Rotten markers, what's to be done?

[ovenpaa]

A league table of markers could certainly work however it just takes one grumpy shooter for the reputation of a marker to be lost.

As an aside, I have been in the Butts when markers were being treated abysmally by a shooter and that was before the marking commenced. Interestingly the poor marker treatment I witnessed came from the same club on two very memorable occasions, I stepped in and mentioned it on the second and was told to f*** right off. On the name and shame front it was the OSM each time and the arrogance on the second occasion left me stunned.

Back to the league, what about performance related pay to reward and act as an incentive to those who do perform beyond expectations, downside is this would be entirely down to the shooter and many may feel they should not have to 'bribe' a marker to do what is expected of him.

[TJC]

When you find a good market, give him/her a decent tip, ask for their name/mobile and if you don't look too sordid they might actually give you it and come back the next time you do.

[ovenpaa]

Well that excludes Maggot for starters :lol:

[Dougan]

There's two main problems - One is the quality of the markers, and one is the target systems.

I've tried to be sympathetic to the plight of the markers as it can be hard work; but having seen some of them in action, it's clear that some of them are not making any effort at all, and just want to chat, play with their phones or generally mess about - I'm not sure what can be done to improve the work ethic; better supervision would help, but personally I think they should leave their phones in the range office while working...and before anyone accuses me of being unsympathetic, I can remember doing holiday and weekend jobs at McDonalds, B&Q and the like as a teenager, where you had to work properly if you wanted to keep the job.

Then there's the target systems - Even if you get the keenest of markers, the current run-down targets are not easy to operate all day, and some markers are simply not tall or strong enough to do it - The only solution to this I can think of would be to re-fit a whole new set of targets - Apart from cost, I don't know why they don't use the same type of targets that are used on Short Siberia...they are easy to put up and down, and if the lever was designed correctly the target would come low enough for anyone to mark even the top of the target.

[JSHarris]

new target frames/systems is already a work in progress, it will take some time to roll them out across all of Century but they are coming.

[meles meles]

Hmm, how about applyin' the Admiral Byng principle ?

[IainWR]

Only works if les autres can't simply not turn up.

[Dougan]

new target frames/systems is already a work in progress, it will take some time to roll them out across all of Century but they are coming.

Sounds good - is it possible to get some more info on that...?

[JSHarris]

only that when i was visiting the target shed to look at some new falling plates for .22LR that are being made i noticed the new cogs, chains and bits for the new frames/mechanisms. I gather that the prototype that has been trialled for while on Century works ok so now they are going to install a few more and change out the worst exisiting ones. This will not happen overnight and suspect that with the Imperial starting in a few weeks that this will not really start to happen until August, but that is of course idle speculation!

[Maggot]

only that when i was visiting the target shed to look at some new falling plates for .22LR that are being made i noticed the new cogs, chains and bits for the new frames/mechanisms. I gather that the prototype that has been trialled for while on Century works ok so now they are going to install a few more and change out the worst exisiting ones. This will not happen overnight and suspect that with the Imperial starting in a few weeks that this will not really start to happen until August, but that is of course idle speculation!

That sounds good.

Some good stuff, but can I just make something clear. I know a good many of those answering this post and myself included, I can say I have never heard anyone be gratuitously off with a marker.

I have myself recently, but it was with a "problem" individual who was clearly and obviously taking the p*** and proved to be doing so, and it was simply a "Funny old thing that" type comment.

The point about paying extra is fair, and we do it as a rule with my club, but marking is unskilled, and even slow marking is still generally acceptable as long as they are actually marking as they should.

Taking the p*** out of those complaining is fine, until you lose a comp or lose total confidence in your kit because of a marker having a laugh.

The bottom line is that regardless of cost, there is a base line. Would I pay more?

Yes, but not for the current crop.

Have I tipped?

Yes....

Thanks, keep them coming.