The Whitehall ruins, group has a ok from one of the property owners but unless something has changed it is uninsured and backyard play. I am also not sure that the adjacent property owners are ok with it. There is more on this on MAAPR and airsoftforum.com, In the mean time, I avoid it, besides this is a great group with access to fields that ARE insured and legal. What more could we ask for?
IT is VERY VERY COOL to have positive media coverage and C3's name put up as a example as something positive in the hobby.
Its nice to see something positive in the news about airsoft! It always seems that smaller newspapers and online journals are much kinder to airsoft then bigger papers, for example this article compared to the front page article the Washington Post ran not too long ago (I believe 6/28?).
The Whitehall ruins, group has a ok from one of the property owners but unless something has changed it is uninsured and backyard play. I am also not sure that the adjacent property owners are ok with it. There is more on this on MAAPR and airsoftforum.com, In the mean time, I avoid it, besides this is a great group with access to fields that ARE insured and legal.
There is no law on the books which says that in order to play Airsoft it must be done on an insured field... similar to playing any sport or game at your friends house you don't need insurance either.
Of course, if you don't have health insurance through your parents or work, I would personally limit anything even remotely dangerous (even crossing the street ;) but again, it's not required.
Hooray!!! finally positive news about airsoft. This is the kind of publicity that we really need for airsoft. I really think this is how airsoft should be portrayed in the media.
There is no law on the books which says that in order to play Airsoft it must be done on an insured field... similar to playing any sport or game at your friends house you don't need insurance either.
Of course, if you don't have health insurance through your parents or work, I would personally limit anything even remotely dangerous (even crossing the street ;) but again, it's not required.
I'm getting seriously tired of this. Yes, it is illegal. You search our forums often enough, search that out.
If it WAS legal, people wouldn't be getting arrested, charged, and even SHOT when they're not on sanctioned/insured fields.
It's not like "other" sports (and I don't believe airsoft is a sport). Football doesn't instill fear into other people, neither does baseball.
I think both you and I both know I'm not advocating running around in public with Airsoft weapons. I agree that maybe my example of "at your friends house" wasn't the best context, which might have warranted your response, but I'm simply trying to prove my point.
In the context of the article about Whitehall Ruins, as in privately owned property, with the owners permission, (with the knowledge of the police, which I don't think the article touched on), in an area with a long history of people running around playing with toy guns, with the staging area being the local American Legion (a place where military re-enactments wouldn't be out of the question) there is certainly nothing illegal about it just because the field isn't "sanctioned" or insured.
And for the record, it is not illegal to run around your neighborhood with a replica toy gun (the same laws that govern Airsoft guns govern the orange $3 plastic-firing toy gun 7/11 sells for example). There isn't a single law on the books against it (barring counties which have laws against the ownership of airsoft/BB/pellet guns like Philadelphia or the 5 boroughs of NYC). Our parents were doing the same thing 30/40+ years ago playing cops and robbers. In this modern day world, is it smart? No. Have children been shot for doing it in the wrong situations, yes. Have people been arrested for brandishing their replicas at police in a seemingly threatening manner, or for trespassing, yes (and those are the reasons why I don't advocate it). But there is simply no law (and please correct me if I'm wrong with the section and code if I've missed something) but there simply isn't a law that states that you can only play Airsoft on a sanctioned, insured field; and that's what I think you're saying, and I'm sorry, but morals aside of if you will or won't play on a non-insured field, that is not correct information reguarding the law.
Last edited by TriChrome : 07-01-2008 at 12:31 AM.
I have to agree with TriChrome. There is no law that I'm aware of governing where you can play. However, as was discussed in the whole "My first arrest" post, this doesn't mean players have the right to play anywhere.
Playing on a field like Whitehall Ruins with the permission of the property owner and the assent of local law enforcement isn't the same as running around in a public park with airsoft. I'm not doing either, and we don't allow the promotion of either here, but they are not technically the same.
The chances of getting into trouble at a field like Whitehall Ruins are significantly less. If LE knows about the games they probably aren't going to go nuts and get SWAT involved if there's trouble, however, there are still certain dangers that exist playing there. Say someone is on a nature hike and wanders into the area while you are playing...they see people with guns, and suddenly one is pointed at the hiker. If that hiker is armed, you are still getting shot. Additionally, as was pointed out in the other thread, your right to do anything does not allow you to infringe on the rights of another. Codified law is one thing, civil suits are another.
And like it or not, insurance is a BIG factor in the protection of players of all ages. God forbid an unfortunate accident happens on a private field....guess who is going to get sued? Lawyers go where the money is, and if little Timmy loses an eye (even if it's his fault) and you pulled the trigger, either you or your parents are getting sued. On a sanctioned field with a million-dollar + liability policy, your chances of losing everything are greatly reduced, as the lawyers will go after the big settlement. On a private field, they are going after the property owner and everyone involved. This is not to say that you are completely risk free even on sanctioned fields, but the probability of the individual player getting burned is approaching zero.
Location: Dont make fun of me just cause Im from Perry county...
Posts: 313
I dont see why an uninsured field would constitute backyard play They're safe, they notified the police, and the field is secure and out of the way. What they are doing isnt wrong as long as everyone is safe.
There was a good peice on fox news (the cable station) a few nights ago with a field owner, and a gun controler from the braidy bunch, it was deffinately an airsoft win and the host was invited to the field.
edit: a kid (11ish) was walking through marysville yesterday with a seethru sig552 and pistol in hand, camo jacket on and paintball mask on. I wanted to smack him in the head. he was walking down 850 near 11&15 *sigh*
whether it is safe place to play or not, why would you try to play at an uninsured field, why risk it. Insured fields are much safer, since they are maintained and cared for. if you just picked anywhere to play, you don't know what kind of natural hazards are there. Besides what is there are people there, you just don't know if someone sees you playing what they'll think, most people are very ummmm...how to i say it. misunderstanding. And thats the last thing you need is a big misunderstanding. In my opinion it is to risky to play there.
I dont see why an uninsured field would constitute backyard play They're safe, they notified the police, and the field is secure and out of the way. What they are doing isnt wrong as long as everyone is safe
Did you even read my post? It was right before yours.
Quote:
Originally Posted by freakboy
I cant tell if its a mirical or a sign of the apacolyps.
Two good things in one news article. Positive media coverage about airsoft and it's about C3. Yay.
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"When eliminated, at your discretion, you may feign real death for added realism. To do this, simply lie down and stop moving." 21st Airsoft Marine Division
Ahh, sorry, I didn't read the last paragraph. Couldn't liability wavers solve the problem? Or would that require the aformentioned insurence policy.
Liability waivers are pretty useless. They won't even stop insured fields from getting sued.
That said, everyone that liked the article should e-mail the author and say so. We get enough negative press, it's nice to see someone not going for the easy score.
I'm getting seriously tired of this. Yes, it is illegal. You search our forums often enough, search that out.
