[MR] Knife and Sword transport laws

[E. L. Wimett]

No, but El of the Two Knives (seneschal of the East for many years in the
1970's and principal of the Pelican in the East for many years) ended up
arrested and charged with felony for having a knife in his feast gear in
luggage when flying.  This was pre-9/11 but El was large and black.  

Eventually aid from his friends got him legal assistance that kept him from
prison, but we were all worried for a goodly period. . .

Alisoun

-----Original Message-----
From: atlantia-bounces at seahorse.atlantia.sca.org
[mailto:atlantia-bounces at seahorse.atlantia.sca.org] On Behalf Of Aedan
Aylwyn
Sent: Tuesday, June 09, 2009 3:55 PM
To: atlantia at atlantia.sca.org
Subject: Re: [MR] Knife and Sword transport laws

And yet...

Well over 10 thousand people attend Pennsic each year and have done so for
decades.  While not everyone drives separately, that's still thousands of
cars through most states east of the Mississippi and many west of it.  I'm
sure if *anyone* at all had *ever* been pulled over and experienced an issue
like this it would have made the rounds.

Instead, there's not even an urban legend about it.

Use common sense.  Keep your sharps locked in the trunk or otherwise
obviously packed.  Don't be a moron if you get pulled over for speeding or
other vehicle violations.

And stop worrying about it. 

I'm calling this one a mole hill.

Aedan

> -----Original Message-----
> From: atlantia-bounces at seahorse.atlantia.sca.org [mailto:atlantia-
> bounces at seahorse.atlantia.sca.org] On Behalf Of Roy B. Scherer
> Sent: Tuesday, June 09, 2009 3:28 PM
> To: The Merry Rose
> Subject: Re: [MR] Knife and Sword transport laws
> 
> At 12:02 PM 6/9/2009 -0400, Mungo Napier wrote:
> >So far my own research has turned up a mish-mash of laws. Swords are
> >generally not mentioned (except sword canes, but that isn't of
> >interest to us), but several sates specifically prohibit possession
> >of dirks and daggers, or at least carrying them (which could include
> >feast knives). Than there's the issue of concealment when you get
> >into a car (this I remember from my MP days).
> 
>          State laws regulating weaons, and regulating "concealed"
> weapons, are precisely that:
>                  a mish-mash.
>          There is no underlying logic to them.  What seems entirely
> reasonable to you, and is perfectly legal in your state, may be not
> only illegal but a FELONY in a different state.
>          Let me restate that sentence.  You may be blissfully going
> to Pennsic, and be pulled over by a state/county/municiple police
> officer for any sort of a trivial offense . . . and then find
> yourself charged with a FELONY, facing over a year in the pen, and
> forever prohibited from voting, or owning a firearm or other
> weapon.  If that happens, you'll be extremely lucky to pay less than
> a thousand dollars for legal expenses -- and may well be found guilty
> anyway.
>          This is a SERIOUS issue.  As the saying goes. "serious as a
> heart attack".
>          If you think that any random state trooper or county mounty
> will apply common sense to the laws, and defer action because it's
> obvious that you mean no harm, then you are living in a fools'
> paradise.
>          We really should research the laws in the states surrounding
> Pennsic, and publish the results on the list and on the various
> websites.  Note that any such publication will need to be updated
> several times a year, ab different states change their laws.
>          I'm willing to do that for the Commonwealth of Virginia, but
> not for the other states (unless, of course, someone wishes to offer
> me large heaps of gold)..  We would also need, in addition to
> numerous researchers, someone to coordinate the whole project.
> -- YIS,
> -- Britton Morgan


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