It's time to talk about the starting pistol - can we stop using a symbol of violence to start our races?

At a meet in Brazil a few years ago, they prohibited the use of starting guns because the neighbors would be calling into the police to report gunshots. Plus, also years ago, I took my children to a kids track meet where the used a starting gun. I could never get them to go back. And yes, I'm a gun owner and grew up hunting. But time to drop the starting gun.

I coach youth track and the starting pistol scares the hell out of a lot of kids. I spend too much time convincing them it’s not a real gun and it can’t fire any bullets

A mass shooter on death row should be shot with an actual pistol before every race. Would definitely bring much desired popularity to track and field

+1

This is why starter's guns are used. Timers from finish line of races start watches on the smoke from the gun, or light from electronic guns, which they see before the sound of the gun.

Light from a starting device could serve the same purpose as smoke from a gun

My high school xc & track coach attributed some of his hearing loss to starter pistols.

That's correct. Starting devices used in meets with photo finish timing have a light as well as making a bang noise that athletes hear (most of the time) to start. If you are hand timing one of your runners from the opposite side of the track you can use the light to start your watch. You see the light a fraction of a second before hearing the bang.

If we should ban starting pistols, we need to ban free speech and allow the Srmy to use your home and allow the police to search your house on a weekly basis.

It’s actually a symbol of peace, only used in “a self defense situation”

The MCM uses a 105mm howitzer to start the race. I think all races should start with that.