# "Weapons" and personal safety



## Caveat (14 Nov 2008)

I guess it's all in the terminology and/or possible uses, but are there any implements/devices that are permitted to be carried for personal safety?

Maybe those siren /sonic repellent types devices, but anything else?

Also, I seem to remember seeing martial arts type shops in Dublin (would have been 9 years ago at this stage) which sold all manner of nunchakas (sp?), telescopic metal 'batons' and all sorts of potentially lethal looking things - is some sort of permit needed for these or can anyone just walk in and buy them?

(I'm not living in fear BTW, just curious!)


----------



## 1911 (16 Nov 2008)

> are there any implements/devices that are permitted to be carried for personal safety?


No, certainly not knives, battons, swords etc. Gardai tend to take a dim view of such things. People have been prosecuted and jailed for carrying “offensive weapons” such as these. The only devices permitted would be things like a whistle, mobile phone etc.
If you are found to be in possession of a knife, batten etc. without good reason expect to be prosecuted! On the other hand if you are out fishing in the countryside, were behaving in a nonthreatening manner and you were found to have a knife for cleaning out fish you could reasonably expect not to be prosecuted. Common sense generally applies.


----------



## starlite68 (16 Nov 2008)

i hear "thugs" sometimes carry a screwdriver! handy to stab someone...but not considered a weapon if you are cought with it.


----------



## 1911 (16 Nov 2008)

Following threatening behaviour towards me from a 12 year old with a baseball bat (long story!) I discussed offensive weapons at length with a garda once. He assured me that in certain situations objects such as screwdrivers could be considered offensive weapons and a prosecution could be secured.


----------



## Caveat (16 Nov 2008)

Ok I'll rephrase - does anyone know what is permitted, for personal safety, but is not considered a weapon?

The martials arts 'supplies' shop question was a seperate query.


----------



## LouthLass (16 Nov 2008)

I remember years ago at school when a Garda came in to give us a talk about the dangers of drugs and how to protect ourselves when walking alone.  Her advice was that to carry a tightly rolled up magazine with us to use as a possible baton.  She also advised that if we were carrying keys, to hold one hand in a fist with a sharp key held between the two forefingers that could be used against any possible assilant.  She did tell us that if we were attacked and used these methods against the would be mugger then no further action would be taken as keys and magazines are not weapons!  I thought it was good advice and still today if I find myself walking somewhere alone at night I use the key method she advised.


----------



## extopia (16 Nov 2008)

I never realised Louth was such a dangerous place!


----------



## LouthLass (16 Nov 2008)

extopia said:


> I never realised Louth was such a dangerous place!



Bandit country - what do you expect


----------



## jackreacher (16 Nov 2008)

have a look for a handy little item called a kubaton. kind of expands on the keys between fingers idea.


----------



## Satanta (17 Nov 2008)

Caveat said:


> Also, I seem to remember seeing martial arts type shops in Dublin (would have been 9 years ago at this stage) which sold all manner of nunchakas (sp?), telescopic metal 'batons' and all sorts of potentially lethal looking things - is some sort of permit needed for these or can anyone just walk in and buy them?


No permit needed to buy them, but I'm not sure what view would be taken if you were found walking the street with them (in a similiar manner to being able to buy a large kitchen knife no problem, but walk around with one and it's a different story).

I can't comment on the batons, but having 'played' with a friends nunchuks before I'd suggest that unless the user had a fair bit of experience they'd potentially/probably do more damage to themselves than to the attacker.


----------



## PeterGriffin (17 Nov 2008)

I had actually thought retractable batons were classed as offensive weapons. I seriously wouldn't recommend anybody to carry a weapon because, apart from the legal issues, unless you really know how to use it then it's going to be more of a liability to you than anything else. 

That having been said a good tip I heard years ago, particularly ladies, was to carry a deodorant spray in your pocket as it can act like mace and give you enough time to get away, although with some of the scumbags around though I'd rather carrly lighter fluid & a box of matches!!


----------



## Bubbly Scot (17 Nov 2008)

Women are probably better able to defend themselves than men. Key's, rolled up magazines, umberellas, tins of hairspray etc. can all be used effectively and since we generally have these to hand we can argue that they were not carried as a weapon.

So I tell my husband when he comments on the size and content of my handbag 

I do carry a swiss army knife on occassion for practical purposes, not protection.


----------



## 1911 (17 Nov 2008)

> having 'played' with a friends nunchuks before I'd suggest that unless the user had a fair bit of experience they'd potentially/probably do more damage to themselves than to the attacker.


+1
In many cases the victim ends up on the recieving end of the weapons that they carried to defend themselves with! This seems to happen more often when firearms or knives are involved. That is apart from the fact that there is a risk of getting prosecuted for walking around with them in the first place!


----------



## jackreacher (19 Nov 2008)

a kubaton is a four or five inch piece of metal, its not a retractable baton i think theyre called an "asp", that could be a brand name though.


----------



## sparkeee (19 Nov 2008)

what about a walking cane.


----------



## Purple (21 Nov 2008)

Only carry a knife is if you are willing to kill somebody. My old martial arts instructor used to come out with some good advice (other than “wax on, wax off”), one thing I remember is that an opponent should only realise that you are carrying a knife when it is sticking in him. In other words it’s not something to waive around to scare somebody off; if they are willing to attack a stranger they are probably more aggressive and willing to fight than you are. 



sparkeee said:


> what about a walking cane.


Not a common item for the under 70's


----------



## St. Bernard (21 Nov 2008)

Their are many everyday items that you can carry on your person nut can also be used as a weapon, such as a pen in your pocket which you could stab someone with or a belt with a heavy buckle which you could use to swing at someones head etc etc.

Knives and batons they are not but the damege can be just as bad.


----------



## brian.mobile (21 Nov 2008)

Pardon the pun, but 'The Key' in between the fingers, is the key to personal safety.

S


----------



## 1911 (23 Nov 2008)

> an opponent should only realise that you are carrying a knife when it is sticking in him



This would be a great line for a movie. In real life most sane people in Ireland would rather that knives were not carried for "protection". 

The more people that carry knives and such like the worse the situation gets. More often than not if such a weapon is used, it is used against the "victim" that was carrying it purely for "self defense". 

By law it is illegal to carry such things "for protection" and l hope anyone doing so gets prosecuted for it. 

A few days ago I was shown a photo by the father of a young girl that had her face slashed with a knife. He was (and still is I think) protesting outside Leinster house. If you are considering carrying a knife perhaps you should talk to him and look at the photo. 

I am a keen target shooter, but I can see what happens when the law allows the public to use firearms for self defense. Look at the US for an example of how not to do it. Thankfully in Ireland the law does not allow firearms to be used for self defense.


----------



## Jane Doe (28 Nov 2008)

LouthLass said:


> I remember years ago at school when a Garda came in to give us a talk about the dangers of drugs and how to protect ourselves when walking alone. Her advice was that to carry a tightly rolled up magazine with us to use as a possible baton. She also advised that if we were carrying keys, to hold one hand in a fist with a sharp key held between the two forefingers that could be used against any possible assilant. She did tell us that if we were attacked and used these method s against the would be mugger then no further action would be taken as keys and magazines are not weapons! .


 That is not necessarily true if it is used as a weapon a key is then a weapon according to one school of thought


----------



## truthseeker (28 Nov 2008)

Personally I think its better not to carry a weapon for personal safety.

I was the victim of an anti social behaviour incident earlier this week. In the heat of the moment I was frightened so much that if Id had a gun I would have used it. Then I would have ended up being the one in trouble.


----------



## annette mac (28 Nov 2008)

A lot of things can be _used_ as weapons but were not _designed _as weapons, that's the important difference.  Most people carry a set of keys and they carry them in order to use them for the purpose for which they were originally intended. Using keys to defend yourself if attacked is a very effective response but does not mean you have armed yourself with a weapon and the law would respect that difference.


----------

