I was not aware of that. That is pretty cool!
IANAL, but I believe the ADA is about access and opportunity. If the convention center didnât have an elevator for example, that would be an ADA problem since those in wheelchairs or otherwise unable to use stairs/escalator would not be able to reasonably access the 2nd floor. Once there, you have the chance to compete in the same tournament as everyone else.
The key is what is considered a âreasonable accommodation.â An external light source for visual impairments is probably fine, provided it doesnât affect other competitors. BUT, this gets tricky! What if I donât have a visual disability, but Iâm playing in a dark corner or on a game with low/no GI and I use one of these visual aids to light the game up for me only? Now the same device isnât an accommodation, itâs a competitive advantage.
I asked him about this- sadly, it wasnât even a camera, just a floodlight.
Oh no! Can I do it with a camera? (Iâve seen someone wear a chest cam during a tournament).
Perfectly fine. If the other players want the same device, they can use one too.
I dunno, Iâm not sure I agree with âitâs ok because everyone else can do it too.â All I need to do is complain that the light is causing me a distraction and now someone has to make a call, but this is drifting a bit off-topic.
I would be of the opinion that anything touching the machine that doesnât require the player to hold it would be a no-no. So headlamps ok (modulo distracting other players), suction cup mount goes over the line for me.
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Except⌠the other players arenât getting it as an accommodation⌠now itâs a âaidâ for them.
Edit: on the rest of my âexclusionâ argument⌠I take it back. I think the âactivitiesâ section would probably include the tournamentâŚ
36.202 Activities.
- (a) Denial of participation . A public accommodation shall not subject an individual or class of individuals on the basis of a disability or disabilities of such individual or class, directly, or through contractual, licensing, or other arrangements, to a denial of the opportunity of the individual or class to participate in or benefit from the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations of a place of public accommodation.
Youâre god-damn right!
On a functional level though, whatâs the difference? Seems like the mount would actually be preferable since it has less chance of distracting other players if you move your head around
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I agree thereâs no functional difference. My opinion is more purist. I donât personally like headlamps and would never use one, but weâve sort of decided as a community that they are ok so I accept that.
No visual aids. Should this encompass the player who starts a timer on their phone and sets it on the machine? Honestly, this one drives me nuts. Some machines settle quickly, some are very stubborn and the tilt bob goes for a long time. I had one player who did it this past weekend and had it set for 2 minutes. I didnât call him out on it, but I did let another player know it is a BS move. So my stance is no electronic devices allowed on a machine.
My interpretation, no if before you plunge, yes if you trap up after a big move and want to wait for the tilt to settle. Like coaching, not while playing, ok between balls.
The rule was added when someone took a rule sheet out of their pocket to read while trapped up. I have seen people try to use NBA trivia guides.
Miss you Neil! 
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The best part is after all thatâŚbrick drain.
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I do understand why this would annoy you, and I think we should agree on a standard amount of acceptable time. (I do one minute).
But Iâd ask: is there a functional difference between this and having a player stand still at a machine looking at their watch, or the phone timer in their hand? At least the phone on the machine is an indication to others about what is going on.
Iâve done the phone on the glass thing before, and it doesnât bother me when other people do it (though certainly there should be some time constraint). Iâve also played against someone who would walk right up to the machine, and just stand there, pulling their hand out of their pocket to look at their watch, every 10 seconds, for an entire minute or more. This was done after any shake of the machine at the end of the previous ball, even when no warning was given. To me, timer on the glass is a much better option, as it seems less anxiety inducing for all, plus it gives anyone around context at a glance as to what is going on.
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ADA laws go beyond physical access. A Florida card room refused to allow a blind man to have an assistant look at his cards and whisper them to him. The card room cited One Player to a Hand. Theyâre now learning in court that ADA>>OPTAH.
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This is why I do it. It is an indication to other players that I know it is my turn. I am waiting. Donât go plunging thinking it is your turn.
My alternative is the Hudson Hawk approach, and no one wants me singing.
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{sigh}
Every time this replay comes up, the same incorrect âbrick drainâ comment is made, lol. The outcome of Neil checking his Pinball Magic Tricks Cheat Sheet⢠was NOT a brick drain. It was, in fact, a perfectly made shot that went exactly where he was aiming! His trick progress was up to Round 3 Kenzo, which is completing both the left three bank and the five bank of drop targets. Neil needed one more target in the 5 bank, which he hit perfectly for 30 million points and completion of his 19th(!) trick in the game. His final score on the game was 950 million, which is a terrific score on Pinball Magic. Sure, his ball drained after he made that shot, but he most definitely did not âbrick drainâ!!
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Can I attach a makeshift plunger to Ripleyâs at Pinburgh? It was prescribed by my therapist to help avoid triggering my PTSD 
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Thanks for explaining, I accept my ignorance here. Yeah, it looks like it was 6M + 18M for the bonus X +3M for the trick. I also have no idea what player 4 did in that game, but 700M is a lot of wood to chop.
But the brick drain makes a better story 
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