Why do people not like range officers

Sane people dislike authority and intensely dislike its misuse. Unfortunately, power corrupts. Give men a hat, or a vest, or some authority, and some of them will abuse that authority.

I don't think "people hate RSOs". I think that, as in all things, some RSOs come to view ranges as "theirs", tend to unduly and unnecessarily throw their weight about, overstep their limited authority, and, in some cases, can build a coterie of cronies that treat "outsiders" rudely.

Chances are, if you're a gun bug, you have a low tolerance for that sort of behavior. And, the interweb being what it is, there are a fair few blowhards and butthurts who blather.

The combination means that a few RSOs who let their limited authority go to their heads get more attention than perhaps a pool lifeguard might in similar circumstances.

double edged. regular shooters being overlorded by a napoleon complex rso, or good rso having to deal with mall ninja know it alls.

I chated with our RO on several occasions before I found out he was the RO. I though he was just a nice dude.

Then again, this is in podunk junction, and there aren't many rules. The only rule I can think of that isn't a common safety rule is no one under 21 can shoot full auto. I would probably hate the RO at a big city indoor range too. Those places must be full of idiots.

Nearly all of the RSOs at our range are excellent and leave us alone unless there's someone flagrantly being unsafe or breaking the rules. And even then the RSO gently corrects the error and all is well. But there was this one Nosy Nellie that told me that the NRA suggested that I not have my bottled water at the firing line because of possible lead contamination. Give me a fracking break dude. I guess I should hold my breath the entire time I'm on the firing line too. He obviously suffers from ID-10-T syndrome.

I've only ever had RSOs tell me I'm doing something wrong.... when I'm doing something wrong. It's not my range, so I apologize and do things the way they want it done.

Some people think the way they behave at the range is perfectly safe and reasonable, and that they're right and know everything. The Dunning-Kruger Effect is strong in these people. So when an RSO hurts their pride by explaining that what they're doing is actually dangerous to themselves or everyone else on the range, they throw a little tantrum about it. If not right there and then, afterwards and online. Hence, RSOs are terrible, because muh feelin's.

I don't hate RSO's,,,

I hate RSO's who think it's okay to get in a person's face and scream at him.

Aarond

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My range doesn't have RSO's............they have enough lanes with berms between, it's like having your own range in your backyard. They have a few rules about full auto use and distance to target (to prevent rounds going over the berms), but pretty much, do what you want as you're basically by yourself.

sparkyv said:

Nearly all of the RSOs at our range are excellent and leave us alone unless there's someone flagrantly being unsafe or breaking the rules. And even then the RSO gently corrects the error and all is well. But there was this one Nosy Nellie that told me that the NRA suggested that I not have my bottled water at the firing line because of possible lead contamination. Give me a fracking break dude. I guess I should hold my breath the entire time I'm on the firing line too. He obviously suffers from ID-10-T syndrome.

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God help the poor guy who only tried to inform you of something that might be beneficial to you, LOL.

The indoor ranges I have been on do not allow food or drink inside the range.

Most of the range staff I have encountered have been either helpful or neutral. I have seen the occasional drill sergeant attitude but none as bad as what I read of. I have heard of incompetent and ignorant range employees but have not run into one.

My range operation standards are based on match experience. People running NRA, USPSA, and IDPA competition tend to know rules and procedures and keep things straight.

It's a tough balancing act ... trying to be pro-active, prevent serious accidents/injuries, while educating, but to be firm yet not too over-the-top authoritarian. I couldn't do the commercial range thing; my head would explode or I'd choke out the first stupid person I encountered, and there's certainly never a shortage of stupid shooters at any commercial range and even some long-standing private gun clubs.

I run ranges with some experienced shooters, sometimes mixed in with junior personnel, sometimes strictly tactical team guys, and even then, there occurs the whoops! moments, the total brain-farts, the occasionally lapse of situational awareness/attention and ... every so often, a incident of plain stupidity or negligence. What really scares me is when an officer reaches the point where he/she feels they know everything and therefore they don't need supervision.

What most people can't stand are the "Range Nazis," those ROs/RSOs/RMs who treat every single person on the line as though they are morons requiring total micro-management of every single action and range command. And I've seen a few of those in my day.

But, there are those who are blessed with the ability to gently, yet firmly correct a shooter who has a momentary lapse and still make a lasting impression; those are the folks we need -- the kind we (more experienced shooters) don't even notice unless something really bad happens.

As far as having food or water on the line, there's evidence-based research indicating this is not a good thing. But, as an adult, make your own choices. Just get your lead levels checked every few years, especially if you frequent indoor ranges.

i have not had any issues with any R/O at the range.

in fact, as a member there, none of them push the "your hour is up, you gotta go"

i get some very good advice on my shooting, and all of them generally chat it up with you.

Good grief. I'll take care of my health, you take care of yours and all's well. Leave it to a progressive liberal to pretend to care about me, Karen.

Double Naught Spy said:

God help the poor guy who only tried to inform you of something that might be beneficial to you, LOL.

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Never seen an RSO at any range I’ve been a member of. Kind of like I have never lived in an HOA type of place.

No one likes to be told they are doing it wrong and some people like to tell people the only way to do something is their way.

If you play gun games or go to a range that has certain rules, you follow them or go home. As simple as that. If that hurts your feelings, you complain about it or start your own, with your rules.

I don’t dislike RSOs. But I judge them, and I remember the bad ones. And the good ones, too, but those stories aren’t generally with mentioning.

For example, consider this: I went to a range and the RSO was an older gentleman who was watching everyone closely. He was also friendly and helpful when I talked to him. Everyone seemed to have a good time and was safe.

Compare that to this: I took a new pistol to a range and it was having issues (wound up getting replaced by the manufacturer under warranty). Range officer was sitting off on a bench in the shade most of the time holding a microphone to make announcements. I happened to be close to where he is sitting but he doesn’t have a clear view of the far end of the range so he was calling out to ask shooters to raise their thumbs if the range was clear to go down range for target changes. As I’m leaving he makes point to tell me that my gun is junk, “but maybe it would be good as a throw-down, hur hur.” So not only is the guy bad at his job, he’s actively trying to piss off paying customers as they leave, and making jokes about police officers murdering people and planting evidence to cover it up.

Which of those true stories do you think is more likely to be shared on the Internet?

Range Officer is a pretty thankless job, except for the other pretty ACTIVE members of a club. Normally it is a job only the most active and "invested" people who frequent a range are interested at all in doing. I never heard of one who received any significant compensation other than the opportunity to go to the next step involvement in shooting, shooting sports, and his own local community of shooters.

May be because the RO given the responsibility of seeing the facility is run safely and in the manner desired by the people most invested in maintaining it is also a little more concerned about it than the average first timer most concerned where he can rip off a mag or two in a hurry and the cheapest. May that might be a reason a few people don't like them. People want to use a range like it is their own back yard and the RO wants them to use it like they are guests at a PUBLIC facility shared by other people.

Russell13 said:

I once went to a range to break in my barrel of a rifle. I was putting a round through it, cleaning it, you know the process. I did not have a scope on it yet, the rso comes over and tells me I can’t shoot the rifle because it didn’t have sights on it. I had a paper target maybe ten feet in front of me and I was putting the rifle to my shoulder, being safe and shooting it like you normally would. Seemed like a very strange rule to me

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No smoothbore muskets either I guess

I figure the range staff has to prepare for the lowest skill, lowest intelligence customer and they are going to play it safe.

I guess we're fortunate as the RO's at our gun club, who are all volunteers, are great. They watch carefully but do not interfere unless necessary. They approached me a couple of times over the years, mainly in regards to loading my truck to make sure I wasn't leaving it in a no parking area and were polite.

Edit to add: It may help that our gun club is a private club. Prior to joining there's an interview process to weed out the knuckleheads as much as possible and safety training where we need to show them that we can safely handle our guns. There's a waiting list to join, so they don't need to accept just anyone and can turn away potential problem members or revoke the membership of anyone who's out of line.

I would guess that if you don’t deal with the RO much, they are good and you are good. The only interactions are generally because an incident has occurred.

Water - if you didn't have water available at TX matches, you would drop dead. Our RO's would make sure that we would drink. I've seen folks actually go into heat stroke and have to be rescued. It's a 100 degrees at times.
Now, I've had problems with some rule calls and whined about it. However, that is outweighed by the job the folks did on safety.

TomJ said:

I guess we're fortunate as the RO's at our gun club, who are all volunteers, are great. <snip>
It may help that our gun club is a private club. Prior to joining there's an interview process to weed out the knuckleheads as much as possible and safety training where we need to show them that we can safely handle our guns.

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Our is too, but knuckle heads still persist. An all day safety and range familiarization class is required. They probably should have 2 hour refresher courses every now and then. For a regulars, like me, they don't even bother to check.