 b (ii) [....] OR shall be at each side of the shooting range from 15 yards behind the shooting line to the
overshoot safety line and shall be 25 yards from each side of the target line parallel to the line of shooting.

The above rule that is written unclearly when it gets applied to club grounds for distance between targets for independent shooting. I have been at clubs that have interpreted the rule as you can have two independent shooting targets at 25yrds apart; eventually another club got clarification with the GNAS office it must be 50yrds apart but the first club was loath to take on board this interpretation.


As to footwear I wouldn't do flip-flops myself cos I think it would be all too easy to stand on an arrow (or at our ground deer poo). However proper sandals are another matter.

[avalon]

Originally Posted by moo-mop

One example that is quite often quoted on the board is that lone shooting is against the GNAS rules for safety when it is not (provided a few precautions are followed).

Just to digress.. it is against GNAS rules where they are shooting alone on a field that is publicly accessible

GNAS RULES OF SHOOTING 103
(a) On the grounds where the public have a right of access, there must be a minimum of
two people present each being a minimum of 18 years of age when any shooting is in
progress, one of whom may be a non-archer to act as a lookout. The archer is
responsible to inform the lookout of all safety aspects applicable. Where two adult
archers are present and shooting together they will alternate on the shooting line so that
the non-shooting archer can act as the lookout.
(b) Solo shooting by senior archers (ie archers 18 and over) is permitted on private land
which is fenced all round and where the public has no legal right of access. A warning
notice must be displayed at all entrances and points of access. Any member shooting
on their own is doing so at their own risk in respect of personal injuries

[moo-mop]

Originally Posted by avalon

Just to digress.. it is against GNAS rules where they are shooting alone on a field that is publicly accessible

All fields are publicly accessible (ie it includes trespass), the rule is to do with public right of access which less fields have an issue with, although ours actually does.

[grimsby archer]

This is another case of a non specific rule that ends up in the book of myths and misinformation (page 3)

Rules should be specific. Whilst it is not possible to cover EVERY eventuality and possibility, "footware" to far too vague a term.
You wear socks on you feet, therefore they are "footware" but a judge at the yorkshire champs a few years ago ruled that socks were NOT footware.

These off the cuff decisions by judges then get passed around by word of mouth, often being enhanced or distorted in the process till nothing but confusion reigns.

If it isnt in the rule book, it isnt a rule and if its open to interpretation then it isnt a rule!

[Rik]

Originally Posted by moo-mop

All fields are publicly accessible (ie it includes trespass), the rule is to do with public right of access which less fields have an issue with, although ours actually does.

I can second that point. The London Archers (for example) shoot on a ground with no public right of access (it's part of the grounds of Kensington Palace), and it's fenced round. Is it "publicly accessible"? Hell, yes. There isn't really a way to stop idiots jumping over a chest high railing from the park next door. Under the GNAS(? ArcheryGB? AGB? ) rules solo shooting is permitted there.

There was a guidance issued by GNAS years back which suggested that all grounds should be considered to be accessible by the public unless it could be shown that people could not trespass (I paraphrase).

[wingate_52]

I have caught the nock of a buried arrow on the toe of my boot, nocks are sharper than some points. I have got 2 nasty scratches on my boots from catching the target peg at the rear of the target, both when setting up the field.

[Tropicalshot]

Originally Posted by grantwomack

Last night, I practiced in flip-flops, with no injury or threat of injury to my feet. Why does GNAS only allow closed-toed shoes at their shoots? The best we could come up with last night was that misses that fall short can potentially stick into toes or feet if you happen to stand on them. But surely the incidence of this happening would be very slim...?

Maybe GNAS should consider more things to do with the safety of archers - like whether we should be made to wear a hat in the sunshine. Or beanies when it's cold!

Look at it for the worst case.
A newish member happend to kick an arrow (carbon) which has recently been lost and picked up in the blades of a lawn mower. Say this happened on a non club day where there are several archers all practicing and all wearing thongs/flip flops.
The guy might be the most unsuspecting person to lodge a claim but after he sees the doctor and has the many peices removed through surgery he is told he will need to take 3 to 6 months off work due to infection swelling etc.
Last week he just came of holiday and there are none left, what do you think this nice person is going to do. Could you afford to take 3 to 6 months off work with no pay.
We should all take this as a warning and ensure all our members are awear of the rules and that they apply to the field regardless of which day of the week it is and how old/experianced you are

[Tropicalshot]

Taken from the Fita constitutional rule book

3.22.1.2 Sport shoes must be worn by all athletes and coaches during
Target events. Sport shoes may be different styles but must cover
the entire foot.

[wingate_52]

Rules are there for a reason, and not to be broken. They often only make sense in extreme cases. So wear proper clothing of the correct colour and style and there should be no problems (apart from shades of green).

[Thunk]

I did once see a lady in open-toed sandals walking towards her target. One of her arrows (she was a beginner) had fallen short of the boss - she found it by spearing herself between her big and second toe with the nock. The scream must have been heard five miles away. There was quite a lot of blood...

It's a hazard, and one that it is best not to experience I guess. But quite why GNAS (oh, sorry - Archery UK!) should single this out whilst ignoring other hazards I really can't imagine.