Blather, Waffle and Poppycock!

[FierceKitty]

I was stopped in Cape Town once for carrying my foil home. I think the cops realised they'd never get a conviction.

[Last Hussar]

forearms act

So just a slap on the wrist then? 

The firearm in question was a sawn off shotgun.

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

The firearm in question was a sawn off shotgun.

In that case it's a prohibited weapon, same as all automatic weapons - shotguns must have a barrel at least 24" long (bout 60 cm).

An offensive weapon is defined as anything designed(ie Knife), intended or used as one.

[FierceKitty]

Rather tautologous, what?

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Its designed to cover it all - Brit legalies

[FierceKitty]

"An offensive weapon shall be understood to comprise
i) an offensive weapon;
ii) an offensive weapon designed as an offensive weapon; or
iii) an item employed as an offensive weapon."

That will be 2, 000 pounds, please.

[Last Hussar]

I have had actual official guidance on this

Section 1(4) defines an offensive weapon as "any article made or adapted for use for causing injury to the person or intended by the person having it with him for such use by him or by some other person". The court have identified three categories of offensive weapons:
•   Offensive per se i.e. those items made for the use of causing injury to the person. Examples are a truncheon, a rice flail, a butterfly knife.
•   Adapted for use. Such as a bottle deliberately broken.
•   Intended by the person having it with him for use for causing injury to the person. This definition includes defensively as well as offensively.

The defined offence 'Possession of sawn off shotgun, barrel less than 12 inches' derives from non-compliance of the firearms act/certification standards. There is no intention to use the firearm to cause harm

[Orcs]

As I also found out while fencing, as long as it takes over a minute to draw your weapon in public, swords may be accrued in a suitable container. The 1" plastic pipe that mine were is was more of an offensive weapon than my foil and epee.

Fire arms are covered by the forearms act, and are licensed.

Yes and as long as the firearm is unloaded and any magazines do not contain rounds, you can walk down the high street with them as long as they are in a case.

Interestingly the police cannot ask you to show them what is in the case, as to open the case in the street is illegal. Obviously they can confirm you have the correct license over the radio, and ideally you should be carrying it.
They can request you come to the Police station to show them, but it is entirely voluntary, as you have not committed any offense.   

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

So just a slap on the wrist then? 

Didn't you know that's why all Americans wear T-shirts, they have the right to bare arms! 

[Ithoriel]

Didn't you know that's why all Americans wear T-shirts, they have the right to bare arms! 

Really? And there was I thinking the right they had was the right to arm bears which is why in the USA "If you go down to the woods today you're in for a big surprise!"

[Raider4]

Thoughts that keep me awake at night, part 2:

"Why's it not 'van Beethoven'? it's 'van Gogh'. It's 'van Basten' and 'van Nistelroy'. So why is Ludwig van just 'Beethoven'?"

[fsn]

Is it 'cos Beethoven is German and the rest are Dutch?

[Raider4]

Family is clearly of Dutch origin, hence the 'van'.

The Gerrman equivalent would be 'von', and is usually also given as part of the surname.

The mysteries of language. 

[Techno 3]

There was someone on the roster sheet called Van Driver when I worked for BT.
(I'!! get my own coat. )

[Ithoriel]

Hertz Van Rental - best striker the Dutch team ever had