Bicycles and Guns- Good Idea or Accident waiting to happen.

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Redlg155

Redlg155

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A Florida individual has created The Police Bike Action Shooting Association Inc. (PBASA). This sport involves riding bicycles around a predetermined course while firing at targets, supposedly with rounds filled with corn cob media. Good Idea or Accident waiting to happen?? The picture is also a hoot...

http://www.newsherald.com/news/marianna-103178-new-sport.html

Some quotes..
Despite the name of Powell’s association, there’s no real affiliation with law enforcement and he has no law enforcement experience.
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And, among the bicycle-mounted police officers in Panama City, the tactics aren’t likely to be applied, according to Cpl. Billy Carstarphen, who trains bike cops to dismount a bicycle and transfer to a firing position rather than shooting from a bike.
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There are some problems inherent to the sport, Powell said. Gunfire is generally prohibited in the urban areas where Powell expects to find his bicyclists, and urban bikers might be disinclined to incorporate weaponry into their hobby. Bicyclists in rural areas might not bristle at the idea of packing heat and going for a ride, but they are “few and far between,” he said.
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Hmmmmm, kinda like shooting from horseback as part of the cowboy trick shooting exhibitions.

Powell’s sport is based on Cowboy Mounted Shooting, which is basically the same thing except players ride horses instead of bikes. (Powell rode horses his whole life until he retired from the Army Corps of Engineers after 39 years.)

He set up a one-tenth-mile track on property near Marianna, where he tied balloons to six stakes, and loaded his six-shot .357 Ruger with blanks that fire “corn cob media” that spray tiny flaming particles that can pop a balloon from about 20 feet.



Read more: http://www.newsherald.com/articles/marianna-103178-new-sport.html#ixzz1ww9qhsvo
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Just the same thing as mounted cowboy action shooting: http://www.cowboymountedshooting.com/

As long as they keep the live ammo out of the guns the most damage they're likely to suffer is from falling off. But even so, I'd want to see strict gun safety practices followed at all times. No reason to get lax -- EVER. They aren't toys.
 
I've fiddled around with the concept, though never taken it to the point of drawing a real firearm while riding. The main problem lies in trying to draw a bead on a target while also moving. It would be difficult to hit much in those circumstances, and there seems to be a natural tendency to ride towards the target on a straight axis to keep the target still. This strikes me as a poor choice for avoiding getting shot yourself. Shooting across your body presents problems of balance and the very real potential for blowing your own arm off.

In competition, Powell requires a police uniform-inspired dress code that gives participants that feel of authenticity.
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Um... yeah

I would much rather see a course that addresses the more realistic issues involved getting bushwhacked while riding by someone sticking a rebar in your spokes, straight-arming your neck or just trying to knock you down. That's been a pretty common practice of muggers on park trails for a long time. Being able to land safely and recover quickly would be useful. Ideally you'd end up on your feet with weapon drawn and the mugger would have a bicycle on him. Some kicks and punches to fend off that kind of attack would also be useful. But as far as shooting from a moving bike? I'm skeptical.

Personally the only martial art I'm practicing now is yoga, to reduce the chance of strains while doing emergency dismounts due to ice slippage and snow collapses in the winter. Or the occasional car running into me. No real plans on drawing my Navy Sixes and steering with my feet while yelling "FILL YOUR HANDS"
 
Fun, maybe, but it looks like an invitation to a slew of minor accidents.

And since non-LEO are encouraged to dress up like cops, it could also be an invitation to charges of impersonating an officer. I think it would be a difficult case to defend in court, especially with firearms involved.
 
Kinda reminds me of them Kennedy's playing football while skiing...probably won't end well.

Dismount practice is far more important; keeps you from breaking both elbows in a futile attempt to protect yourself after laying the bike over (think Spiderman flying leap...)

TCB
 
Becarefull you will shoot your front tire out.

It looks like it could be fun, Just think you could do it in a three gun match type of thing. I can see it now a handle bar mounted ar15. Tandem bikes would be a blast. You could mount a SAW on the back. I am thinking now, should I use duct tape or do i want to get the welder out.
 
They--I should say he, is shooting corn cob media (per the article). No real danger of blowing your arm off. Just practice all safe gun handling rules and you should be ok....assuming one of them isn't "don't shoot froma bicycle".
 
With practice shooting from a bike is not that crazy an idea.

I have taken whitetail deer from a moving mountain bike using a Ruger Blackhawk in .45 LC (carried in an El Paso Saddlery "Duke" holster) I'd hunt by riding trails that saw frequent mountain bike use outside of the hunting season so the deer learned to ignore riders.

If you stop the bike (let alone dismount) the deer bolt before you can get a shot. The trick was to keep rolling but slow down so as you pass the deer you are barely moving and shoot as you pass the deer. Every shot I took was 25 yd and under.

The same technique worked during small game for rabbits and squirrels. I just switched the Blackhawk out for the Super Single Six.
 
As an avid cyclist, I have never found an acceptable manner of carrying except in a backpack, and that sucks.

The extendable baton is always at the ready right next to the water bottle. Mace is an option, but the wind may put it right back on you. As posted on another thread, some Krav Maga studios are now teaching it for cyclists.
 
As an avid cyclist, I have never found an acceptable manner of carrying except in a backpack, and that sucks.
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Hmmm....carrying a Glock 26 OWB @ 3:00 in a kydex holster works perfectly for me. I've even practiced drawing while on the bike. The kydex has a positive retention feature in case of falls, yet the weapon is easily pulled while still controlling the bike.
 
And, among the bicycle-mounted police officers in Panama City, the tactics aren’t likely to be applied, according to Cpl. Billy Carstarphen, who trains bike cops to dismount a bicycle and transfer to a firing position rather than shooting from a bike.
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This was my first thought before even reading it. I'm kind of having a hard time with this one. I don't exactly think it's just an accident waiting to happen, but I don't really get the whole "police" aspect. Especially since that's not how bike patrol officers shoot. If the man wants to combine cycling and shooting, more power to him. However, let's leave the "patrol" part out and save the image of police AND shooters.

To each their own I guess, I don't think I'll be attending such an event near me though.
 
It would be more challenging if they required a unicycle, size 24 floppy shoes, a red nose, and squirted the targets with a trick-flower.
I can see it now......an Isetta pulls up at the range and 16 contestants pile out.

.
 
mgmorden said:
Wonder if they'd allow training wheels . . .
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Training wheels will help stabilize you when shooting, but they tend snag on your clothing, slow your draw and a custom holster will be needed for a handgun so equipped
 
Might be fun, but hardly practical, IMO, at least not for a defensive or combat scenario. Nothing like mounted SASS shooting, for starters: horses don't depend on you to balance them and keep them from falling over, and stirrups are a much more stable platform than pedals are.

Outside of steven58's hunting experience, I can't see any situation in which shooting while biking would have any advantage over getting off the bike to deploy your weapon. Trying to fire while riding would be seriously detrimental to both activities. In a defensive situation, I'd say it's time to choose: fight or flight. Get off the bike and shoot effectively, or leave the pistol in the holster and haul ass. Both activities involve your whole body and all your concentration.
 
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