Bandit ball

[shartley]

[aaron_mag]

I agree with Shartley's post above. Hey I love paintball but if someone was playing within earshot/sight of my house you can bet I'd be out there throwing them out. There are appropriate places and non appropriate places to play.

You can't play where hikers may be waltzing around. The argument that "we have as much of a right to the land as they do" is a bunch of BS. A hiker can share the park with other users. A paintball game cannot share the land because it is dangerous for non players to be in the area.

If the place is truly remote enough to play at NO ONE should be complaining because NO ONE even knows you play there (except a rabbit or two).

[MinimagRockin']

I used to play "outlaw" in a secluded place up in the hills. It was a good hike and away from any trails. I never saw anybody besides the people I was playing with up there. Someone even called the cops on us once before we got up there. I guess while we were loading up at my friends house someone called the cops and said we were waving real guns around. Well about five cop cars came racing up to us at the foot of the hill and when they found out what we were doing they said, "Oh, ok go have fun." So as you can see "outlaw paintball" can be achieved safely if, as some other people have already said, you're safe about it. Also I think using that little girl as a deterent is very unfair, the two really have nothing to do with each other. I'm sure people have been inadvertently shot in the eye at official paintball fields before.

[Steelrat]

How is it unfair to illustrate the possible consequences of "bandit ball?" Does everyone think these things are toys? Paintball markers can be extremely dangerous when used improperly. That girl DID get her cornea shot off by a paintball gun. And she certainly wasnt playing in a game. Sure accidents can happen at an official field too, but the chances are much, much lower. Most of the injuries you hear associated with paintball come from people messing around with them at places other than official fields. So showing the picture of a girl who was injured by someone shooting a gun in an inappropriate area has everything to do with the subject at hand.

Owning one of these things is a responsibility. People who refuse to treat paintball guns with the respect they deserve will continue to tarnish the image of the sport.

[JEDI]

Originally posted by Steeratt
How is it unfair to illustrate the possible consequences of "bandit ball?" Does everyone think these things are toys? Paintball markers can be extremely dangerous when used improperly. That girl DID get her cornea shot off by a paintball gun. And she certainly wasnt playing in a game. Sure accidents can happen at an official field too, but the chances are much, much lower. Most of the injuries you hear associated with paintball come from people messing around with them at places other than official fields. So showing the picture of a girl who was injured by someone shooting a gun in an inappropriate area has everything to do with the subject at hand.

Owning one of these things is a responsibility. People who refuse to treat paintball guns with the respect they deserve will continue to tarnish the image of the sport.

You're wrong, completely wrong. That picture may be related, but it doesn't not support the fact that playing paintball anywhere can be equally unsafe if people aren't cautious. You're mixing two arguements unfairly. Playing outlaw ball does not tarnish the sport/image of paintball; Stupidity does. Accidents happen by chance. Some newb on an established feild can just as easily blow his barrel plug into someones face.

[deathstalker]

Originally posted by JEDI

You're wrong, completely wrong. That picture may be related, but it doesn't not support the fact that playing paintball anywhere can be equally unsafe if people aren't cautious. You're mixing two arguements unfairly. Playing outlaw ball does not tarnish the sport/image of paintball; Stupidity does. Accidents happen by chance. Some newb on an established feild can just as easily blow his barrel plug into someones face.

No, you're wrong and this is supported by your statement that accidents happen by chance. No matter how secluded you think you are, there is ALWAYS a chance that someone else will be there. Murphy's Law dictates someone WILL be there.

Paintball is a sport that is as expensive as you want it to be. Buy a cheap marker, play stock class, play hopper ball, etc., but I feel it should only be done in appropriate places.

"Public" land does not mean you can do anything you want on it. Some communities have restricted the discharge of paintball guns (among other things), so local laws might make playing outlaw ball illegal.

Basically, asking AO'ers for their opinion does not give you permission. Contact your local authorities instead.

[JEDI]

Originally posted by deathstalker

No, you're wrong and this is supported by your statement that accidents happen by chance. No matter how secluded you think you are, there is ALWAYS a chance that someone else will be there. Murphy's Law dictates someone WILL be there.

Paintball is a sport that is as expensive as you want it to be. Buy a cheap marker, play stock class, play hopper ball, etc., but I feel it should only be done in appropriate places.

"Public" land does not mean you can do anything you want on it. Some communities have restricted the discharge of paintball guns (among other things), so local laws might make playing outlaw ball illegal.

Basically, asking AO'ers for their opinion does not give you permission. Contact your local authorities instead.

Haha, this has become a lame arguement. I'm simply saying that bad things can happen anywhere. Playing outlaw ball is not black and white. You're not evil for doing it. I did it for 5 years, safely. Murphy's law applies to PB feilds as well. But you're right though. Asking AO is not the way to go. Ask your towns authorities.

[Steelrat]

Sure, accidents can happen anywhere. The question is the likelihood of them happening. The chances of an injury are much lower in a tightly regulated and protected environment than in an open, publicly accessible place. Using the same argument of "accidents can happen anywhere" would validate things like street racing, another dangerous activity that should be confined to appropriate venues, but which people still insist upon doing in public areas.

[GoatBoy]

Originally posted by JEDI


Haha, this has become a lame arguement. I'm simply saying that bad things can happen anywhere. Playing outlaw ball is not black and white. You're not evil for doing it. I did it for 5 years, safely. Murphy's law applies to PB feilds as well. But you're right though. Asking AO is not the way to go. Ask your towns authorities.

It is fairly black and white when it comes to doing things in places where you are not explicitly supposed to do them.

An example of this is playing paintball on a big plot of land that isn't yours and hasn't been prepared in any way for paintball. Or humans for that matter.

Yes, accidents happen anywhere. Anywhere you go, you assume inherent risks in all your activities. However, you shouldn't have to be prepared to get shot by a bunch of paintballers on public land that is clearly not meant for paintball. If you happen to have a paintball accident on a paintball field, that's one thing.

If you have a paintball accident on public land, or land that isn't yours, that's completely different.

You think a judge is going to listen to your "well accidents can happen anywhere" argument?



And you know, safety isn't necessarily about paintball guns. Paintball fields are, more or less, meant for humans to play on. And I even question the condition of some of the fields, but that's for another thread.

You go out to some random plot of land, there's no telling what you might find out there. You could have deceptive landscape (read: big obscured holes in the ground), construction hazards, wild animals (read: wild, poisonous animals), insects, rocks, thorns, cactii, man-eating rabbits with big sharp teeth, etc.


So you're not only talking about random people's safety -- it's also your own safety you're risking.



Sure, accidents happen. I just don't consider that a justification for running around with scissors.

[Lohman446]

It all comes down to making certain you are 99% safe (nothing is perfect). Understand this, if that was my daughter shot in the eye by someone in a place they were not supposed to be... well, to paraphrase TK - it is unlikely that they would go to jail, I on the other hand, would for a long time.

If you feel you can be as safe there as at a field... then go. I don't play (outlaw) paintball with some of my friends because they drink when they do it, firing off the field at people is normal... so I don't do it. Has anyone ever been seriously hurt - no...

When I say safe, I mean triple checked (then again I don't go to play paintball without taking 6 batteries for my hopper (it takes one)). The idea of someone being hurt... just... its not worth it

Also keep in mind that chronoing of markers frequently is an important safety measure - make sure wherever you decide to play that you are safe.

BTW - how much $$$ are you saving playing in the woods, I pay $10 a day for entry and air - paint can be had at the field I play at for $45 a case (whatever has been found for the economy paint for the week) to $60 a case for marbalizers or similar. If you are talking $10 or $20 a day, the time you would have to invest into making certain things are safe, jsut isn't worth it.

[aaron_mag]

There is no doubt outlaw ball is cheaper. Think about it:

Outlaw:
Paint $50 a case for PMI Premium
Airfill $3

Total (assume shooting 1/2 a case) $28

Field:
Entry $15
Paint $65 a case for 32 degree comp
Airfill $3

Total (assuming shooting 1/2 a case) $50.50

There is no doubt that the field is probably going to be cooler (and have cooler things). So it is a trade off. Somebody with a family, however, is going to feel it big time (family of four would be $202 at a field versus $112.

We usually go to the field once a month and play outlaw once a month. Of course if you consider that I had to buy a hand held chrono, scuba tank, and fill station maybe I don't save that much after all . Furthermore if you figure the cost of ownership for a 120 acre farm maybe the savings aren't so great after all........

So in the end you are right unless you have a friend/family member that has a large tract of land and all the needed safety equipment.

[LaW]

I guess it depends, the field I play at is byop and 10 dollars entry/all day air and is pretty darn nice.... So the more you play the more that outlaw ball really is not cheaper that day.

[Grasshopper]

The "outlaw" field I play at is actually very nice (nicer than my local field). It's very safe. People have chronos, there is barrel plug signs, mask signs, etc. Also, about 30-40 people show up, so it's a lot of fun. People have been playing there for years, and I've never seen/heard of anyone getting hurt. It's off the road, down a trail right in the middle of this overhang of trees. No possible way a paintball could hit a passing car (unless it went through like 50 trees ). It's great fun, a lot cheaper, and nicer than my local field.

I guess it just depends on where your playing, if it's legal, and how careful you are. Make sure noone is around (at all), ask the cops and make sure it's ok, and just enforce mask/barrel plug rules and stuff. Try and run it like a normal field would be ran.

[shartley]

Originally posted by aaron_mag
There is no doubt outlaw ball is cheaper. Think about it:

Outlaw:
Paint $50 a case for PMI Premium
Airfill $3

Total (assume shooting 1/2 a case) $28

Field:
Entry $15
Paint $65 a case for 32 degree comp
Airfill $3

Total (assuming shooting 1/2 a case) $50.50

There is no doubt that the field is probably going to be cooler (and have cooler things). So it is a trade off. Somebody with a family, however, is going to feel it big time (family of four would be $202 at a field versus $112.

We usually go to the field once a month and play outlaw once a month. Of course if you consider that I had to buy a hand held chrono, scuba tank, and fill station maybe I don't save that much after all . Furthermore if you figure the cost of ownership for a 120 acre farm maybe the savings aren't so great after all........

So in the end you are right unless you have a friend/family member that has a large tract of land and all the needed safety equipment.

[aaron_mag]

Originally posted by shartley
This is true. And it is also part of the reason why I have my own field as well. I have a family of 6 and 4 of us play paintball in one way or another. That can dig deep into your pockets if the only option for playing paintball was to go to a business field.

Yes this is difficult for younger AOers to understand. You start multiplying everything by 3 or 4 and things start getting really expensive. I have nothing against paying fees at the field (they have to stay in business after all) but due to expense it becomes more of a special occasion rather than a routine outing. Especially when more of the family decides to go as well.

Oh god!!! Scuba setup is the way to go. I can't believe I ever lived without one. I bought the tank from a local scuba shop for $150. The fill station was another $55. The scuba shop fills my tank for $5 and two of us play for two outings on that. It is so much more convenient.