RO's that YELL Range commands

[Crusher]

What is with RO's that YELL range commands (well at least ARE YOU READY!!!!!.....STAND BY!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

No need for that, (yelling STOP!!!, is ok but tone it down on the others). Many times at the local level we have some nubs (new shooters male and female) and of those nubs some are nervous to begin with, YELLING only ups the ante.

Others wear electonic hearing and I KNOW when mine shut down after load and make ready without a shot having been fired some loudmouth just went overboard.

Check out some of the videos posted around you will see what I mean.

[BrianH]

+1

[D.Hayden]

In 3 Gun.. I double plug (no electronics) - It's difficult to hear ..

I generally tell the RO's I need them to talk louder..

[HSMITH]

I am deaf in one ear and don't hear worth a shit in the other, so I actually appreciate an enthusiastic RO. I really appreciate one that holds the timer RIGHT next to the mic on my electric ears too.....

[LadyinBlue]

I appreciate the RO's who speak loud enough to hear.

I don't appreciate the RO's who loudly snap commands just to see you jump.

I had an RO recently who made me so nervous with his voice that the "Stand-by" command sounded like the beeper. You can imagine what happened next...

[Scout454]

I was blown up in 1967 on my senior trip. Between that and the fact that hearing protection was little more than cotton stuffed in your ears - which you didn't dare use out in the bush - and I have a 30 to 50 percent hearing loss. I've been a range officer in a number of different diciplines for over 40 years and I know that, like a lot of other shooters with a hearing loss, I tend to speak loud enough to hear myself.

Rather than get upset about it, ask *politely* and I'll do my best to tone it down. And I'd be willing to bet that other RO's will do the same.

[toowide]

A lot of open gunners also double plug. Now I will admit there is a limit to screaming commands but giving them at a loud volume not only ensures your shooter hears them but may give some unfortunate spectator a second chance to replace his hearing protection. We usually give the "eyes and ears, range is going hot" warning before lamr but some don't always catch that ie. someone first time out asking a question about the sport. Like has been said, if your RO is SCREAMING, simply and politely inform them that their "normal" volume level makes you jump.

[Right2Bear]

Seems like you can't please everyone but I think erring on the loud side is a heck of a lot better than not being loud enough. Considering that the lack of a response to the "are you ready" command implies that the shooter is ready, I try to make sure I am plenty loud. Not everyone has electronic muffs. As some have mentioned, others double plug or have bad hearing in the first place. Not to mention that you never know when the shooting starts at the next range over will drown out your voice.

I think it is the responsibility of the range officer to be loud. It's pretty hard to put a handle on how loud is too loud. In the rare event you run into an RO that may be yelling... I think you should just suck it up and deal with it.

Just my .02.

[MI_Packer]

I do "Are You Ready" and "Stand By" louder so people in the next bay can hear it. Just in case someone doesn't have their ears on. I've seen a lot of people react to those commands by putting on their hearing protection.

I don't snap those commands. The guys I RO are my friends as well.

Maybe I should re-think my approach, or talk to the RO's and shooters to see what they think.

[Jake Di Vita]

Not only that, but the Load and Make Ready command is a hint to all the other shooters to put their Ear pro on.

Range commands should be said so everyone on the stage can hear them.

[ima45dv8]

**I discussed with the originator of this Hate rant (Crusher) whether he wanted the thread Closed (from the Hate forum rules: "Rebuttals are not permitted"), or would allow it to be moved to another forum for further discussion. Some good points have been raised on both sides and I hoped he would permit it to stay open for further input. He agreed, and I moved it here so we can continue to explore the alternatives.

...Mark

[Flexmoney]

Not only that, but the Load and Make Ready command is a hint to all the other shooters to put their Ear pro on.

Range commands should be said so everyone on the stage can hear them.

+1

[Crusher]

Projecting is fine, but yelling SUX at so many levels.

[kimel]

It's easy to find the screamers. Those are the guys that are hoarse after three squads at a big match.

[Jim Norman]

There is yelling, screaming and then there is "Command Voice" It carries over most all other noise and is heard and understood. You don't speak from the upper throat and thorax, it comes from deep inside. You know it when you hear it. You have it or you don't.

Jim

[GeorgeInNePa]

There is yelling, screaming and then there is "Command Voice" It carries over most all other noise and is heard and understood. You don't speak from the upper throat and thorax, it comes from deep inside. You know it when you hear it. You have it or you don't.

Jim

You have to be either a parent or a cop to have and use the "Voice".

[RobMoore]

You have to be either a parent or a cop to have and use the "Voice".

You left out "Marine".

We could all tape a decal of a volume control to our backs indicating to the RO how loud we want them to speak for us.

[MarkS_A18138]

Don't let him fool you, TOO WIDE is one of those RO's.

[GentlemanJim]

I suspect that many of us have hearing loss

I just watch the RO, and ask him to speak up if need be

Everyone has their own style, none are perfect.

If you watch and listen, you will know what to expect.

Jim

[Genghis]

I put a little oomph behind "Are you ready" and "Stand by" so the other shooters know someone is getting ready to shoot. Normally they look toward the shooter and quiet down a little, which makes it easier for him to hear the beep, and a "Stop" command if it became necessary.

[cking]

I've been told that I was a barker, or a yeller when ROing. My personal take on this was that when you are ROing. Range safety is your responsibility. People are talking and generally not paying attention, and we are dealing with a potentially dangerous situation. So I'm in favor of the Marine Drill Instuctor style. Loud commanding things like Clear the Range, and Range is Hot, are to wake the people up focus their attention.

But as it turned out I was turning people off and offending them. Whiners. So I stopped doing it, results people are happier but the squad moves much slower. Is it less safe? Not really but it takes me longer to run the shooter, getting the range cleared, getting people back behind the line etc. I guess it is all perception, I like Ro's that take control, so that's what I emulated, but I've been accused of having lousy taste.

[LPatterson]

As one of those people with a hearing loss, I can only hope that I am using the command voice and not yelling. I do check for shooters with regular muffs or electronic ears and try to change the level of my voice. However I may be a little more forceful with "Are you ready" than with "Standby".

At local matches and with lower class shooters they tend to enter the starting position in what I consider to be an unsure posture. Higher class shooters tend to be more deliberate by keeping a hand on the gun until they have run their program then they enter the start position.

In either case I position the beeper as high as possible to the head area so there should not be any problem hearing the start signal.

[kimel]

Command voice is definately a plus.

I have a tonal loss in both ears (ear infection and perf'd ear drums when I was 4 or 5) that just happens to fall right where many timers work. I want to preserve what is left of my hearing so I double plug (custom fitted plugs plus electronic muffs).

If the RO doesn't use command voice and doesn't hold the timer near enough there is a very good chance I won't hear it. On the other hand, I have never false started from the timer in the next bay either.

At an match awhile back a fairly shy young lady was the RO and I just could not hear her or the timer she was using. I finally just asked her to tap me with the timer or her hand when she set it off.

[KGentry]

Yelling commands and instructions is a balance of making sure the shooter can hear you without scaring the cr$% out you. When you start yelling at nubs you can however hear their knees rattle - mine did when I was there. Strong voice commands no screaming!

[BDH]

I 'try' to be appropriate and give a 'medium to loud' LAMR command.... followed by a loud 'RIC' command. Why??? On LAMR, I want everyone on the stage to know that we are going hot and going to shoot. On RIC, I want everyone to know that they are clear to move downrange.

I have heard RO's pretty much yelling commands at competitors, and I could only assume that the competitor told the RO that they were extremely hard of hearing, or double plugged. That said, I do 'coach' new RO's to follow my model, so if you disagree, please speak up...