h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I carry a "Swiss Army Knife" on my keychain, and have gotten interesting reactions. I don't know if that's what everybody calls them, but its a 3" long red-handled folding blade type knife. Its got a couple of blades, several screwdrivers, and a sharp punch, all of which fold up. It also has a toothpick and a tweezer that slide out of the handle.

An older work associate saw it and looked shocked - "You could kill somebody with that!" My defense was my sailing hobby - a knife can be important on the boat. I attended a big concert downtown - "Wide Spread Panic" was the main act, I went to see the opener - and was not allowed to take it in. The security man said the choice was to throw it in the bushes near the door for later retrieval, or walk back to the car.

On the other hand, the airlines in the USA with all their metal detectors happily hold the knife in the little basket with my change, then return it to me after I walk through - I think this was the case in London also, at Gatwick. But my wife leaving Los Angeles for Sydney, had a little "multi tool", sort of a pliers with other tools in the handles, including a knife blade. She had to let them put it in a plastic bag to be checked as luggage for retrieval at the other end.

Weird.

Oooh! I *love* my swiss army knife. Mine has a small saw on it too which is fantastic - I always try very hard to find uses for it.

However I have no "defense" for refusing to be parted from it, apart from the fact that I think it's funky.

Never seems to really bother any authority either.

Oooh! I *love* my swiss army knife. Mine has a small saw on it too which is fantastic - I always try very hard to find uses for it.

However I have no "defense" for refusing to be parted from it, apart from the fact that I think it's funky.

Never seems to really bother any authority either.

Oh dear! Done it again!

No defense needed for carrying such a wonderfully useful device.

Tools are great, and everyone should carry one.

Especially girls.

(BTW I had my Leatherman similarly confiscated at Catania airport, Sicily.)

Ladies and gentlemen a link to a h2g2 article on the swiss army knife has been posted to Peer Review. The PR thread is http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/F48874?thread=115073&latest=1 Maybe you can aid the author in his attempt to turn the yarn into a world-beater (like the knife) 8-)

I have a smallish penknife attached to my keys and I carry it everywhere. I have other female friends that do too. Obviously the UK isn't as strict as the US about such things.

Yes, the USA has a serious violence problem including weapons, gangs, and drugs. The occasional restriction to these little pocket knives is an over-reaction, but not a serious one.

I hope this does not sound defensive, but I wonder about the football (soccer) violence in Europe. My very distant understanding is that the fights are almost always weapon free - but do lead to serious injury and death. So can I carry a Swiss Army knife into Wembley (spelling?) Stadium for a football match?

I don't know much about football, but I do know that you're very unlikely to get hooliganism at English matches between English clubs. The hooliganism generally happens abroad. That's why known English hollogans have their passports removed before matches, so they can't go. The last spat of violence in Greece was instigated mainly by the Greeks, not the English. I'm not sure whether you could take a penknife into a football ground or not, I'm pretty sure you wouldn't get into Wembley, with or without one, because they're knocking down and re-building it at the moment.

In breaking news....

Swiss Army Knife Not Enough
Swiss voters have shed a sliver of their staunchly defended neutrality, authorising soldiers to carry arms on peace missions abroad.

I guess this means England v Switzerland football matches will now be more dangerous to attend