Transporting a NON-RIF on public transport?

For your benefit, please be aware that my local site has a strict policy on not even open-carrying toy guns from the parking on their private access road to the safe zone.  Everything has to be bagged until its on-site.  I'd imagine your site wouldn't be much amused either by the attention you're likely to attract if you choose to travel on public transport in your soljer gear toting your spacegun.  Everybody's a journalist these days.

paradoxum said:
I can only find information about carrying RIFs
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Which is curious, as there's no distinction in law about having a RIF or an IF with you in public, concealed or otherwise. 

Link: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1968/27/section/19

Here's the wording with the important bits shouted.

A person commits an offence if, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse (the proof whereof lies on him) he has with him in a public place [...] an imitation firearm.

If you are stopped, the burden is on you to show why you have it.  I strongly advise you to have details of the site to hand, and ideally some sort of booking confirmation even if it's just a Facebook event attendance indication.

And RIF vs IF is irrelevant.  There has been a prosecution and successfully conviction for possession of a bright orange springer pistol that even the arresting officer conceded wasn't remotely realistic.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-22345919

tl;dr version - no.  Just no.

 
Just to add to what Rogerborg has put up, when the vcra was being formulated, the initial consensus to what constituted a rif/if, or literally a "gun" that the police should respond accordingly to was:

Anything that, from a distance of at least 6ft, that a member of the public identifies as a possible firearm.

Quite literally if some doddering old bugger reports a mouldy black banana as looking like a pistol, that's enough to get an aru to respond, so it stands to reason that a full size pulse rifle, for example ?, is likely to scare the shit out of joe public.

in fact I'd go as far to say that half of the bods who've seen said rifle in the Aliens film wouldn't know if it's a genuinely produced real steel rifle ?.

it all adds up to a big fat NO to cutting corners when it come to bags etc for our toys, especially on public transport.

 
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There's no point in me joining in with a similar comment to the ones above, everything that should have been said in direct response to your question has been done so already.

However, it's worth asking: Is it the first time you're visiting the site?

Some airsoft sites are pretty tight-knit, and nearly always have some form of social media to post info out to  theirregular attendees - it could be worth asking the owners of the site if they can put a post on one of their pages to see if anyone from round your end is heading that way in a car, and if they have room to take you? Perhaps offer a £5 or a bag of BBs in exchange for a lift. Not sure how much it is to get on the bus these days but the difference of a few extra quid to tempt someone to pick you up has to be worth not getting headshotted by armed police? 

 
By public transport do you mean a bus?  If so, be aware that some bus companies will not take weapons of any kind, even if in a covered gun bag or case. Best to disguise it completely if this is your means of transport, rather than get refused or chucked off.

 
I'd get a multi racket tennis bag with big, colourful 'Wilson' or 'Head' branding if I needed to take a load of gear on public transport.  Hide it in plain sight.

 
Philby21 said:
Have to admit that this looks very tempting.  I have a suspicion that if I put all my gear in one back then I'll never be able to pick the damn thing up though!!
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Wheeled bag, just hold one end and pull

If however you cannot lift up your gear bag then you really are taking too much kit

As you’re limited to public transport at the moment is very much worth having a good look at how much you are taking to a game day

It all very nice to have all the kit and look the part in a way that you enjoy playing, but if its impacting on your ability to play with the amount of equipment that you are carrying,

could affect the way people react to you when travelling etc then it’s worth holding back a bit

Look at your gear and assess how much each item contributes to your game.

Clearly you’re going to need some clothes, footwear, eye protection, gun, magazines,

BBs and battery’s / propellant

Remember that you may want travel clothes ( due to public transport, generally not looking like a killing machine when traveling  but also just for something fresh to go home in)

But - how important is a helmet, body armour/vest and multiple layers of lookalike outfit ?

Filming your gameplay can be fun and informative (look back on how you play - then learn). But it does not have to be on a helmet mount etc

You would want a carry system for magazines, but consider if what you have is too bulky or heavy

 
Tommikka said:
Wheeled bag, just hold one end and pull

If however you cannot lift up your gear bag then you really are taking too much kit
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Wheels are great but don't exactly help with the stairs down to my driveway! ?

I probably am guilty of taking too much kit but then I'm the guy who always has a spare RIF in his car (and mags, mid or high) ready to loan out to trusted players who have issues with their's.

 
Philby21 said:
Wheels are great but don't exactly help with the stairs down to my driveway! ?

I probably am guilty of taking too much kit but then I'm the guy who always has a spare RIF in his car (and mags, mid or high) ready to loan out to trusted players who have issues with their's.
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I mixed up with the OP a bit, Im also one that’s inclined to load up with extra gear for others (and also a selection to change according to mood for first game, 2nd game ...)

But I’ll still say “do as I say, not as I do”

I’ve been reassessing sets of equipment, for whether I’m marshalling, photographing, playing,  and what type of game etc, complete with extra safety gear for a body that’s falling apart.  At least that way when taking extra it can be a grab of this, that and the other bag whilst knowing each will be complete for its purpose 

 
Pretty much the same way myself, currently working towards a much lighter loadout too, either belt mounted or might splash out on a Warrior Falcon rig to just run mags and maybe a pouch for snacks/pyro.  Each gun bag/case has everything in it for that particular gun apart from batteries and I can just throw them in.

And I know what you mean about "a body that's falling apart", currently laid up recovering from sciatica - maybe we need a thread for the geriatrics?? ?

 
Philby21 said:
currently laid up recovering from sciatica
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Isn't that what Jean-Claude Juncker suffers from when he's staggering around getting all handsy?

fo9RDR5yRPysN9sUwkgjuA_375x500.jpg


 
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