The current debate about knife crime seems to have focussed on knives. Asda will no longer allow the sale of a single knife, there are suggestions that carrying a knife with a blade longer than three inches could get you into trouble.
In my car, I carry a selection of spanners and other tools, so that if I have a mechanical problem, I stand a chance of fixing it. And they have been useful in the past, especially for bicycle maintenance.
One of those tools is a screwdriver, with a shaft several inches long. No-one is talking about screwdrivers.
Or sharpened sticks.
As usual with prohibitions, the ban on young people buying knives has not only failed to prevent them getting them, but also invented a brand new criminal enterprise, where gang members older than 18 can obtain impressive "zombie" style knives and sell them on illicitly to younger members at a good profit.
ReplyDeleteIn the meantime, new legislation to prevent all mail-order sales is destroying legitimate businesses, which are already required to ensure that their buyers are of age.
And one of our 650 clowns has suggested putting a GPS tracker in every knife.
ReplyDeleteI'm not going to bother to point out the 101 reasons why that's a stupid idea.