Thread: Scenario Reffing : Drunk and/or Wasted Players : : what to look for, and how to ..

Originally Posted by crooked butt doctor

on a serious note, even though i am by no means the poster child for sobriety, i as well as any recognize the need for scenario games to be safe and free of drunk people.

DAMN!! That means we have to find someone else to be the poster child!!

I think it has to be a case by case call. If a player is visibly stumbling around then maybe a ref can come up and ask the player if they are ok. Its based on an individual case. Some people know how to handle them selves "buzzed" and have some common sense to remember safety rules. But if it is clear that a player is a danger to himself or others then he should be asked off the field, nicely till that player sobers up.

I think most fields cover "accidents" with waver forms.

I still don't know how people going on binges the night before and still able to play a full game the next day.

The biggest problem with intoxicated people is that they never recognize just how impaired they are. Alcohol affects judgment, makes people more careless, absent-minded and tends to bring out more aggressive tendencies in people. Those are the LAST things you want on a paintball field. It's true some people are affected more than others, but EVERYONE is affected.

Anyone who knows me knows I'm no teetotaler. Believe me, I drink with the best of them except for Nix. He's in a class by himself. But alcohol and drunkenness have absolutely no place on the paintball field.

Theres a difference in consumption and being drunk. And while I do agree there can be risks involved in most games I have played when I knew there where "drunk" players playing nothing happened and no body got hurt. Me personally I don't drink before games but I'm not going to say others can't enjoy themselves.

And until an intoxicated player shows lack of control or safety rules then they should play. But you still have different people for the most part I feel pretty safe around those type of players (havoc :P)


I think that if a person feels that they aren't safe no matter what the environment is then they shouldn't play the game. It comes down to people's comfort zone and if you happen not to feel you want to play with a "bunch of drunks" then don't play. Although I have a feeling you aren't really going to know unless you go up and sniff every player on the field. Which could raise another issue :P You still don't know if someone is intoxicated in other ways until they become a danger to themselves or others.

No field owner or producer is going to knowingly allow a player on the field who has been drinking. The risk of liability is too great.

By me bringing him up only is an example that it comes down to people's preference. It goes for many players that I knew had been partaking in the brew and I personally felt no risk to myself as it was clear they where in full control of themselves. You can say I don't have a point in the issue then thats your viewpoint. But you can't go around playing field cop to make sure no one is drinking. If it goes that far as the field crew to start to play cop then I'm pretty sure players will start to migrate to somewhere else.

But until a player exbits signs of being intoxicated a field owner isn't going to know unless they administrator blow tests to every player which leads to who knows if someone isn't stoned out of their mind or high on pills. How are you going to "know" that player is high? By their behavior on the field.

Hell being dehydrated can lead to erratic behavior in people and even exhibit signs of the person being intoxicated . Or someone that forgot to take their needed meds that day. There's so many what ifs here its not even funny.

And I been to many fields that allow consumption of alcohol. And nothing ever happened in the game when there is responsible people. I said before I'm not one to drink before a game just because I don't like the feeling of being hot and toasty. I have been completely wasted (not on the field) before and I never been one to jump off roofs or do something foolish. If you are a field owner and don't want it at your field thats your choice but I'm only bringing up the counter argument so you can think about if its merely your hang up or concern for the field.

However preventing people from having a good time within moderation and responsibility leads to being almost law enforcement. And thats a kill joy. However if I was ever in a situation where I felt I was in danger I would remove myself from it. It doesn't matter if its a drunk player or an over aggressive player.

I do want to clarify here: I'm not saying during during an event but rather the aftermath of the night before.