Carrying knives
Discussion
Just been reading this http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4090897.stm - it calls for a minimum sentance of five years for 'anyone found in a public place carrying a blade longer than three inches'.
I quite like to make my own sandwiches for lunch - cheap and tasty. Sometimes I don't have time in the morning, and find it more convenient to take my ingredients - unsliced loaf of bread, etc to work, along with a sharp knife (or bread knife), and make the sandwich there.
For arguments sake, if I was stopped by the BiB while driving to work, and it was noticed (not terribly likely, since it'd be in a plastic bag with my lunch) would I be in deep sh*t? Is a breadknife OK?
I quite like to make my own sandwiches for lunch - cheap and tasty. Sometimes I don't have time in the morning, and find it more convenient to take my ingredients - unsliced loaf of bread, etc to work, along with a sharp knife (or bread knife), and make the sandwich there.
For arguments sake, if I was stopped by the BiB while driving to work, and it was noticed (not terribly likely, since it'd be in a plastic bag with my lunch) would I be in deep sh*t? Is a breadknife OK?
The sentence is just being hiked AFAIK. The guts of the legislation will be the same.
If you have sandwich making stuff and a knife to help you, you will not be bothered by Police should they discover it.
Exactly the same as if you were going fishing and had all your fishing kit with you + your knife to assit in fishing activities.
Have your fishing knife with you when you do not have the rest of the kit and you may have some explaining to do
>> Edited by gone on Monday 13th December 11:16
If you have sandwich making stuff and a knife to help you, you will not be bothered by Police should they discover it.
Exactly the same as if you were going fishing and had all your fishing kit with you + your knife to assit in fishing activities.
Have your fishing knife with you when you do not have the rest of the kit and you may have some explaining to do
>> Edited by gone on Monday 13th December 11:16
Hmm...
In among all the gadgets in my briefcase (small torch, multimeter, tweezers, Leatherman multi tool, etc.) is an Opinel pocket knife. It has a locking blade just over 3" long. I don't actually need it (the Leatherman has a perfectly serviceable blade), but it's a neat piece of kit (a design classic). Also, it does come in handy for opening boxes, stripping wires, cutting rat belts, etc.
Am I the right side of the law?
In among all the gadgets in my briefcase (small torch, multimeter, tweezers, Leatherman multi tool, etc.) is an Opinel pocket knife. It has a locking blade just over 3" long. I don't actually need it (the Leatherman has a perfectly serviceable blade), but it's a neat piece of kit (a design classic). Also, it does come in handy for opening boxes, stripping wires, cutting rat belts, etc.
Am I the right side of the law?
Carry a Leatherman with blade, if I was ever to stab anyone with this it would have to be premeditated as it takes a goodly amount of time and coordination to get the blade out. However I use some part of the tool on a daily basis. Didn't realise how much I needed one until I got it.
gone said:
Exactly the same as if you were going fishing and had all your fishing kit with you + your knife to assit in fishing activities.
SO this will be OK, still? I often carry a fixed knife with a blade of six inches or so whilst fishing...useful for cutting line, cleaning fish and so on.
With the advent of town centre fishing becoming more and more "done" as pollution is getting better and better on urban rivers I wonder how this would affect urban fishermen? Hopefully not at all...
No Discretion said:
Bottom line;
How many people on here have actually been stopped and searched in their life?
That has always been my attitude too..
I have never been searched..apart from when i was arrested for D+D as a teen. I don't ussually attract that kind of attention no matter what kind of weapon/drugs i may be carrying. (hypothetically of course!)
Maybe thats why i don't like these new X-ray machines, now it doesn't matter how respectable you look!
>> Edited by hedders on Monday 13th December 14:03
gone said:Good to hear it from the horse's mouth (so to speak). Cheers MC/gone.
The sentence is just being hiked AFAIK. The guts of the legislation will be the same.
If you have sandwich making stuff and a knife to help you, you will not be bothered by Police should they discover it.
Exactly the same as if you were going fishing and had all your fishing kit with you + your knife to assit in fishing activities.
Have your fishing knife with you when you do not have the rest of the kit and you may have some explaining to do
I note that everyone seems concerned by the approach the police will take. Well, once they decide to arrest then the decision to charge is now up to a CPS prosecutor not the police. This is not completely in across the country yet but will be by the end of 2005. One of the tests the prosecutor has to apply is whether a prosecution is in the 'public interest'. Naturally there are specific defences that need to be considered as well, including 'reasonable excuse'.
Hopefully the reason put forward for carrying, for example a Leatherman, will result in sensible decisions on a case by case basis.
>> Edited by gsxr on Thursday 16th December 23:50
Hopefully the reason put forward for carrying, for example a Leatherman, will result in sensible decisions on a case by case basis.
>> Edited by gsxr on Thursday 16th December 23:50
ok, just a quick question here... I go diving quite a lot. I often have my kit in the boot of my car (Cylinders, regs, fins, mask etc). I also have one small knife on my Jacket, one 8" knife that attaches to my leg, and another 10" knife that currently resides in my box of bits, but will attatch to my belt. Normally, all three are together, Plus a leathermans tool in my box of spares.
Would this cause me problems if I was stopped ? / searched ?
How would our resident officers deal with the above if found if I was stopped (at random ... or say if I was pulled for a minor speeding offence, and I was asked to open the boot etc ?)
Im quite interested about this .. I have legitamate reasons for having them .. They could be regarded as a necessity when diving, and obviously they have to be transported ... comments gentlmen..
Edited to say, all of the above blades are very very sharp too.
>> Edited by jvaughan on Friday 17th December 00:30
Would this cause me problems if I was stopped ? / searched ?
How would our resident officers deal with the above if found if I was stopped (at random ... or say if I was pulled for a minor speeding offence, and I was asked to open the boot etc ?)
Im quite interested about this .. I have legitamate reasons for having them .. They could be regarded as a necessity when diving, and obviously they have to be transported ... comments gentlmen..
Edited to say, all of the above blades are very very sharp too.
>> Edited by jvaughan on Friday 17th December 00:30
gone said:
If you have sandwich making stuff and a knife to help you, you will not be bothered by Police should they discover it.
.................
Have your fishing knife with you when you do not have the rest of the kit and you may have some explaining to do
What happens when you have eaten your sandwiches, are returning home, get stopped by police and they discover the breadknife on its own in a plastic bag?
All Terrain said:
I was wondering this too mate, as I'm a diver. I somtimes have a bcd knife knocking round the car, as they are bloody usefull!
If it's with your kit it will be ok. If it's in the side pocket of your car and there is no other kit in the car you could have a problem. Driving a tatty land rover and having BSAC stickers on the car might help but I imagine it depends on where you are and who stops you.
I read on another forum that Westminster ALWAYS arrest for possession of bladed instruments unless they have a specific exemption (religous/trade etc.) - it is not for the officer to decide is the person has a "reasonable excuse".
Gareth
Mate of mine (shifty looking bugger) got stopped and searched a while back quite late at night after a pub session ( Back when we was young and on fire)
Copper: Why do you feel the need to carry a penknife sir?
Mate(deadpan): To open my can of rice pudding sir
Copper: Are you taking the pi55?
Mate: No sir
Copper:Why are you carrying a spoon?
Mate: To eat my rice pudding sir
Copper: Are you sure you're not taking the pi55?
Mate: No sir
Copper: What's that in your other pocket?
Mate proceeds to pull out a can of rice pudding........
Copper: Why do you feel the need to carry a penknife sir?
Mate(deadpan): To open my can of rice pudding sir
Copper: Are you taking the pi55?
Mate: No sir
Copper:Why are you carrying a spoon?
Mate: To eat my rice pudding sir
Copper: Are you sure you're not taking the pi55?
Mate: No sir
Copper: What's that in your other pocket?
Mate proceeds to pull out a can of rice pudding........
pmsl about the rice pudding.
Yes. In a previous life I was a half competant white water kayaker. Standard gear was a helmet, flotation aid jacket thing, paddles etc. and a socking great (at least 4-5") serrated knife.
It had to be able to cut through the boat if required.....
All Terrain said:
I was wondering this too mate, as I'm a diver. I somtimes have a bcd knife knocking round the car, as they are bloody usefull!
Yes. In a previous life I was a half competant white water kayaker. Standard gear was a helmet, flotation aid jacket thing, paddles etc. and a socking great (at least 4-5") serrated knife.
It had to be able to cut through the boat if required.....
You need a license to own a gun. Why should carrying a knife carry the same sentance or are they going require licenses for knives too? It all seems like overhyped and OTT nonesense to me.
My medium size swiss army knife blade is 3 inches and it always attached to my key ring. If it were 4 inches would that mean I'm liable to prosecution? If it's fixed blades that's the problem then would I be in trouble when I take a knife & fork to work for my packed lunch.
Are screw drivers OK, they are pointy too?
My medium size swiss army knife blade is 3 inches and it always attached to my key ring. If it were 4 inches would that mean I'm liable to prosecution? If it's fixed blades that's the problem then would I be in trouble when I take a knife & fork to work for my packed lunch.
Are screw drivers OK, they are pointy too?
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