Safety on the Shooting Line

[Thunk]

Originally Posted by elastoplastscavenger

iv heard of a similar incident where a drunk tramp broke onto a building site, climbed up the scafolding and fell off. sued the builders because the fence was less than 8 feet at one point.

Surely the point is - did he win?

[andrew.paterson]

Originally Posted by karamajo

When you look at the insurance aspect of things, it's hard to understand how anyone can be insured against commiting an act of negligence. If an archer 'accidentally' shoots someone, then the MUST be a large degree of negligence! The bow must be pointed at a person and the arrow released for it to happen. It is the responsibility of the archer to ensure that this is done safely and if it isn't, then it is quite simply negligent.

I don't know what the wording is on the GNAS insurance policy, but I bet it doesn't cover negligence!

Ian

Who is negligent in this case (a) the archer shooting in a controlled environment (b) the idiot walking across a live shooting range?

I could be shooting at a target, and the arrow clip the edge, and hit someone. Am I negligent because I did not hit the target? My club owns the land,we should be free to use it without morons deciding they want to walk across it. We have a continuous fence, warning signs etc. but we are still negligent if an idiot wants to play dodge the arrow?

[Cimbian]

Originally Posted by Rik

Not to my knowledge in target, but I believe an archer was shot in the leg on a field course a few years back...

But I'm guessing he was supposed to be on the range unless it was coincidence.

We have probably all seen really stupid people in the wrong place at the right time as well as dogs and the very tempting football(ers) but in my limited experience they are always spotted in good time and "FAST" is hollered long before there is real danger.

We recently experienced a situation where seniors (including one that is known for duff releases and errant arrows) was shooting at one end of the line whilst the field captian is advocating juniors collecting their arrows from the other. This was much more dangerous in many ways as no-one else deemed it unsafe; however, if a hiker walked where the juniors were collecting there would, undoubtedly, be uproar.

IMHO there is safe and unsafe, no in between. Arrows pass through hikers and cyclists in exactly the same way as they do archers. If we are going to moan about the public getting on the range (which we should do) then maybe some of the more experienced, 'familiarity breeds contempt', among us need to pay heed too.

Rant over

[david leathar]

you can shoot on your own on our coarse providing that
1 you have your own kit
2 that you are a member of the Scottish field archery Asssoiciation
3 that you are a club member
4 that you have been round the coarse with a other member (normal the coach)

new club members can only go to the coarse if they are with the coach

for child protection rules all members under the age of 18 need to have two adults with them . in practice this tends to the coach and one other member

other rules
you can not use the coarse if it closed for maintenace

you are not ment to only shoot one target continualy

[Greyghost]

Hiya,
The geek in me has just had a look at the GNAS rules.
Rule 103a states "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 look out. The archer is responsible to inform the look out of all safety aspects applicable. Where two archers are present and shooting together they will alternate on the shooting line so that the non shooting archer can act as a look out."

Rule 103b states "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 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"

These were taken from the set of rules I have dated April 2002 and have most probably been superceeded.
Steve

[MrM]

Originally Posted by Cimbian

. Arrows pass through hikers and cyclists in exactly the same way as they do archers.

yes but it's sooo much harder to get a cyclist than a hitch hiker - they're going too fast!

[Cimbian]

Originally Posted by MrM

yes but it's sooo much harder to get a cyclist than a hitch hiker - they're going too fast!

Sounds like a challenge to me.

[Jumile]

Originally Posted by Cimbian

IMHO there is safe and unsafe, no in between. Arrows pass through hikers and cyclists in exactly the same way as they do archers.

Agreed. There is no room for complacency in projectile weapon sports. My training with handguns (by a police firearms trainer) and rifles (by an ex-special forces sniper) has taught me that it's incredibly easy to always do the safe and sensible thing and live to play another day, but that it's just as easy to be lazy and dangerous and risk your sport being shut down by the nanny state (assuming you don't care about your life or that of others).

It's just a matter of mindset - know what's safe and what's not, and stick to safe practices religiously. It's not rocket science. But neither does it have to be clipboards, furrowed brows and HSE hard-hats.

Matt

[Shirt]

Originally Posted by andrew.paterson

I could be shooting at a target, and the arrow clip the edge, and hit someone. Am I negligent because I did not hit the target? My club owns the land,we should be free to use it without morons deciding they want to walk across it. We have a continuous fence, warning signs etc. but we are still negligent if an idiot wants to play dodge the arrow?

Depends whether the signs were sufficiently clear to the idiot in question.

If they are not considered to be sufficiently aware of the danger, then yes, you would be negligent...

Closest I've ever come is I nearly shot a horse on Sunday when the thing jumped through a hedge (I couldn't see over it, so didn't know it was there) and because it was coming from behind me I didn't see it till there's this brown blur racing under my sight as the clicker goes... missed it's back by about four feet. I'd love to see how you warn a horse that it's going to get shot.

[BobCat]

Originally Posted by Shirt

Depends whether the signs were sufficiently clear to the idiot in question.

Don't rely on the signs. It should be a physical barrier. The i***t may not be able to read English (or whatever the sign is in). Either to young or a foreigner!