Communicate Clearly!

[bbbean]

<I've changed the details slightly to avoid discussing a specific match/incident/person>

At back of deep stage (i.e. not visible from back of bay), popper in one port activates max trap in the next. Target is not disappearing, leaving only the head A zone before and after activation. Shooter shoots popper, moves to next port, sees closed max trap, doesn't engage, then finishes stage and tells RO target didn't activate.

RO#1 (timer) says he wasn't watching target, doesn't know if target reset or not. RO#2 (clipboard and midway back on the stage) says "I reset that target myself. I know it activated." CRO and rest of squad are at back of bay and couldn't see whether target activated or not.

When shooter presses issue and asks for RM, RO#2 says "Won't do any good, I saw target activate."

End result is that shooter drops the issue, but leaves stage convinced RO didn't actually see target activate, and is in CYA mode.

Whole situation could have been avoided if RO#2 had clearly told shooter "I saw target activate" instead of insisting that since he'd reset target it must have activated.

Moral of story - be very clear about what you actually saw and how you communicate that with shooters and other staff. No shooter should leave a stage thinking an RO may have shorted him.

[sperman]

I'll add that if the shooter asks for the RM, call the RM. Even if it doesn't change the outcome, the shooter will feel like the match staff did everything in the rulebook to make sure the correct decision was made.

[bbbean]

I'll add that if the shooter asks for the RM, call the RM. Even if it doesn't change the outcome, the shooter will feel like the match staff did everything in the rulebook to make sure the correct decision was made.

+1!

[ima45dv8]

I'll add that if the shooter asks for the RM, call the RM. Even if it doesn't change the outcome, the shooter will feel like the match staff did everything in the rulebook to make sure the correct decision was made.

I'll add that if you, as the RO/CRO offer to call the RM, you obviously felt it might be a good thing to do in that instance. You don't need the competitor's agreement to call the RM.

Even if they say, "No...no... we don't need the RM", it might be wise to get on the radio anyway.

After all, the RM is paid free room and board to sit on their butt in a golf cart and really have nothing better to do. Giving them a situation to deal with is a way to make them earn their exorbitant salary.

[motosapiens]

After all, the RM is paid free room and board to sit on their butt in a golf cart and really have nothing better to do. Giving them a situation to deal with is a way to make them earn their exorbitant salary.

that made me lol.

Some good points in this thread. Attitude and courtesy mean alot. You can make the right call and come across like a total dick, or you can make the right call and come across like a professional who is making every effort to make sure the shooter doesn't get shorted any points he earned. Having done both, I would say I prefer the latter.

Edited June 20, 2013 by motosapiens