New York Paintball Ban?

[Dubstar112]

I hate any paintball gun that looks militaristic. I hate them because I know those are the guns that some jerk will buy and try to be a rambo hunting around his neighborhood ect.

I live in NY, I dont play paintball any more. But, I will stand in support of this sport.

We need to email this news group, and say somthing not rude, but in a polite tone in our defense.

Your paintball marker should never be in plain sight in public. Period.

And we shouldn't be opposed to laws that ban carrying paintball markers around outside of carrying cases. You shouldn't be walking down the street with a paintball marker.

These are good points. I dont have time to elaborate now though (Im in class)

[speedyejl]

Got to go, I will post later but I think pictures say enough. One more thing, my friend said the other day a cop wont care. Does my cocker look like a gun? Think about a what happens if some 50yr old woman sees you who has no experince with paintball and gets scared ****less. Yea shes gonna call the cops.

[shartley]

[Sledgehammer]

Magdog68: You got a pretty small world eh? I know no country in Europe where it's legal to make rights on red...

[SlartyBartFast]

Very good points Shartley. Refreshing to see some balanced perspective on the issue.


PS/OT: Sledgehammer:Says that you're from Germany so I thought you would know better. Munich has right turns on red at designated intersections. They actually do it better than the US or Canada because you can only turn right on red when there's a little sign with a green arrow installed next to the red signal light.

[Sledgehammer]

LOL, yeah, but only when there's the sign...
Which is about the only good idea we adopted from the East Germans when the two Germanys were reunified...

[Vendetta]

I have never read any article in any paper about something I knew about, that did not have mistakes. Has anyone ever been quoted in the paper out there? Where you quoted correctly. I bet 80% to 90% were misquoted or taken out of context.

[cledford]

Originally posted by AGD
This is the tip of the iceberg. The new guns like the A5 DO look real and in my opinion are going to cause more problems like this. You have to take into account that NY cops don't have time to figure out if its a fake gun or not.

Don't blame them if someone gets killed.

AGD

Tom,

According to the New York law all of your markers (with the exception of the new extremes) are just a guilty as the A5. The law specifically states black or gray colored markers are considered "very dangerous." I realize that you, as a manufacturer who could be financially impacted by further restrictions on paintball markers, may feel uncomfortable with Tippmann's design. On the other hand I maintain that it's not the people in the industry causing the problem - it's those that make the bad laws and everyone who allows them to become enacted. Obviously, virtually anyone would think that the Tippmann looks real, but I submit most (especially including anyone bent on banning paintball) would say that your markers do as well. In fact, only paintballers would likely know the difference between one of your markers and a real firearm. So what/who is really causing the problem? Dennis Tippmann, who's markers have looked like real guns since the SMG-60 (released back in the late 80's), or Rosie's legion of "million moms" who think that the world can be saved and violence stamped out by banning anything that they think is potentially "violent" or looks "scary." You've been in the industry as long as I've been playing, what do you think? Personally I never remember (since I started in '88) anyone trying to ban anything paintball related until the last 5 years - once paintball moved from a specialty sport (that required purchasing from a dedicated dealer) to one that could be found in Wal-mart. That was about the time I saw the average age of the player drop into the early-teens and the sports population explode.

I stand by what I've always said, there are no "bad" markers - those who would ban our sport are not interested in making any distinctions unless it is *presently* convenient to their agenda. The more we allow them to influence trends in our sport the more they realize their control and will use it against us. The type who are against paintball have shown a long history of the proverbal "camel nose inside the tent" method of control - they incrementally chip away at rights (using so called "common sense" legislation) that they couldn't destroy in one fell stroke. Make no mistake that their desired outcome is the same (total ban) - they are just using the most productive/palatable (to the average Joe) means to their end. Today it might be banning black and gray, tomorrow it will be anything with a pistol grip...

(This comment is not directed to Tom, but everyone) I've seen a great deal of division and finger pointing within OUR community regarding realistic markers and those (primarily scenario players) who enjoy them. It amazes me that anyone who plays paintball (and would like to see it remain legal) would point fingers and write off those BRETHREN WITH THEM (in their desire to see the sport remain legal and who actively support paintball through extensive purchases) in favor of THOSE WHO WOULD HAVE IT BANNED. This "divide and conquer" strategy (playing one faction against another) has worked quite well for them in the past and you can bet that they'll use it again. Anyone pointing fingers at the mil-sim guys are playing right into the game plan of the antis. I've said this before, but it bears repeating, if you think that the antis only want the "scary looking black guns" and not the pink, hello-kitty (20bps) Emag you are completely mistaken.

Just my 2 cents...

-Calvin

[Paintchucker]

Re: It's very simple.

Originally posted by raehl
Your paintball marker should never be in plain sight in public. Period.

And we shouldn't be opposed to laws that ban carrying paintball markers around outside of carrying cases. You shouldn't be walking down the street with a paintball marker.


- Chris

I would tend to agree. If someone is shot by a cop while carrying a paintball gun, you should ask why were they using it in an offensive manner. You would have to be an idiot to point any kind of weapon at the police...

[Vendetta]

Great 2 cents Cledford.

[Sledgehammer]

cledford: Actually there were earlier tries to ban it even in the US. I don't remember the year and I don't remember the state (I do think it was new Jersey though). It must have been quite a while ago since the Paintballs where still filled with an oil-based paint.
Jessica Sparks and Bud Orr (among others) testified in a trial. Bud Orr had even built a WGP Sniper modified to shoot .50 cal. paintballs since in that state everything above .60 caliber was considered an "extremely destructible device".

[MagDog68]

Originally posted by Sledgehammer
Magdog68: You got a pretty small world eh? I know no country in Europe where it's legal to make rights on red...

Oh Fine Mr Smarty pants - a left then! I was trying to make a point - like anyone really cares where u can turn blah blah blah....


And as far as Paintballing in NYC is concerned - It is a big ol' pain in the BUTT, however we understand that our city is unique in many ways and that certain things must be regulated. I still play in Brooklyn, I just don't do it legally.

~me

[hitech]

Originally posted by cledford
Personally I never remember (since I started in '88) anyone trying to ban anything paintball related until the last 5 years...

I believe that paintball WAS banned from either an entire state or a large part of a state. I'm not sure which, but I think it was Illinois. It was in the '80s, so it may have been before you started. It really can happen.

[Vendetta]

I still play in Brooklyn, I just don't do it legally.

Where do you play in Brooklyn ilegally? Is there a game in Greenwood Cemetary i'm missing

[MinimagRockin']

I'm not a big fan of the real looking paintguns because they don't really do anything special...it's all looks, but I don't think they hurt the sport and I don't think they should be banned. If someone walked down the street with one of those in plain view he should be expecting the cops to be called as well as someone with a cocker or mag or any paintball gun should. It doesn't matter if it looks real or not people don't know any better and will call the cops regardless.