I'm wondering if there's a way we can fight against an unfairness that I've seen in the gun range world for a while, but until recently I had not seen it spread to my town (Miami): take it or leave it forms that are contracts of adhesion, and that serve to make the range prices unfairly and unnecessarily higher for those who are better prepared to shoot, and those who shoot en masse.
For instance (the ranges will remain nameless -- those in the area know them enough), as a younger attorney I did plenty of work in Pinellas county, despite working out of Miami. Clearwater and St. Pete had a huge crack wave (which is now becoming a meth wave), and it was profitable for a good criminal lawyer to come in and sweep some of these cases, so I worked there plenty, and even stayed there (in the Bel Air area) for weeks at a time.
To destress, I went shooting at a place off the US19. They required member cards and they charged for them. This was unheard of in Miami at the time.
Now, years later, I find that the two places I frequent in Miami are going in this direction, and taking it up a notch. One of them only allows you to shoot their targets (other targets are no different; they just don't have their logo, etc.). Their targets are $1-1.50 apiece. Not much, but if I already have my own, why the squeeze?
Another has undertaken various measures: they charge for membership (cheap, but still a charge) and then never use the card; then, they charge an extra $5 per person if you bring your own ammo (rather than buying their own, higher-priced ammo). Their ammo requirements are also becoming strange: while before they disallowed reloads and unsafe ammo brands, now they disallow "cheap" Russian ammo brands as well. I would assume that the point is to place the squeeze on us.
The worst part about it is that these are take it or leave it contracts that we sign with these ranges, under the forced assumption that we can either sign and shoot or walk and dry fire at home. These dealings, because of the scarcity of ranges, are without a doubt contracts of adhesion: "you take the tires for the advertised price, but only if you also take the seven year warranty, balancing, rotation, and alignment "plan."
We are being forced to pay more by these ranges simply because they can. This is abuse, and we have to call it out. I'd like to know if you've had any experience in the matter, and what kind of results you have obtained; also, I'd like to know where I might go for help in these matters.
We shouldn't be forced to pay more simply because we are better prepared.
For instance (the ranges will remain nameless -- those in the area know them enough), as a younger attorney I did plenty of work in Pinellas county, despite working out of Miami. Clearwater and St. Pete had a huge crack wave (which is now becoming a meth wave), and it was profitable for a good criminal lawyer to come in and sweep some of these cases, so I worked there plenty, and even stayed there (in the Bel Air area) for weeks at a time.
To destress, I went shooting at a place off the US19. They required member cards and they charged for them. This was unheard of in Miami at the time.
Now, years later, I find that the two places I frequent in Miami are going in this direction, and taking it up a notch. One of them only allows you to shoot their targets (other targets are no different; they just don't have their logo, etc.). Their targets are $1-1.50 apiece. Not much, but if I already have my own, why the squeeze?
Another has undertaken various measures: they charge for membership (cheap, but still a charge) and then never use the card; then, they charge an extra $5 per person if you bring your own ammo (rather than buying their own, higher-priced ammo). Their ammo requirements are also becoming strange: while before they disallowed reloads and unsafe ammo brands, now they disallow "cheap" Russian ammo brands as well. I would assume that the point is to place the squeeze on us.
The worst part about it is that these are take it or leave it contracts that we sign with these ranges, under the forced assumption that we can either sign and shoot or walk and dry fire at home. These dealings, because of the scarcity of ranges, are without a doubt contracts of adhesion: "you take the tires for the advertised price, but only if you also take the seven year warranty, balancing, rotation, and alignment "plan."
We are being forced to pay more by these ranges simply because they can. This is abuse, and we have to call it out. I'd like to know if you've had any experience in the matter, and what kind of results you have obtained; also, I'd like to know where I might go for help in these matters.
We shouldn't be forced to pay more simply because we are better prepared.