Competition Bad Habits? Do any exist? Competing Anonymously possible?

[deflave]

is this really that different than any other discussion, internet or otherwise? Is anyone really expecting to change someone else's mind, or have their mind changed?

Guys that don't want to shoot competition have their reasons. Some are as-stated, most aren't. most don't know the difference.

Guys that do want to shoot competition have their reasons. Some are as-stated, most aren't. most don't know the difference.

Debating either case against the arguments as-presented is pretty pointless.

The number of readers or listeners typically outnumber the actual participants.

It's not advisable to only hear or read one side of the debate.

[Wendell]

...can I compete anonymously? I have no chance of being a world champ, no real desire, the competition is just to get some stress and practice skills. But my old lady doesnt want people to know I own and carry a gun and well with everything being on google and facebook now, she makes a good point. Her job and family is very anti gun (from Los Angeles). So for a competition, can I just go, pay the entry fee, tell them my name is John Doe, run the competition, not have my picture taken and uploaded to their facebook group, not have my real name associated with my score? Maybe thats paranoid? But man everything is online these days and even just photos the match organizers might post to facebook will be facial recognition matched to me. Even if I have to show them my ID im a bit scared by that because if Equifax and the Office of Professional Manaegment cant keep their records secure, how can a volunteer running a match be trusted with my drivers lisence info from leaking out? And newspapers have been publishing CCW names in some cities that's scary to me, but not scary enough not to have one!

You can join USPSA and/or IDPA without providing any government ID; all you need is a credit card. From what I understand, a pre-paid 'Titanium MasterCard' can be purchased, easily, with no credit check, online and at major retailers, and the pre-paid card will come with no name printed on it. It'd probably be easy to then use your pre-paid card to create a membership using whatever name you wished. Many if not most matches seem to be filled via Practiscore; anyone can create a Practiscore account, and anyone can do so without providing any government ID, all you need is an email account. Anyone can create a protonmail account, and anyone can do so without providing any government ID, all you need is an credit card, and it'd probably be easy for you to use your 'Titanium MasterCard' to pay protonmail. When it comes time to register for matches (via Practiscore) it'd probably be easy for you to use your 'Titanium MasterCard' to pay Practiscore as well. When you get to the match, all you need to tell anyone is your 'name' and/or membership number; you won't need to show any government ID.

At any match, there will be a lot of cameras, and images will be published to the internet; that is guaranteed. Your only option there is to wear something over your face (e.g.: ballcap, sunglasses, bandana, respirator, mexican wrestling mask, etc).

[Alpha Sierra]

You can join USPSA and/or IDPA without providing any government ID; all you need is a credit card. From what I understand, a pre-paid 'Titanium MasterCard' can be purchased, easily, with no credit check, online and at major retailers, and the pre-paid card will come with no name printed on it. It'd probably be easy to then use your pre-paid card to create a membership using whatever name you wished. Many if not most matches seem to be filled via Practiscore; anyone can create a Practiscore account, and anyone can do so without providing any government ID, all you need is an email account. Anyone can create a protonmail account, and anyone can do so without providing any government ID, all you need is an credit card, and it'd probably be easy for you to use your 'Titanium MasterCard' to pay protonmail. When it comes time to register for matches (via Practiscore) it'd probably be easy for you to use your 'Titanium MasterCard' to pay Practiscore as well. When you get to the match, all you need to tell anyone is your 'name' and/or membership number; you won't need to show any government ID.

At any match, there will be a lot of cameras, and images will be published to the internet; that is guaranteed. Your only option there is to wear something over your face (e.g.: ballcap, sunglasses, bandana, respirator, mexican wrestling mask, etc).

Well said.

And for the ultra paranoid almost no level I matches ask you to prepay on PS when you sign up. Every one of my locals takes cold hard cash on the day of the match during check in.

[CleverNickname]

You can join USPSA and/or IDPA without providing any government ID; all you need is a credit card. From what I understand, a pre-paid 'Titanium MasterCard' can be purchased, easily, with no credit check, online and at major retailers, and the pre-paid card will come with no name printed on it. It'd probably be easy to then use your pre-paid card to create a membership using whatever name you wished.

Privacy.com

No need to go buy a physical card, you can create as many virtual cards as you want right from your PC (either single- or multi-use), and use whatever name you want with the card. I mainly use it for recurring bill payments so if my main physical card's number gets stolen I don't have to go update a bunch of subscriptions with new card numbers. But it's really good for concealing your identity too, especially if paying for a service (i.e. something that doesn't have to be shipped to a physical address).

[Wendell]

A simple "fuck off, not interested in your opinion" also goes a long way

Maybe, depending upon your job. (Not everyone enjoys your autonomy.)

[Wendell]

Another privacy tactic which I forgot to mention is changing your license plate. (Trainer John Farnam recommends changing your license plate every year.)

It's simple... you just take your vehicle's plate to your DMV and swap it out... it doesn't cost much... and then you have another fresh start.

[rob_s]

The number of readers or listeners typically outnumber the actual participants.

It's not advisable to only hear or read one side of the debate.

I used to use the same rationale. “Well, if I don’t tell my side, then all those anonymous readers will think that other idiot is right!!”

Then I stopped caring. If some dumbass reads dumbass shit on the internet, believes it, goes out and tries it, and doesn’t figure it out on their own, they deserve what they get.

ETA:
“Reading” and “hearing” vs absorbing...
You can read and hear all kinds of things. You’re really only going to absorb the things that you already agree with.

[Joe in PNG]

ETA:
“Reading” and “hearing” vs absorbing...
You can read and hear all kinds of things. You’re really only going to absorb the things that you already agree with.

Personality & presentation style also goes a long way. People tend to give more credence to people who appear to be more charismatic, reasonable, friendly, et al over those who come across as tactless, abrasive jerks that want to rub their 'rightness' into people's faces.

[AGR416]

A stage in IPSC or USPSA is not a scenario, it is a shooting drill. You are, most of the time, allowed to make a plan and shoot the stage to the best of your ability.
The resulting Hit Factor on the stage, points divided by time, shows how fast and accurate you were compared to other shooters at a match. It measures shooting and shooting related skills.
That's it.

It is not tactical training. There is no requirement to use cover. Don't criticize competition for not being something it doesn't try to be.
Tactics and proper use of cover (for example) are not easy to measure in an objective manner. Speed and accuracy is.

If you cannot separate competition skills from your tactical skills, you probably suck at both.

I would recommend anyone that is serious about shooting, be it for self-defense or for work, to go shoot competition. Chances are you will run into someone who is REALLY good, and get a proper reality check as to what your actual abilities are.
Hopefully, it will motivate you to become better. Improving your shooting and gun handling skills, and regularly testing them under pressure of competition will make you better at problem solving, as you are not spending mental capacity on thinking about what you need to do with the gun.

[Wake27]

If you cannot separate competition skills from your tactical skills, you probably suck at both.

I took the point of this thread to do just that - help separate aspects of both.


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