Thread: British Law?

Was wondering if some of the UK contingent could chime in on this little gem. Are straights exempt from this law? "A folding knife with a blade length exceeding 3" that can be opened by the force of gravity."? I think most of us here have at least a drawer full of them. Bad enough that no one but criminals have guns, now knives? What gives? Signed Blissfully Colonial

http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question...7134223AAUzu2n

It also says that the prohibition is in a public place, and without lawful excuse. Aren't most straights under 3 inches in length?

Originally Posted by Scipio

It also says that the prohibition is in a public place, and without lawful excuse. Aren't most straights under 3 inches in length?

Wouldn't such a law prohibit people from bringing large quantities of knives or straights to a public event such as a garage sale or flea market?

There are knife laws in the US as well.KNIFE LAWS of the 50 STATES - Introduction and LINKSFor example, here in Ohio, gravity , spring assisted and switchblade knives are unlawful no matter the size.

But US knife law is no where near as stringent, over-bearing or ridiculous as those in the UK and Australia. Laws are made to criminalise the law abiding I think. Due to recent changes in laws here, I could be defined as a criminal as some of the knives I've had for years, have now been re-defined as restricted weapons. Am I going to get rid of them?! No. I've never used them to harm anybody. I carry one of the restricted ones on me everyday. Have done so for years, well before the new laws. It is the handiest and most used knife I have.
We don't need to have springs in ours to make them unlawful. You just have to be able to mangage to open it one handed. The way this test is applied is for someone to continously shake the shit out of the knife while having a firm grasp of the handle. If they can get the blade to come out a small part of the way and can manage, then to 'flick' it open from there, it comes under the defination of a 'flick' knife.


Mick

Originally Posted by 1OldGI

Wouldn't such a law prohibit people from bringing large quantities of knives or straights to a public event such as a garage sale or flea market?

Again aren't most straights under 3 inches in blade length? Notwithstanding this, the law and what occurs do not always march hand in hand. Just because there is a law does not mean everyone abides by it and the existence of a law does not preclude people from breaching it per se.

To put the above into context, it is illegal to drive a motor vehicle in certain areas, for instance normal roads in the UK, above 30 mph. People do drive in excess of these speeds and quite often. If they are caught they face fines and other sanctions. But often they are not caught. The same is true of commerce in antique fairs etc. Unless there is a policeman or other going round measuring straights at antique fairs, which of course he would have to find first, here in the UK at least, which I have to tell you is far easier said than done, then people are going to continue doing so.

It would not be feasible to allocate scarce funds at the expense of the British taxpayer towards ensuring that no folding knives above 3 inches in length are in public place, yet alone at antique fairs. The powers of the police to stop and search people are subject to the Police and Criminal Evidence Act and the Codes of Practice thereof. Only under certain circumstances can they be exercised.

My point is, yes technically crimes happen. And far worse ones than selling long straights.

The sad thing is that too many legislators are knee jerk machines. Rather than being thoughtful and insightful and rationally considering an issue, they are reactionary and get caught up in every media frenzy that comes along.

I don't' know if it is true but I have been told many times that our US laws against switchblades were a knee jerk reaction to the movie West Side Story. I mean for crying out loud, I can carry a pair of loaded colt 1911's under my coat but I can't carry a switchblade in my pocket because of emotionally driven reactionary legislation.

As if one law "Thou shalt not commit murder (or physical assault)" would not cover the crime no matter what the weapon.

To quote Forrest Gump, "Stupid is as Stupid does".

Ray

Please keep in mind that that british law is about carrying a knife. Not OWNING a knife.

At home you can still keep a bowieknife if that takes your fancy.

Just don't carry one as an EDC. If you're travelling and taking a straight with you that should be fine as well.

Originally Posted by RayCover

.

To quote Forrest Gump, "Stupid is as Stupid does".

Forrest Gump was a film, not reality though perhaps reality is even dafter. I come from an age when Boy Scouts in the UK routinely carried sheath knives. The problem is that in most so-called 'civilised' countries drug dealing gangsters outnumber Boy Scouts by some distance. UK laws have been changed to reflect this.
In Britain over Christmas we have had some fatal knife attacks, now spreading onto busy main shopping streets in daytime, something that would have been unthinkable a few decades ago. Perhaps we need even tougher sentencing to prevent the unlawful carrying of knives.
In in terms of saying: 'Though shalt not Kill' or even the lite-version ' Though shalt not Murder' , a large number of people don't have those values any more.
The law has been changed to attempt to lessen the chance of attack by discouraging the carrying of weapons in public because society has failed miserably to instil values that prevent people wanting to stab or shoot one another.
I wonder what sort of mindset one has, to want a fighting knife for 'Every Day Carry'.
I'm a practical guy, work as mechanic, shoot game, look after horses and so on, but I rarely need a penknife in day to day activity, let alone a knife that only has a practical application in a war-zone.

Criminals just find new ways of killing each other. I remember when people used to make zip guns and stab each other with sharpened screw drivers. I say just arm everyone like in the old west. I always noticed people were much more polite when everyone was armed.