Just how does it affect you?

[Mantic]

I'm seriously sorry that you had to go through that ordeal. Depsite all you suffered, you have maintained a completely reasonable and objective PoV - there's a lesson for us all here.

Glad to have you with us.

 

[Minotaur]

Here is what is wrong with the UK.

I was taught the Green Cross Code, so I did not kill myself by stepping in front of a car.

Now they are slowing down cars so when people step out in front of you, you have a better chance of stopping, or not killing them when you hit them.

I.E. I was taught it was my fault. Now they teach it is someone elses fault.

The ban on guns has done nothing to gun crime, which is actually on the increase.

Banning knifes, would not stop knifeings(just look at prisons), I bet between us we could come up with five ways to make a sharp edge in the middle of nowhere, so why even think about banning them?

Is it me or do we all think that the sudden amount of knife related press has nothing to do with the crimes happening suddenly but just that they are being reported by the press.

 

[Lurch]

Is it me or do we all think that the sudden amount of knife related press has nothing to do with the crimes happening suddenly but just that they are being reported by the press.

You are quite correct. It was the same at the time of the "devil dog" cobblers in the 90's. Suddenly everyone bit by a dog was front page news.

 

[pierre girard]

As a peace officer working in the US, I view all these "amesty" drives as a complete waste of time. The least violent crime I've ever observed was while I worked as a deputy sheriff in the west, where every pickup truck had a rack of guns in the back window, and any citizen had the right to carry a handgun on their hip (unless it was concealed).

By contrast, the most violent crime I've ever seen was in a jurisdiction with long standing stringent weapons laws.

As to knives; even in prison, inmates manage to make shivs out of such diverse materials as tooth brushes and spoons, and stab each other with them.

It is my firm belief that law abiding citizens should be allowed to own and carry weapons. Felons should not.

Three years ago, the Minnesota State Legislature introduced a statute allowing any non-felon to carry handguns, concealed, or not concealed. Incidence of violent crime has gone down.

The only complaint about this statute, among gun owners, has been the cost. It now costs $100 for a permit to carry, where before it cost $10 and required convincing the chief law enforcement officer in each county or city of a special need for protection.

 

[pierre girard]

It's a shame that the powers that be feel a voluntary amnesty is necessary to turn in knives. All the points mentioned above are valid. Unfortunately amnesties like these are all about control. There was a gun amnesty here in Ontario a few years ago, and yes some guns were returned, mostly the one's were 'grampa's guns from the war'... Still the criminal element in our larger cities had plenty of guns to use, and as a statistic gun related crimes continued to climb, although the police played this down. Go figure.

Alex

There have been various gun amnesties in the US - where those who turned in guns were paid, if memory serves, $100. A good portion of the firearms turned in were broken junk. Great idea! Now they have $100 to go buy a working firearm.

 

[Mantic]

LOL

Now they should do that in the UK with knives! Imagine what we'd all get by taking in a dozen Kitchen Devils....

 

[bambodoggy]

when my car was taken away for forensics i informed them that i had a knife in my glove box ( paul baker bushcraft) and explained to them what it was for only to be told that i had nothing to worry about as i had a legitimate excuse to have it and there is no worry in having it in my car.

James, I'm gutted to hear about that happening to you....it's always the good guys that get hurt isn't it! It's good to hear you're getting on with things and aren't letting it bother you too much

Just as a point of interest for others reading this thread I guess it's only right to remind everybody that in the UK a person's car is deemed in the eyes of the law as a public place.
It used to be private but iirc that was changed after the Hungerford incident and regardless of the chronology of it your car is now a public place here....just a helpful warning not to leave knives in cars if you don't have that all important legit reason to carry.

All the best,

Bam.

 

[Kirruth]

It's part of a general pattern of creating new laws instead of improving enforcement.
The amnesty and the consequent reporting of every stabbing countrywide (and pictures of scary saw tooth combat knives) create a climate of fear that make a new Criminal Justice Act possible.

There are already a comprehensive set of laws covering knives in public places, offensive weapons, wounding, manslaughter, murder. If there is really a problem with knife culture, the solution lies in taking the laws we have and getting community organisations, pub owners and the Police to work together on this issue.

I wonder how many of the stabbings we have seen would have been avoided if the perpetrators hadn't been drunk, had something else to do beyond hanging out on the streets or if they had been moved on by the cops.

 

[Lurch]

Three years ago, the Minnesota State Legislature introduced a statute allowing any non-felon to carry handguns, concealed, or not concealed. Incidence of violent crime has gone down.

The only complaint about this statute, among gun owners, has been the cost. It now costs $100 for a permit to carry, where before it cost $10 and required convincing the chief law enforcement officer in each county or city of a special need for protection.

So this is still a 'may issue' rather than 'shall issue' state?
Shame, hope the legislature fix that soon.