Old man yells at clouds?

[SR_matt]

Ok so a bit of a rant, WTF is up with all the videos of tourney players out on fields either practicing and taking their masks off or pulling them up at the end of games while still in the nets without barrel covers on?

Didn’t we establish that one is to never have both they barrel uncovered and mask off in the same areas decades ago?

Maybe I am just a safety freak, maybe the ref part of my brain became permanently ingrained, but how are any of these fields ok with it? And more importantly why do we see major manufactures sharing these videos on their pages and just going “well that’s just how it is in tourney ball” when called out on it?

Am I off base or so the rest of you old heads get the same core rage at this?

[OpusX]

Since I like keeping both of my eyes, I agree.

[Chuck E Ducky]

This is a trend? I haven’t really noticed it. I don’t watch a lot of tournament paintball videos. But haven’t seen it playing tournament Paintball. You do that at any event you’re likely to get ejected and Pounced on by the closest reff.

[Chuck E Ducky]

Early on I had dreams of traveling the world playing professional paintball. I practiced 3x a week in my single days. Lived and breathed paintball. At some pot I realized I was never going to be fast enough, small enough, or have the lighting quick reflexes needed to win at that top level. I feel like most ballers go through that process. I don’t think there is anything wrong with having that drive or goal. But blatant disregard for general safety, come on it’s just so unnecessary. It’s the #1 rule in paintball keep your dam mask on! Why is it so hard for people today to follow simple direction.

[TF_Aloha]

This post might be referring to product/drill demonstration videos. Players will sometimes lift their mask between demonstrations to talk to the camera. It's a bad example to set, but they're on what's effectively a closed set so the risk of someone elsewhere on the field shooting is removed.

[SR_matt]

The one that actually set me off was what looked like a tournament where after the wining shot the guy lifted his mask.

[RAZRBAKK]

Normalization of deviance.

[zinger565]

Yeah, we call it "drift" at work.

[Hellion360]

These are just dum dums.

[iamthelazerviking]

If it's a practice situation, sure go for it. Be willing to accept the risks. In an actual event, very unlikely this is happening.

[SR_matt]

Yeah Chuck E Ducky I got to the point where I wear my RX safeties when I play (they also fit in my mask better but I have to take the side shields off) so that I have something in the staging area. Saw enough crap as a ref that I don’t trust most people. Plus you have the dumb kids setting off their airsoft grenades in the parking lot too.

[iamthelazerviking]

Chuck E Ducky nothing specific to VA fields, just things I have seen in random vids

[Chuck E Ducky]

Like promotion stuff? Mr H ripping his mask off to push the next HK product. It’s bad form but I get it from a sales / production standpoint. But just a regular day out no thanks any decent ref worth a dam should step to anyone not following basic safety precautions.

[Jonnydread]

The only time I am ever remotely comfortable taking off my mask is playing outlaw in the deep woods with people I know practice gun safety after every person has confirmed their barrel bags are on. If I ever seen someone taking a mask off within field ranges I become instantly irate, and if anyone says I'm being dramatic I will absolutely lose my shit.

In a closed practice I can almost understand it, but it isn't worth it with electros on the field IMO. If you are taking your mask off in front of new players/rentals you are teaching them a very shitty lesson and I will call you on it.

I don't mind being seen as a cranky old guy. The paintball community has always taken safety very seriously and just because it's not "cool" to a bunch of YouTube keyboard warriors doesn't mean I'm going to change my behavior.

[jetenginekyle]

I don't get it either, I've seen it a couple times at the speedball field that recently opened near me. One time was within 10 feet of the exit to the field another was a bit farther but still come on guys I know you know better. These players were not newbs and the one that was 10ft from the exit got mad at me for telling him goggles down and to get off the field first said "the exit is right there so its fine" ????

[Melrosejedi]

I think this is not only irresponsible to your and others safety but rude also.no one is above the rules, even in paintball.i don’t care if your a pro,rules should be engrained in you by then.heck, I get mad when I forget my barrel bag sometimes and have to go get it,ya look like a rookie.the rules are put in place for a reason,everyone’s safety,so we can all go home happy and tired.the pro players never impressed me when it comes to conduct all these years,so why think it will change now.I’m happy to say i rarely have seen it locally,and if I do it’s a simple accident with no people with attitude.

[Chuck E Ducky]

“The eye you save may be your own”

[JeeperCreeper]

I've seen a near blinding happen years ago at some backyard outlaw. So no thanks.

[COB]

Old heads understand everything you do in life translates between tasks and interests. How you practice or train is how you perform. I don't care if it's learning to drive, working with power equipment or paintball. Bad or lazy practice leads to bad or disastrous results. No one plans to shoot their friend in the eye. But not being in the habit of absolute gun safety leads to a friend or someone on the team getting a new nickname name; Pirate.

[Melrosejedi]

Absolutely agree. “Perfection is not a now or then thing in life “ its how you conduct yourself in every aspect of your life. as said by the great coach Vince Lombardi.