ANOTHER FIREARMS WARNING

[Highlander]

This letter was recently passed to me by a friend properly addressed with the guys name and phone numbers on so I believe it to be genuine. I haven't disclosed those details on here for obvious reasons. A rather worrying situation methinks!

 

Dear All,

 

You may have heard about this already but I thought I would email you all anyway as you might like to pass this warning on to shooting clients.

 

A friend of mine was shooting in Devon last week and he and one of his fellow guns were stopped on the A361 at about 5pm and BOTH were breathalysed on the grounds that even the passenger might be committing an offence if he was shown to be over the limit in charge of shot guns. Both were clear and proceeded on their way.

 

My friend contacted the BASC to find out what the situation would be had his passenger been over the limit. He was told by the BASC that, even if you are over the limit, if your shot guns are "secure" in a car being driven by someone else and you are not being "a danger to the public" you are not

committing an offence and the police should not breathalyse a passenger without considerable cause.

 

My friend is in the investigations business and spoke to a police contact who looked into the incident. Apparently the police are targeting 4 x 4 vehicles throughout the country but especially in shooting areas and particularly if they are muddy and it is after lunch.

 

You should warn your clients and friends to be particularly careful as it is not only their driving licences that are at risk. Their shot guns can be confiscated and their permits can also be revoked. Traffic police can (and are) asking if shot guns or rifles are being carried and if so, people are

being asked to show their permits. If they do not have them, the shot guns can (often are) be confiscated then and there.

 

We are under enough pressure without further ammunition (forgive the pun) being handed to the antis. Can you see the headline? DRUNK WITH A GUN.

 

Please make sure that everyone you know is aware of what is happening and urge them to be abstemious when out shooting. Last year I had to tell the guest of a gun on my shoot that I would not let him shoot after lunch as he had climbed too far down the neck of a claret bottle - and awkward and potentially embarrassing incident but one which had to be dealt with.

 

I will be circulating this to all my shooting contacts. You may feel inclined to do the same.

[mossy835]

well i dont drink and drive, and i all ways carry my licences with me.

[urikastu]

same here

[12gdaz]

Drink, guns, cars and motorcycles should should never be mixed in my oppinion!

[Whitebridges]

Forewarned if forearmed Highlander, thanks for the post. Too much booze on a shoot is dangerous and a good shoot captain will aid moderation.

 

The part of the letter that is of particularly concern is:

 

"Apparently the police are targeting 4 x 4 vehicles throughout the country but especially in shooting areas and particularly if they are muddy and it is after lunch".

 

I suppose they can do this? If they can why don't they go public and tell everyone about such a "campaign".

[Big_Sam]

In the summer I was shooting rabbits on a large estate in the borders. The chap who owned it was very concerned that my car was well locked. The season before, the police had turned up to inspect all vechicles at the shoot to ensure the guns were secure. There were no problems.

[Ozzy Fudd]

hmmm good point but you know the police will always squirm out of it. i never drink when i have guns with me, always leave it til after the guns are locked up in the cabinet.

[taz24]

.

 

There was the case last week where a man and women were both jailed for killing a

young couple while driving drunk. The women driver and the man (passenger).

She was jailed for 8 years ubderstandably he was jailed for 5 because he did not

stop her.

So there is a president set that if a crime is commited when you are a passenger

you can be held equaly to account because you did not prevent the crime.

 

taz.

 

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