Knife laws

Raphael

Anyone know what the Irish laws regarding lengths of blades etc. are?

I'm getting increasingly worried about how ****ed up this country is, considering investing in some form of blade

Edit: Hey look over there, some sense!

Please ignore this post. Mods, lockage please?

impr0v

:rolleyes:

Good idea Mr. Bronson, I hope the first person you pull it on turns it around on you.

Cake Fiend

What a boneheaded idea. Learn to defend yourself with your hands and feet, at least you won't get arrested for carrying those weapons.

Raphael

Sico: I don't have the patience to take up a martial art, or the will to hurt anyone. I want to have a knife purely for intimidation, if some one tries to mug me, I'd draw a blade purely to try and scare them off. I don't think I could bring myself to use a knife on someone, even in self-defence

Crash

If someone tries to mug you odds are you wont react fast enough to pull a knife on someone. If they pull a knife on you, the WORST possible thing you could do is reciprocate in kind. because you'd end up cut up beyond belief.

Unless you're seriously USED to being mugged then you're reflexes wont be in any fit state to react fast enough to do anything so its mostly pointless.

the_syco

crash_000 wrote:

If someone tries to mug you odds are you wont react fast enough to pull a knife on someone. If they pull a knife on you, the WORST possible thing you could do is reciprocate in kind. because you'd end up cut up beyond belief.

Agreed. Also, they'll know what to do(they probely have more experience of this sort of thing), and can say that you pulled the knife first. And if your respnse to the Gardai is "I got the knife so that I wouldn't be mugged", the Gardai will charge you, with intent of bodily harm. So go learn karate, or dress like a muppet/skanger.

PhoenixRising

Raphael wrote:

Anyone know what the Irish laws regarding lengths of blades etc. are?

Well.....first off, it is illegal to carry a knife or blade of any kind in a public place unless you can argue that it is required for work or recreational activity (such as fishing for example). See section 9 of the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act 1990. So if you pull out a blade in public to defend yourself, you have broken the law.

I'm getting increasingly worried about how ****ed up this country is, considering investing in some form of blade

Words fail me. :rolleyes:

Boston

Raphael wrote:

Sico: I don't have the patience to take up a martial art, or the will to hurt anyone. I want to have a knife purely for intimidation, if some one tries to mug me, I'd draw a blade purely to try and scare them off. I don't think I could bring myself to use a knife on someone, even in self-defence

Never pull a knife on someone unless your willing to use it. It's like just handing them a weapon to kill you will. And do yea think they will think twice after you pulling it on them. If you get mugged, chances are the other guy will be off his head on what ever, and won't give a **** about your knife. You really willing to kill someone over 20 euro. You really willing to spend the rest of your life in jail, for 20 euro. Cop on.

the_syco

PhoenixRising wrote:

Well.....first off, it is illegal to carry a knife or blade of any kind in a public place unless you can argue that it is required for work or recreational activity (such as fishing for example). See section 9 of the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act 1990. So if you pull out a blade in public to defend yourself, you have broken the law.

Not totally true. I went to a "olde" fishing shop, only to learn that some new law banned the sale of large knives for fishing (along with the banning of gun covers, etc). Finally, as someone said, if the mugger is off his head, in need of his fix, etc, they'll pick up the nearest object, and ensure you won't stab them. Jail will then be the least of your worries. Getting to a phone (the mugger will have taken yours), to ring an ambulance will be what you'll be trying to do, if your still concious.
If someone whipped out a knife on me, I'd make sure I'd leave them in a state where they'd be of no threat to me, or anybody else.

Think of what someone who is desperate for his next fix. A knife is no deterrant.

SantaHoe

The guys are right Raphael, don't carry if you're not willing to use it... you just risk getting into trouble and having people think you're some paranoid weirdo.

Raphael wrote:

I want to have a knife purely for intimidation, if some one tries to mug me, I'd draw a blade purely to try and scare them off.

Well if they weren't intimidated by you when they decided to mug you, I don't think clumsily brandishing a knife is going to help that much.
Waving it around nervously is more likely to get you a date with a life support machine than scare away some scumbags... they can smell fear.
Scumbags often mug in groups, so while you're pulling your blade on the two that approached you, their two friends that were watching this unfold from across the road are on their way over... then it's 4 against 1 and you're fúcked no matter how big your knife is.
Your best option in the first place is to run your ass off and lose them.
As mister Miagi from the Karate Kid said - "Best defence - no be there."
Average Joe scumbag mugger generally isn't very physically fit anyway, don't let the tracksuit fool you.

I know where you're coming from though, the streets can be a very scarey place after you've had a few bad experiences, it can be a great comfort to know that you've got something to stab them in the cúnt with if things get really rough, but it's not worth it.
It just makes you even more paranoid... and you start depending on it for confidence.
Then when the fear comes back, you'll want to carry something bigger.
I carried for a few weeks when I was 15 or 16 because I'd had a very unlucky year of run ins and close calls with muggers and agressive scumbags... never had to use any of them, and I don't think I'd have had the nerves to whip it out anyway.
Actually what people are saying here really reminds me of what my brothers said to me all those years ago to snap me out of it.
It may sound like they guys here are being hard on you, but it's just because the dangers of carrying a weapon are so clear to them.
I know you're sick of being afraid of every scumbag you see, but you don't need a weapon... every situation has an escape route if you just stay cool and think on your feet... don't stop for anyone, keep walking and walk faster, run if you have to.

I think what the_syco said was a good idea, dressing like a skanger makes you feel almost invisible when you're walking past some dodgy people... there's being unlucky, and then there's repeatedly popping up on knacker radar as a 'mark'.

Raphael wrote:

I don't have the patience to take up a martial art, or the will to hurt anyone.

Yeah I hear that.
I haven't tried anything like karate since I was 6, but it just seemed to start off so slowly, learning mostly impractical things to begin with.
Oh the other hand "using your hands and feet" doesn't neccesarily mean Kung-Fu, even a basic self-defense class can help and I'd say the results would be far more noticable more quickly.

Musashi

I want to have a knife purely for intimidation, if some one tries to mug me, I'd draw a blade purely to try and scare them off.

You will not intimidate some one intent on doing you harm, at best you will warn him that he has to knock seven bells out of you to accomplish his aims.

Never pull a knife on someone unless your willing to use it.

If you use it you are guilty of a criminal offense, there is no right to self defense here in Ireland.The act states this quite clearly.The law regarding the carrying of knives is as follows: if you have a knife in a public place, regardless of size or length, and cannot adequately argue that it is for work purposes (i.e you are a carpenter on your way to work and you have a stanley knife) or recreational purposes (i.e you are a fisherman and you're filleting fish on a pier etc.) then you are guilty of an offence.


If there is a knife involved in a mugging or attack it's most likel;y to be an ambush or surprise attack, not a stylised "duel" as is often shown in the media.Your first hint that a blade is involved is when you notice all the blood you are losing.You are breaking the law carrying anything which you later use as a weapon.A knife being a weapon from the outset makes it worse.Self Defense covers the actual altercation and the court case to follow!Beating a skanger with a shopping bag full of cans is still an assault with a weapon but easier to explain and defend.Carrying a blade implies forethought and leaves you open to more serious charges.

Learn to defend yourself with your hands and feet,

Great idea, only depending on the instructor you may be fed a whole load of feel good crap which could get you killed in a fight.Look out for Reality based classes or World War Combatives,simple to learn and retain quickly and if you take up a martial art you can integrate the philosophy into your new style.

RainyDay

SantaHoe wrote:

I think what the_syco said was a good idea, dressing like a skanger makes you feel almost invisible when you're walking past some dodgy people

So does that approach explain the prevelence of Nike/Adidas/Reebok round town? Everyone is trying to 'fly under the radar'?

MrNuked

A pepper spray would be more practical. I don't know whether they are legal here or not.
A carful of skangers started on me and my friend coming out of the WIT student bar (going up on Brown's Road). I took a step or two back, pulled that out, and sprayed the two in front. They got a bad fright because they didn't know what it was. We ran off then. (We could have hammered the **** out of them after that no problem but not worth the hassle etc).
I got just a bit of the vapour in my own eyes. it was a killer. feels like it constricts your throat and burns, and makes your eyes weep badly. Really hard to wash off too.
All it is is red pepper extract. You can get little can that shoot a jet 8 feet. Sabre Red was the brand I got which had been recommended as being one of the most effective/concentrated. It's probably available via mail order online.
I completely agree that pulling a knife is probably the stupidest possible action to do if you get attacked onb the street. it just raises the stakes, and if you're not ready to use it you're probably ****ed (and probably if you are too).
You're letting your avatar/nick go to your head I reckon

Giblet

Hah, if you pulled a knife on someone, they will probably see it as a sign to kick the crap out of you seeming that you "could" harm them.

dermot_sheehan

Pepperspray is classed as a firearm in Ireland (along with things like crossbows), and is illegal to possess without a license. Other then getting done on a possession charge if caught with it (or possesion of an offensive weapon if caught with a knife), you can't as a matter of law use an illegally held weapon in self defence. If you end up wounding someone with it you'll be done for assault causing arm, or assault causing serious harm, if you kill someone, you're facing murder or manslaughter.

MrNuked

I don't have it any more anyway. It should not be classified as that, since it does not cause any actual injury whatsoever.

cormie

If the mugger can get away with a clean robbery, he/she probably will, if they need to use force, out comes a dirty syringe, one prick and your fudged! Pepperspray is good, and carry some bike locks too, when they are fumbling around from the spray put it round their neck and lock them to a post.

Raphael

After reading all the replies in this thread, I'm beginning to see a bit of sense. You guys are probably right, actually having the knife is a major risk, and using it is likely to get me in worse **** than a mugging

Thanks a lot guys. Really

Rozabeez

But what's the point of living your life so scared and serious?
you're not coming out of it alive anyway.

mentalimplosion

if you really want to carry something, take either a pepper canister like on you'd find in your kitchen (seriously) or a can of hairspray.

SantaHoe

RainyDay wrote:

So does that approach explain the prevelence of Nike/Adidas/Reebok round town? Everyone is trying to 'fly under the radar'?

Hehe, actually I'd say for a lot of people it is.
Although most people probably catch on to this at school and can pull it off really well by the time they're adults.
Really makes you think though.

knifey_spoonie

Sico wrote:

Learn to defend yourself with your hands and feet, at least you won't get arrested for carrying those weapons.

What if there not your own , what side of the law are you on now

Tommy Vercetti

Raphael wrote:

After reading all the replies in this thread, I'm beginning to see a bit of sense. You guys are probably right, actually having the knife is a major risk, and using it is likely to get me in worse **** than a mugging

Thanks a lot guys. Really

Join your local athletics club. Seriously. It is a lot better to get the hell out of a situation than to take your chances, weapon or no weapon.

MrNuked

You get a lot of strangely rough accents on very middle class young adults these days. Lots of wannabe scumbags taking it a lot further than just appearances. It is sad.

User45701

Since the gardai have failed people should take the law into there own hands and defend themselves and there friends with all necessary force to scare hurt or kill the animal that is attacking

Tommy Vercetti

User45701 wrote:

Since the gardai have failed people should take the law into there own hands and defend themselves and there friends with all necessary force to scare hurt or kill the animal that is attacking

hahahaa

no

RainyDay

MrNuked wrote:

You get a lot of strangely rough accents on very middle class young adults these days.

The doctors refer to this as the 'Colin Farrell syndrome' now, I believe. [Do you really think he spoke like that at Castleknock College?]

Tommy Vercetti

RainyDay wrote:

The doctors refer to this as the 'Colin Farrell syndrome' now, I believe. [Do you really think he spoke like that at Castleknock College?]

Hey, if it worked on Britney, who are we to condemn it!

vector

so... knife = no

well stayinng on a similar course something you could do if get a bulletproof vest (an invisible one for wearing under cloths)

should be easy to source, since 911 alot of sites sell gas masks and that kind of stuff.

Musashi

It should not be classified as that, since it does not cause any actual injury whatsoever.

Wishful thinking at best,what it actually does has no bearing here.The law is what it is.

Join your local athletics club

A good run is always better than a bad stand!

if get a bulletproof vest (an invisible one for wearing under cloths)

A bulletproof vest is just that,a stab proof vest is much bulkier and heavier as unbelievably a blade is harder to stop and a "Spike" like a screwdriver,Syringe or Dagger is near impossible bar he hits a blunt trauma plate in your armour.
You could try carrying things that can be pressed in to service as improvised weapons,a cane or flashlight being two of the easiest.PM me for sites etc. if you want to.Anything you use to defend yourself is then a weapon.Just happening to have a cane is more likely than being down town with a baseball bat really!!
As I said before Self Defense is what you dowhen attacked,or fearing an attack, and how you handle the aftermath including a possible court case.
Stay Safe Lads!

EKRIUQ

A friend of mine in Limerick used carry around a snoker ball in a sock for protection, but that was before they started using guns there.

stevenmu

Invest in a cheap sh*tty wallet, put 6 or 7 €s and a few out of date cards and stuff in it.

Raphael

Nice idea....

SantaHoe

Invest in a cheap sh*tty wallet, put 6 or 7 €s and a few out of date cards and stuff in it.

That's good alright, maybe leave a little card calling them a low-life scumbag to boot.
Maybe a little squashed dog turd aswell.

A few years ago, I was told, one of my sisters friends had her handbag robbed by a run-past-and-grab thief... apparently she just stood there and laughed because it was the bag she keeps the babys shítty nappies in! :cool:
That's just so perfect that I suspect it could be some urban myth people say happened to someone they know when they're really drunk.
Anyone else heard this one?

RainyDay

TIPPTOP wrote:

A friend of mine in Limerick used carry around a snoker ball in a sock for protection

Did he not find it a bit uncomfortable, with the snooker ball knocking off his ankle?

SantaHoe

What about carrying around a really smelly sock for protection?
I know some people who could pull it off.

CorkSat

There is only one weapon you can carry in this country legally
and still scare off your average mugger.........a hurley.

Also useful against burglars. A mate of mine chased one down the
garden and he jumped the 5ft back wall like a cat. Unfortunately for
the burglar there was a 20ft drop on the other side :-)

Rozabeez

stevenmu wrote:

Invest in a cheap sh*tty wallet, put 6 or 7 €s and a few out of date cards and stuff in it.

great idea, but dont forget the fake mobile phones that kids have these days, just give the mugger the lot and theyll be off like a shot.

Run_to_da_hills

The Government is to bring in new laws to tackle the growing problem of knife crime along with the banning of samurai swords.

Gardaí are to be given greater search powers when looking for knives, and prison sentences for carrying knives are to be increased from the current maximum of 12 months to five years.

This will have serious implications on a certain city in the west of ireland.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/0205/breaking57.htm

minidazzler

Zombie thread strikes again!!!

dr.bollocko

Zombie thread decapitated by Bollocko. RTDH = Naughty naughty boy!

javaboy

This is his way of getting around his thread starting ban.