Knifes

[Sybarite]

"Thats an offensive weapon" said the plod.

Mind you, so is the car if you choose to be offensive.

 

[ccscott49]

I had a bit and brace type screwwdriver bit confiscated in Gatwick, I couldnt believe it, because I had just arrivewd from Amsterdam with it in my hand baggage! It was the one I had been looking for, for four years, *******s!

 

[wotayottie]

Really!!
It takes a certain mind set to write utter garbage like you have just done, typical of the chattering class guardianista, another 2 killed in London yesterday with knives so its not the Daily Mail thats whipping up hysteria, its there. However making rules like they have done is again typical of our government, instead of tackling the problem, which is the guardianistas hate of the family unit and its liberal mindset that wont allow it to say what is the damned truth! Young black (who appear to be the worst knife offenders) boys need a stable home with a father figure in their formative years and hey before you do the liberal chant of racist, just be aware that I used to be the Member for Equalities for a County Council and as part of my duties used to attend seminars where amongst others, Sir Trevor Philips used to be the key note speaker. His thrust was that young black boys are under achievers and that the breakdown in families did not help.
Stu

From what I have read, everything you say is correct. But you dont say anything about "tackling the problem" do you?

I suppose the government could tackle it by making it illegal for black kids to have knives - after all thats where the problem overwhelmingly is. But that would not be PC. Maybe the government could tackle the issue by forcing black fathers to stay with their partners and offspring until 18 - but again that isnt PC or even practical.

So naturally enough we end up with a blanket ban on knife carrying. Which ends up affecting most those who are well enough off to be doing things that require them to pass through security screens. There arent such screens on the streets of Handsworth etc so the problem of knives on the street goes on unaffected.

Seems to me that this law is tokenism at its worst. There is nothing practical that the government can do about the issue so instead they make a law which is largely unenforcable and which has no effect on the problem. Maybe they should just accept that a small number of people are stupid enough to use a knife to kill another small number of people.

 

[Sybarite]

The French are pragmatic, A youth in a Paris suburb would get the weapon confiscated. A man with a family going to his yacht would be ignored.

I wouldn't count on it. It depends on the officer and as part of their remuneration depends on bookings it brings out the worst in some.

In fact there is an offence in France called "Rebellion" eg you tear up a ticket in front of the officer, or call him a plonker. In this case the total amount of a hefty fine goes directly to him.

 

[Sybarite]

[ QUOTE ]
It is up to the individual officer to decide, in the light of all available information, whether it is a reasonable excuse in all the circumstances at the time. The officer has to prove that any action he/she has taken is proportionate and necessary.

[/ QUOTE ]
/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
This would be hilarious if only it were not so serious.

The plain fact of the matter is that at every level, from speeding tickets to the cold-blooded assassination of innocent people on their way to work, courts have shown themselves quite prepared to condone anything a police officer does, unless there is overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

Every night on our TV, it seems, we see documentaries featuring gangs of armed thugs in uniform who cruise the streets, beating up civilians while some idiot voice-over tells us what heroes they are.

Sadly, it seems that the only people who have nothing to fear from the police are the police themselves and the villains they are supposed to be protecting us against.

Welcome back Tim!

 

[jerrytug]

I wouldn't count on it. It depends on the officer and as part of their remuneration depends on bookings it brings out the worst in some.

In fact there is an offence in France called "Rebellion" eg you tear up a ticket in front of the officer, or call him a plonker. In this case the total amount of a hefty fine goes directly to him.

That's amazing! A)Ironic when you consider their history. B)It goes in the flic's pocket! C)Lucky it doesn't apply here..."rebellion" my arse oh damn that's another £75!

 

[Ehecatl]

This is supposed to be a sailing forum. Could you please keep posts like this for the lounge where I won't read them (cos I don't go there). Same applies to any other non sailing related topics so please don't take this in any way personally, not intended that way.

+1

 

[BERT T]

Interestingly, trying to use a folding knife over 3" without some sort of locking mechanism, though complying with the criminal law, must surely contravene Health and Safety?

Catch 22
/forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif[/QUOTE]

It does if you are out stalking deer; whether they like or not, there if F all they can do about it. I personally have one with an 8" blade for that particular purpose.

 

[cgull]

Same happened to me on Plymouth to Roscoff 2 yrs ago!

Asked if I had a knife i said "I am a sailor, yes i have" had to find it, it was taken off me with no option to retreive at Roscoff. Bought another one in France, from a shop with hundreds of them on display!

 

[ffiill]

Had an interesting experience last night prior to boarding the ferry at Plymouth.

Packed the car yourself, Sir? Yes.

All your own stuff Sir? Yes.

Carrying anything for anyone else Sir? No.

Any guns, ammunition, explosives munitions Sir? No.

Any knifes Sir? Yes.

OOoooooooooooh, can we see it Sir? Yes

Oh dear, you are carrying a banned offensive weapon in your car Sir.
No I'm not.

You are Sir, can I draw your attention to this notice while we phone Special Branch (I kid you not)?

I pointed out the "illegal to be in possession of without good cause" bit on the notice.

Adamant and the polis duly arrived.
Bit more sensible. When I point out that the car is full of boat stuff, especially quite a lot of rope and that constitutes "good cause" he says that under the circumstances he will not confiscate it and charge me, but will give it to the purser on the ferry, for transport in the ship's strong room and that I would be able to reclaim it from the Gare Maritime in Roscoff in the morning.
Which I duly did.
The French officer was a bit gobsmacked at the carry on, but laughed when I remarked that having reclaimed it I now could proceed with my plan to conquer the world......

The knife , BTW is 4" locking blade and blunt ended.

Crazy. The English polis did hold the view that the law was a bit daft. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

So be warned. If you fess up then lots of fun will ensue, but if you follow the advice from the ferry security people to say nought and then get the car searched and they find a knife you could be in deep trouble.

So you were coming into the UK?-because if you were leaving the UK its no ones business who you are and where you are going-no right whatsoever to check you out of the country-only in as far as I am concerned.

 

[Babylon]

Welcome back Tim!

I think you need to look at the date this thread started (which also begs the question why it has been resucitated instead of the new OP starting his own thread?)...

from which you'll see that this Bartlett is another person altogether!

 

[rotrax]

So you were coming into the UK?-because if you were leaving the UK its no ones business who you are and where you are going-no right whatsoever to check you out of the country-only in as far as I am concerned.

You can be concerned all you like, but the port police/security have the job of trying to protect the crew and other passengers of ships and ferries, as well as aircraft. They are told what is not permissable and are there to enforce it. I travelled after 9/11 to Europe motorcycle racing with all sorts of potentially offensive wepons in the toolkit. As they stayed in the truck, no problem. Sometimes travelling three times a month. Know the rules and avoid breaking them. I have had a pocket knife in my left trouser pocket for as long as I can remember, usually a Swiss Army Knife. I recently had to visit the local probate office at the County Court. I had to go through a metal detector and read the list of prohibited items. I handed it over, collected it on my way out. I make sure its in the hold baggage when I fly, or if only taking hand luggage it stays at home.

 

[awol]

So you were coming into the UK?-because if you were leaving the UK its no ones business who you are and where you are going-no right whatsoever to check you out of the country-only in as far as I am concerned.

Oh you simple soul! Try travelling twixt Cairnryan and Larne, both at the moment within the UK, though some would want that to change, and as well as the questions you may well have you and your vehicle searched by "security". I lied about the 2.5l of antifoul and 5l of resin I was carrying 'cos the car in front was searched so I reckoned I was safe.

 

[rotrax]

Oh you simple soul! Try travelling twixt Cairnryan and Larne, both at the moment within the UK, though some would want that to change, and as well as the questions you may well have you and your vehicle searched by "security". I lied about the 2.5l of antifoul and 5l of resin I was carrying 'cos the car in front was searched so I reckoned I was safe.

I am at a loss as to why you lied. If you were found carrying something illegal or considered to be hazardous on a ferry the consequences would no doubt have been worse. I did not realise antifoul and resin were considered dangerous or hazardous. I regularly crossed Europe with up to 50 litres of Methanol in the truck for the race bikes. Never had a problem. I have been searched at different times by everyone exept the Belgians and found the Security guys-and gals- at Dover to be very thorough and polite. Got turned over big time by Slovak paramilitary police one night near Martin who thought we had a van full of Ukrainian illegal imigrants. They were not very polite!

 

[Zen Zero]

I am at a loss as to why you lied. ..!

Flammable liquids?

Coming back from a school trip to France circa 1978, our bus got turned over quite thoroughly by HM Customs and Excise (as they were then) because one lassie had bought cigars for her dad and left them on her seat. A blond chap with longer hair than mine was asked to empty his pockets. Luckily for me, the 6" sheath knife I'd brought with me and the illegal flick-knife I'd bought in France were in my satchel.

My sister found the flick-knife a few months later while she was searching my room because she was bored and my mum handed it in anonymously to the police station. The duty officer, who was also our Scout leader, gave me some stick for that. There was nothing wrong with having a 6" sheath knife back then though.

I'm out of the habit of carrying a knife now, having left too many behind at airport security. I have a nice locking one from Toledo (1" blade) that I used to use for cutting cigars, but I've chucked that habit in now too.

I've been meaning to start a thread about keeping stainless steel knives sharp on board, they always seem to lose their edge.

 

[awol]

I am at a loss as to why you lied.

Lying was perhaps too strong a word. I had checked with the supplier (and his reference tomes) and our conclusion was the quantities involved were well below declarable amounts. However, I was disinclined to enter into a discussion with a security man so "no" to his cans of petrol or diesel questions seemed politic. Experience of airlines and getting ground staff to accept the written evidence of what is permitted - daft things like deflating bike tyres*, spare CO2 cylinders (lifejackets were ok!), etc. have made me reluctant to get involved.

*good for 7bar - another 1bar max from decompression ain't going to hurt.

 

[Neil]

It reminds me of a story from a classic camera forum:

Airport security: "Could you turn the camera on please, Sir?"

Traveller, "Sorry, I can't; it's a mechanical camera you see - there's nothing to turn on!"

Airport security: "Could you turn the camera on, please, Sir?"

Traveller, laughs, "That's what I'm trying to tell you, it's a purely mechanical camera, there's no batt......."

Airport security: "I SAID, COULD YOU TURN THE CAMERA ON, PLEASE!"

Traveller, "But..."

Airport security: "I SAID, COULD YOU TURN THE CAMERA ON, PLEASE!"

So said traveller pressed a random part of the camera, and passed through security.....

 

[Sailfree]

From my point of view it does rather beggar the question of why you keep a Stanley Knife blade in your wallet?

Because I frequently found it useful.

I now have the smallest swiss army knife on a keyring - blade is just a little over an inch, also has tiny sissors and guess what - I frequently find it useful!!

Fogotten about it twice and had 2 confiscated at airport security.

At end of Cowes high street was a shop that used to sell the confiscated swiss army penkives now sdadly closed down for another one selling overpriced named crew clothing!!

 

[Highndry]

At end of Cowes high street was a shop that used to sell the confiscated swiss army penkives

Confiscated from where? Surely you don't have to go through security checks on the IOW ferry?!