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As an SO, I get tired of arguing with competitors who fail to use cover properly. They push it all match long until an SO calls "cover" and then back off. If they still get a procedural, they complain that they corrected the use of cover when asked (which they know does not necessarily matter). It's also hard on the SO to decide if the error was corrected fast enough, did I say it soon enough, etc.

I think that's bologna.

I say remove the requirement to call 'cover' altogether. If the SO thinks the competitor was cheating out too far, then give the procedural. If not, don't.

There is no requirement to call cover. If you say "cover", that is a courtesy and as the SO, you decide if you want to call it or not. Some shooters move too fast for me to call cover. If they aren't using cover properly and they move on faster than I can call it, I give them a procedural. If I call it on them more than once, even if they comply they're going to get a procedural from me for every time after the 1st.

Gary

I was also under the impression that the "cover call" is a courtesy and not at all required.

Instead of thinking of it as a way to cheat...I think of it as someone yelling at me that I am doing something wrong. It beats on me mentally while shooting a stage so I do everything I can to avoid it.

GH- After reading the rule book again...I can see why you feel it is a requirement. For those interested I copied the passage below from the IDPA rule book.

http://www.idpa.com
http://www.idpa.com/Documents/IDPARuleBook2005.pdf

Safety Officers who observe a shooter not using cover properly
should shout the command “COVER�. The shooter should
immediately correct his use of cover. IDPA understands many
shooters are often too fast in engaging targets for the SO to be able
to warn the shooter in time. Therefore, if the Safety Officer did
not have the time or opportunity to yell “COVER� before the
shooter engaged targets without using cover properly, the shooter
still earns a procedural error.
Jason

Although it's technically still a "game", it still has rules. I just hate seeing people take advantage of them. After all, the only one's it's hurting is the shooter themself. Definitely a courtesy and it's tough sometimes for the SO to see that the shooter is utilizing cover properly. That's where it's the shooters resposnsibility to ensure they comply with the rules.

You think that by leaning out too far or stepping out too soon, that would cause bad habits and it could follow into a real world type situation? Seems possible...................

Personally, I liket he rules......once I got to know them.

I was at an IDPA match a couple of years ago where one of the shooters was a well known "cover pusher." When this worthy started one particular stage where cover had been emphasized, immediately after his first shot, everyone behind him yelled "COVER" simultaneously, and he stopped firing and just turned and gaped - and the unruffled SO didn't stop the timer, he just said "Shooter, if you have completed the stage, unload and show a clear and safe weapon."

That shooter observed cover quite well for a few more stages.

Calling cover is sometimes hard, for multiple reasons.

First: your eyes should be on the gun, not on the body of the shooter.

Second: Sometimes, like at the stage I was primary SO on at this year's TX state, the safe position that I needed to be in to watch the gun did not allow me to see the angle required for a cover call, and therefore it was my other SO/scorekeeper's duty to be in a position to call cover.

Third: "cover call" is a courtesy and not a requirement. The best way to deal with this I have found is what I did at this years LA State match. I was running a stage where the wall ran at an angle and if one went to the end of the wall, they were way out of cover. My soluition: first, I pointed out the pit-fall during the CoF walk-though, explaining the problem and allowing shooters to see the problem. I then clearly explained what I expected of the shooter concerning what was acceptable and what was not concerning the issue. I then stated plainly "Cover call is a courtesy and not a requirement. You can and will get a PE for not using cover per the IDPA rulebook with or without my calling cover. Any questions?" I gave out very few PE's for cover because those that "pushed" cover in the past were not willing to chance it.

Explain how you are going to call cover and be fair, firm and CONSISTANT (per the rule book) independent of who is shooting.

JMO
Garry N

I like your addressing cover in the walk through. I've done that for tricky situatios as well.

I think I'm going to change my walkthrough speech to address cover and then to tell them that my calling cover is a courtesy and will also be accompanied by a complimentary three second procedural.