[velocette]

I am a part time range officer at a large county run range.
My experience has been that the majority of shooters are good folks with widely varying experience levels. That is to say, the novices USUALLY listen to and follow range rules and advice / suggestions. The serious long term shooters are pleased that the ROs are keeping an eye on the novices and usually will help the ROs and when asked will help the novices.
That said, there are always a few idiots. Most are young males with little experience or older males that think that they know what they are doing.
The WORST are young males that arrive with their young female "followers" or their novice "buddies". (When we see 4 or 5 young men / women on a single bench, we watch carefully.)
They already know it all and will not listen to suggestions or ideas on improvement. (as an aside, the "training" they are giving their female followers / buddies is something to observe from a distance.)
We range officers dread the weekends of a local gun show when novices arrive with a new firearm in a box and three boxes of ammo. They haven't a clue on how to load, unload, make safe, aim, or handle their new toy.
Dry firearms, trash & metal filings in the actions and more.
My advice for shooters to use a public range?
1, Don't go on weekends.
2, Don't go on weekends.
3, Avoid public ranges immediately after a gun show weekend.
4, Don't be shy about letting a fool know about his or (very rarely) her unsafe behavior.
5, Remember that the range officers goal is that everybody goes home with the same number of holes that they came with!