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

.... reasons for carrying a knife in urban regions, populated regions, that you take with you when you go to the pub, the shops etc.

"I'm not talking about knives as a weapon"

Then you're in the wrong thread. Knives, the kind that could get you jailed in the UK, ARE weapons. Unambiguously. Unarguably.

To be clear - you would NOT get locked up for carrying this: http://www.looksfeelsworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Swiss_army_knife_closed_20050612.jpg

You COULD get locked up (and I would say SHOULD get locked up) for carrying any of these:
http://www.arizonacustomknives.com/uploads/images/products/0129884851750210000.jpg
http://i.ebayimg.com/t/SOG-Daggert-Black-TiNi-Hunting-Knife-Dagger-/00/s/MTQwNFgxNDAw/$T2eC16JHJF8E9nnC6VCqBP+0QOFryg~~60_57.JPG
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6b/Bayonet_OKC-3S_-_Ontario_Knife_Company.jpg
http://images.bidorbuy.co.za/user_images/418/282418_Untitled-Tr59ueColor-01.jpg

And as I've already hinted, there's even the "one armed fisherman" defence for that last one...

Another law that might be of interest is section 25 of the Theft Act 1968. This covers "going equipped" for burglary or theft. In short, if you're stopped and searched and the cops find equipment on you that they believe you intended to use to commit a burglary, you can be charged. That might be a knife, even a little one like my SAK. It might be a crowbar, or a screwdriver even.

http://www.bailii.org/cgi-bin/markup.cgi?doc=/ew/cases/EWCA/Crim/1999/1408.html&query=EWCA+Crim+1999+1408&method=boolean

when you fisnished Hoo, perhaps everyone else can a word get in edgeways

sorry my posts take ages, and I have nothing juicy or enlightening to say

but once you bring 'with intent' to this discussion

also with the steam rollering

I'm glad I'm still just ing.

I have looked at most comments and it is my view that no-one is steamrollering the thread (I sometimes fear I do at times - you know I get carried away ...). Anyway, each of us has our own style of commenting and after a while maybe we can get used to it and then focus on content etc. I must say at least on this topic I think hoovooloo's position is persuasive and solid.

BTW... this is happening in Los Angeles today. It's open season on citizens for some LAPD officers threatened by a former one of their own. http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/07/16888732-women-shot-by-cops-were-just-delivering-papers

ok so the person on pre-mod...

sorry Hoo, you know I don't mean this personally right

Hoo is being consistant, and I don't find his points disaegreeable, in the main

it is just that, well, the better part of his posts kind of gets lost in the way they are put,

and this can be off-putting, especially if you are the person that are particulary directed towards

also I am struggling to keep up with the long comparsions with car insurance, 'nother matter, that is just probably me

so yep, course Hoo can have his say, who am to say otherwise, if though it means that other people aren't, maybe there could be some flexibility or consideration, so wandering offtopic

because I would kind of like that everyone could be heard, or something

promise, will say no more

*drinks and snacks all round*

Mr X, I don't honestly understand, you wouldn't get arrested and put in jail for no other reason

as you don't carry a knife, for a good reason, why would it bother that you can't just becuase you want too?

Firstly I don't know why you are on pre-mod peanuts as you are one of the nicest people on hootoo. Much nicer than me.

Secondly we would like to hear everyone's voice so please let's have everyone have their say. Context is very important. Opposing views can be equally correct if the context is different (e.g. UK versus USA versus Austria versus Germany versus Burkina Faso versus Urban versus Rural versus Vogon versus Kitchen versus Shopping mall versus Yankee Doodle Dandee versus Floridians)

Thirdly i think several conversations can occur at the same time. Feel free to go back where you left off - just give the comment number your commenting on and comment away.

Fourthly I think most of us are real friendly people at heart but you know it's this keyboard thing and screen that does things to people - like when people get inside a car ... ultimately I think it is the fault of that fella with two legs

"perhaps everyone else can a word get in edgeways"

One of my favourite things about this site is the mechanic that means it's not possible to stop people getting a word in. Got something to say? Just post it. The only way someone could "steamroller" a thread is if they somehow had the power to get posts removed. FYI, I have a personal policy of never ever using the "yikes" button, because if someone says something I disagree with, I'd rather they be visibly held to account for it. The last thing I'd want is someone trying, at a later date, to deny ever having said something objectionable. (This has happened more than once...)


If you don't understand how the site works, I'm told there are extensive help pages, or you could get a grownup to explain it to you.

(Just want to say I find all this very interesting but don't have anything to add at the moment. And I didn't have the impression that anyone posted like a steamroller.)

I'd like to apologise to everyone for my part in the disruption of this thread........ and for screwing up the final link on Posting 996.

If you're interested, just google 'Murderpedia Homicides by knife' for a short cut to some cases.

"get a grownup to explain it to you" Hoo

I'm ashamed to say that sort of comment used to amuse me. .

"I would therefore carry around a knife without an immediate cause in mind, the same as I carry a lighter and a pen and a flashlight and so on"

I'm sort of confused with this - a pen and flashlight will (i'd have thought) either always or almost always be used for their designed purposes writing/shining light

But what do you use a knife for, outside your house, and what do you need a non-penknife knife for that a penknife couldn't do for you (yes I am aware that that is one of the more clunky sentences I've written)

"I would therefore carry around a knife without an immediate cause in mind, the same as I carry a lighter and a pen and a flashlight and so on"

Okay let's see
a) lighter : in the event of needing to burn something
b) pen : in the event of needing to write something down
c) flashlight : in the event of needing to illuminate something (e.g. the path home at night)
d) a big knife : in the event of being attacked by a large bear?

Anywhere it is perfectly fine for Britain - having the knife law. There isn't really any need for it in urban areas etc and the British are happy with it and feel safer so case closed.

Americans like to carry knifes with them, maybe they live in more rural areas, digging holes in the ground whatever, if their community is happy with that then that's fine too.

Right maybe we could return back to guns - unless we are all sorted with it for now. No for the UK yes for America.

This is a sincere apology, despite how it comes out - but I can't tell if that's an actual response, or a sarcastic reply - those outside Britain may actually need it for wildlife protection, if not actually wolves

It was just a suggestion. I was thinking of adding being attacked by a wild dog but left it at bear.

if I understand 2Bit right, he said that people in the US don't feel the need to carry a knife because they can have a gun. Therefore if anyone is in the wild and may be likely to be attached by a wild animal they can shoot it. Who thinks they might come out best if they wrestle a grizzly with a knife? Under those circs a gun is useful and to be recommended and I don't think anyone in this thread of the "anti blanket gun ownership" opinion has ever said otherwise.

I like the idea in the Marion Bradley Darkover novels that all weapons that don't bring you in to close personal contact (eg. guns) are banned. If you are going to kill (or try to) someone you have to be able to see the whites of their eyes.

I agree with Hoo. If you carry a knife for any other reason than you have just purchased it, or need it for a specific thing *on that day* then you are going equipped and I'm glad the law takes that kind of thing very seriously. My has been stabbed (at a footie match in the 70s) and some friend of my brothers were in a motorcycle gang related knife fight and the best thing you can say about that is nobody died, but their tattoos are a total mess now.

A while back a student was found in a bedroom with a knife stuck in the chest. The police cordoned the area off saying it could be murder. Later they said it was a tragic accident, student carrying knife tripped over something on the floor and impalled the knife in the chest.