[AnthonyS]

According to the RAC Foundation (an independent body aiming to protect the interests of motorists), there is a new threat on British roads - signpost snipers!

Is this something you have ever seen? What do you think of it?

Please click on the link below for more information and to tell us your thoughts:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...oad-signs.html

[Rolebama]

With the mentality of those owning guns and discharging them in public, it had to be only a matter of time before something like this sprung up. It comes as no surprise to me.

[wagolynn]

Must be terrible shots if they were aiming at cameras.:rolleyes:

[chopper jockey]

How typical of the RAC foundation to over exaggerate.

"The consequences of these projectiles hitting other motorists or indeed any member of the public hardly bears thinking about. It is only a matter of time until someone is badly hurt, or worse."

If you wait long enough...
The targeted signs are obviously not in built up areas. If I take a pot shot at a sign with my rifle, I would do it at night and when no one was around to be in danger.
I suppose on the practical side, shooting at a road sign is a very effective way of "zeroing" in your sights.

I'd be more likely to shoot at a speed camera though!:rolleyes:

[Snowball]

There is only one way to deal with this type of warp-minded idiot. A hefty prison sentence, and confiscation and crushing of the vehicle used in this manner.
Also a lifetime driving ban. It matters not whether it is driver or passenger who fires the weapon; allowing this behaviour with a motor vehicle puts the driver equally to blame.

[chopper jockey]

Originally Posted by Snowball

There is only one way to deal with this type of warp-minded idiot. A hefty prison sentence, and confiscation and crushing of the vehicle used in this manner.
Also a lifetime driving ban. It matters not whether it is driver or passenger who fires the weapon; allowing this behaviour with a motor vehicle puts the driver equally to blame.

Are you suggesting that if someone takes a pot shot with a pellet gun at a road sign in the middle of the night in the open countryside, away from people or traffic, hurting no one, that they should be locked away and given a lifetime ban? :eek:
If so I think you are the warp-minded idiot. :rolleyes:

[Snowball]

Originally Posted by chopper jockey

Are you suggesting that if someone takes a pot shot with a pellet gun at a road sign in the middle of the night in the open countryside, away from people or traffic, hurting no one, that they should be locked away and given a lifetime ban? :eek:
If so I think you are the warp-minded idiot. :rolleyes:

I don't think this post is worthy of comment!

[wagolynn]

Originally Posted by Snowball

There is only one way to deal with this type of warp-minded idiot. A hefty prison sentence, and confiscation and crushing of the vehicle used in this manner.
Also a lifetime driving ban. It matters not whether it is driver or passenger who fires the weapon; allowing this behaviour with a motor vehicle puts the driver equally to blame.

To be serious and civil:

I would go along with punishing the criminal offence of using a weapon illegally but I cannot see where the driving ban comes from?

[Snowball]

Originally Posted by wagolynn

To be serious and civil:

I would go along with punishing the criminal offence of using a weapon illegally but I cannot see where the driving ban comes from?

I was thinking along the lines that any driver who supported a passenger in this extreme behaviour is seriously unfit to drive a motor vehicle.

Drivers are already having to suffer the everyday presence of stupid driving on our roads. The last thing we want is the problem of being at risk from extending the use of a car in criminal acts, beyond what a driver is actually doing.
This behaviour is surely a clear indication of just how vital it is that punishment under the law needs to be strengthened.
In a civilised society, it is the criminal who should be fearful of breaking the law; not the law-abiding public that should be afraid of their safety when going about their normal business.

[ficklejade]

Nope, not seen any of this, thank heavens; I'd be very worried if I did because it would imply the loonies were on the island and either had illegal weapons or else had half-inched Mum's or Dad's shotgun/rifle for the purpose.

And what's the point? It's a bit sad really that folks can be so moronic.

CJ, the article mentions high velocity rifles and shotguns. No registered owner of a firearms licence would be daft enough, surely, to risk losing their licence, their (expensive) weaponry, nor a prison sentence.

I do not know how this could be treated in law other than possession of an illegal firearm and discharging it at public property with danger to life.

It also concerns me that this will fuel the debate about individuals owning airguns; I'm quite happy to have mine registered but if it's going to cost me a fortune, I'd have to think again.

[Rolebama]

Chopper jockey, did you look at the pix? There is no way those holes were made with an air rifle. As to not endangering anyone because of shooting at night etc etc, how do they know? Do you know what weapon was used? It's effective killing range? No. So to me the only warped-minded idiot here is yourself.

[chopper jockey]

Originally Posted by ficklejade

CJ, the article mentions high velocity rifles and shotguns.

I do not know how this could be treated in law other than possession of an illegal firearm and discharging it at public property with danger to life.

The article might mention high velocity rifles and shotguns, but the picture shows what looks like low power pellet marks from an air rifle being zeroed in.


Sinse in this example it appears to be only air rifle pellets, that's hardly an illegal (section 5) fire arm now is it?

And there is no law against "discharging it at public property with danger to life".

I think we should all consider that actually although the road signs get whacked, this is done where there are no witnesses, thus also means no body to get hurt either.:rolleyes:

[chopper jockey]

Originally Posted by Rolebama

Chopper jockey, did you look at the pix? There is no way those holes were made with an air rifle. As to not endangering anyone because of shooting at night etc etc, how do they know? Do you know what weapon was used? It's effective killing range? No. So to me the only warped-minded idiot here is yourself.

I frequently zero in my air rifle on a metal soldier figure. much the same material as road signs. The dents look exactly like the ones in the pic. Notice the dents are not holes.:rolleyes:

[smudger]

When Top Gear did that program in the USA, we saw that most road signs had "bullet holes" in them, then again, they have different gun laws to this country;)

There is no way an air gun could penetrate a standard road sign, at best it would put a dent in it.

[AdamB]

Originally Posted by chopper jockey

Are you suggesting that if someone takes a pot shot with a pellet gun at a road sign in the middle of the night in the open countryside, away from people or traffic, hurting no one, that they should be locked away and given a lifetime ban? :eek:
If so I think you are the warp-minded idiot. :rolleyes:

And when the road signs are all chipped, battle scarred and no longer fit for purpose long before their time, from these attacks by trigger happy lunatics, I suppose you will be complaining that they need replacing? Who pays for that? Taxpayers. Presuming you do contribute toward the state, are you happy with that?
I am always concerned about people with the fascination for guns. Like the warped people I see in full battle gear and army fatigues walking through the fields at dusk to shoot rabbits every night…. This is how Michael Ryan started, they guy responsible for the Hungerford massacre.
There’s nothing wrong with having a hobby, i.e. shooting, however when it become a morbid fascination that makes you go out and open fire onto road signs out on the public highway then I think you need some psychiatric help. No offence.

Adam B
Highways Engineer

[ficklejade]

Originally Posted by chopper jockey

I frequently zero in my air rifle on a metal soldier figure. much the same material as road signs. The dents look exactly like the ones in the pic. Notice the dents are not holes.:rolleyes:

Presumably, but please correct me politely if I am wrong and I may well be, the metal soldier you use to zero your air rifle is either on your own or friend's property or is a club target. Both my late husband and myself had shotguns as well and we used to do something similar to yourself on our own property - nearest neighbours nearly half a mile away.

I do agree with you, having had a good and enhanced look at the same photo, that it was a poor example to use in relation to the comment about high velocity rifles - journalists should have been more careful.

The difference is that a road sign is public property and there are rules about defacing/damaging such property even though, technically, as a member of the public, you could claim that you have a right to do so. It's just being a reasonable member of society. I, no more than, presumably, yourself, want to see those of us who have air rifles and use them responsibly either for enjoyment or as a practicable means of disposing of vermin, find them banned because of a load of morons who use them irresponsibly. You may disagree with me, as is your perfect right, but taking potshots at roadsigns will only hasten further nanny state legislation. FJ

[smudger]

Alas, I had to give up my high velocity air rifle when we moved down here? As we were out in the sticks when we lived up north. It was a really good German one that I got in a swap for my shotgun in an Aberdeen gun shop.

Mind you, I never shot any road signs, only tin cans and targets, at a fair distance away;)

[chopper jockey]

Originally Posted by AdamB

I am always concerned about people with the fascination for guns. Like the warped people I see in full battle gear and army fatigues walking through the fields at dusk to shoot rabbits every night…. This is how Michael Ryan started, they guy responsible for the Hungerford massacre. There’s nothing wrong with having a hobby, i.e. shooting, however when it become a morbid fascination that makes you go out and open fire onto road signs out on the public highway then I think you need some psychiatric help. No offence.

Adam B
Highways Engineer

I wear camo when out rabbiting.You obviously don't understand why. Also I am not warped and I do not shoot at road signs and do not require psychiatric help, thank you very much. Are you perhaps a little paranoid.?:rolleyes:

[Snowball]

chopper jockey, you can hardly blame AdamB for his response. Referring back to one of your earlier posts (post #4), like me, he probably read your comment as being in favour of people targeting road signs.

On forums such as this, all we have to judge a poster is by what he/she writes in these columns. In the end, it is our own pétard by which we hang ourselves.

Regards, Snowball.

[dnhcliho]

Originally Posted by chopper jockey

How typical of the RAC foundation to over exaggerate.



If you wait long enough...
The targeted signs are obviously not in built up areas. If I take a pot shot at a sign with my rifle, I would do it at night and when no one was around to be in danger.
I suppose on the practical side, shooting at a road sign is a very effective way of "zeroing" in your sights.

I'd be more likely to shoot at a speed camera though!:rolleyes:

take it ur runnin night sights if ur zeroin them in the dark???

[Rolebama]

For those interested in shooting, I understand the TA still has plenty of vacancies. I went to a Military Reunion on 15 Aug, and we had all-day access to the Ranges. 7.62mm, 0.303" and 0.22" Armour Piercing were available for our use.

[Snowball]

No chance of getting road sign pot-shotters to join the TA; that's man sized territory.

[smudger]

Originally Posted by Rolebama

For those interested in shooting, I understand the TA still has plenty of vacancies. I went to a Military Reunion on 15 Aug, and we had all-day access to the Ranges. 7.62mm, 0.303" and 0.22" Armour Piercing were available for our use.

Ah! that would be my perfect day out! I remember being sent to the armoury on a Saturday morning, as a punishment, when I was in R.N training.
I really enjoyed it, but asked the Petty Officer not to tell the G.I, so that I could be sent there again:D

[Rolebama]

Smudger, I was on punishment and sent to the Armoury to clean the guns from the exhibits at the Tank Museum. Whilst there, I met the Curator of the Museum, a retired Colonel, and we got on very well. Ended up working in the Museum as a volunteer and getting a few of the exhibits up and running. Spent a lot of hours restoring some of them. Great fun.

[smudger]

Yea! they had me stripping and cleaning all kinds of guns, it was great. Then when I got sent back again the P.O let me fire some of them on the underground range they had down there.:cool: