BS: Illegal Swiss army knife

Subject: RE: BS: Illegal Swiss army knife
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 22 Apr 10 - 12:32 AM

The original quote from Dickens' Oliver Twist is indeed, 'a ass' ~~ Mr Bumble, the henpecked former proud parish beadle, told that the law supposes that a wife acts under her husband's direction, replies indignantly, "If the law supposes that, the law is a ass — a idiot; if that's the eye of the law, the law is a bachelor; and the worst I wish the law is that his eye may be opened by experience."

~Michael~

Subject: RE: BS: Illegal Swiss army knife
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 22 Apr 10 - 08:46 PM

Airport security in general is "a ass".
My liquids poly bag was deemed "too big" at Heathrow, despite the fact that it had the exact same few items in exact same bag as had gone thro' Edinburgh without any problems the day before.
On another trip, our case was packed with the exact same items on return journey as on the way out, but seemed to have gained a mysterious 1.5kg overweight, which dear Ryanair wanted to charge us for: so we undo the case, take some items out into hand baggage, hang shoes round our necks, and no XS charge, but the plane is still carrying the same total weight of our worldly goods!
At Aswan Airport, officials standing in front of a sign about no more than 100mls of liquids were allowing folk through with 1.5 litre bottles of water!
Twice, while travelling with my melodeon as hand baggage, I've been asked if I have a laptop in a Saltarelle case: my reply, " No, all mechanical and wind" which UK officials laugh at, but out comes the high-tech scanner in France!
And going back to the early 90s, our son, then 8 years old, was caught in possession of a Canadian National railways iron pin that we had found lying loose by a railway track, and he had taken for a souvenir. We expected Dad to be arrested, but the pin was taken away, and after what seemed ages, brought back all carefully wrapped in bubble wrap and a shoe box! Well done, Canada!

Subject: RE: BS: Illegal Swiss army knife
From: Don Firth
Date: 22 Apr 10 - 09:07 PM

An elderly lady's knitting bag was confiscated by airport security. True, knitting needles could possibly make formidable weapons, but the main reason they were taken away from the little old lady was that airport security suspected that she might be knitting an Afghan. . . .

I use a wheelchair now, but I used to walk with a pair of aluminum forearm crutches. Such a crutch can also be a formidable weapon if applied briskly to the side of the head—or to the family jewels.

I have a Swiss army knife. Versatile tool. The corkscrew is very handy for removing ear wax.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: BS: Illegal Swiss army knife
From: ragdall
Date: 22 Apr 10 - 09:47 PM

When we travel, we carry a bin in the car which contains, among other things, fresh fruit. I also carry a Wiltshire paring knife in it's holder/sharpener to cut the fruit as I am not able to bite it. It's unlikely the knife blade is less than 3 inches. I guess it will only be a matter of time before we're stopped by a law enforcement officer and hauled away for possession of a dangerous weapon?

Subject: RE: BS: Illegal Swiss army knife
From: Rowan
Date: 22 Apr 10 - 09:52 PM

Before 9/11, and before xray machines were common in Oz, if airport staff were concerned at some small item you were about to carry with you, they would usually offer to put it in an envelope, write your name on it and keep it locked away under the control of the plane's crew. On landing they'd return it to you.

Such commonsense service!

Cheers, Rowan

Subject: RE: BS: Illegal Swiss army knife
From: Howard Jones
Date: 23 Apr 10 - 12:45 PM

It's always unwise to rely on newspaper reports, and we don't know the full facts of this case. However the government's own website advises that a folding knife with a blade of less than three inches is legal, but if it is used in a threatening manner it becomes an offensive weapon.

The man in this case pleaded guilty to carrying an offensive weapon, he doesn't appear to have been charged under the Criminal Justice Act (which specifically excludes small folding knives). It's not clear whether he was unaware of the law, just wanted to get the whole thing over, or whether there are other circumstances which were not reported.

If you carry any other type of knife, that's unlawful unless you can show a good reason for carrying it at that particular time (apart from some knives which are banned outright). Carrying a knife on the off-chance that you might need it seems not to count as a good reason. Ragdall might be in the clear if he's actually carrying fruit and intends to eat it at the time he's stopped, but possibly not if he keeps the knife in the car on other occasions.

I'm now wondering whether the Swiss Card I carry in my wallet is legal. It includes a small knife - the blade is only 1.5" but it's fixed - and a pair of tiny scissors. I suspect it's not and I would have to prove a "good reason" for carrying it.

Knife crime is a real problem and too many young men have died. However these rules are ridiculously strict (or are being enforced incorrectly by the police) and criminalise ordinary people going about their daily business for carrying a useful tool with them. The onus is on the accused to prove "good reason" and the courts may not agree.

Subject: RE: BS: Illegal Swiss army knife
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 23 Apr 10 - 04:03 PM

How long before they confiscate phone chargers? Just think of the damage you could do with that 3-pin plug? (UK plugs)

Subject: RE: BS: Illegal Swiss army knife
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 23 Apr 10 - 09:13 PM

I carry a small Swiss Army knife , the exact model pictured by Jim Dixon. A friends comment was "With weapons like that it's no damn wonder that the Swiss are neutral!"