collapsible baton...legal?

[mldollins]

I am in Illinois. Some have said that if it is concealed its illegal. If that is the case, then a pocket knife is illegal.

Can someone give me some direction.....

thanks

[edcopp]

West to Mo. They have a much more realistic and sensible approach.

[foxtrapper]

You need to read the law. Usually, there is a requirement of intent before you can *lawfully* be charged with illegally concealing a deadly weapon. As cops and prosecuters routinely find laws inconvenient impediments, don't expect either to feel the need to follow the law should they ever find you concealing a weapon.

[VERN in IL]

Originally Posted by mldollins

I am in Illinois. Some have said that if it is concealed its illegal. If that is the case, then a pocket knife is illegal.

Can someone give me some direction.....

thanks

a baton is a weapon, a pocket knife under (I think) 4" is not a weapon, but a tool.

I used to carry a survival knife in my toolbox, I don't anymore. I carry my kershaw Leek to impress the ladies.

[Harry Chickpea]

Take me out to the BALL GAME...

Sure would like an autograph on that bat...

Got the catcher's mitt right beside it...

Wanna play hardball?

Batons are for cheerleaders.

[kruizeag]

Every state has different laws and definitions to what "concealed weapon" mean. In VA an expandable baton would be considered a weapon. After all, you have it for one real purpose. It was not made to be a prybar or cane, but as a weapon. A pocket knife has many uses and you may not be carrying it with the intent to cause physical injury or death to another. I have charged a guy with carrying a concealed weapon because he had a slingshot in his jacket pocket. It was upheld in court and he was convicted of it.

I am not sure about Illinois, but in Virginia we can open carry firearms. On your own property you can carry concealed. So if you have a baton, you can hide it on you all you want until you step off your property.

Best thing to do is look up IL law on concealed weapons or consult your local District Attorneys office for guidance, after all, if you got charged with carrying concealed weapons, they are the ones who prosecute you.

[Sam_Luna]

Originally Posted by foxtrapper

As cops and prosecuters routinely find laws inconvenient impediments, don't expect either to feel the need to follow the law should they ever find you concealing a weapon.

It is obvious by your disdain for law enforcement & the legal system, that you do not call them when you need help. Whom do you call then?

Sam

[pheasantplucker]

I carry whatever and don't care about consequences. I guess I'll have to convince a jury that I'm one of the good guys.

[Dwayne Barry]

Originally Posted by kruizeag

It was not made to be a prybar or cane, but as a weapon. A pocket knife has many uses and you may not be carrying it with the intent to cause physical injury or death to another.

I'd like your opinion on this. I know a fair number of cyclists who are beginning to carry these things in their jersey pockets. I've even thought about getting one. They carry them for protection against dogs not other people. So are they illegal, per se? What is concealed? Is sticking a few inches up out of your jersey pocket considered concealed?

[pheasantplucker]

I'd carry it mostly concealed and if they see it and stop you they can't very well say it was concealed, right?

[Old Vet]

Here in Arkansas they are legal no matter what you do to them. In Illinois it may be different so contact somebody in Illinois that is supposed to know the law or go to the library and look at the laws and see for your self. No body can give you a true answer over the Internet.

[VERN in IL]

Originally Posted by Sam_Luna

It is obvious by your disdain for law enforcement & the legal system, that you do not call them when you need help. Whom do you call then?

Sam

Smith and Wesson

They carry them for protection against dogs not other people. So are they illegal, per se? What is concealed? Is sticking a few inches up out of your jersey pocket considered concealed?

I would leave this up to the grand jury to decide, case by case.

[foxtrapper]

Originally Posted by Sam_Luna

It is obvious by your disdain for law enforcement & the legal system, that you do not call them when you need help. Whom do you call then?

Sam

My friends, Smith and Wesson.

[homesteadforty]

Originally Posted by foxtrapper

My friends, Smith and Wesson.

Will you rely on the first police officer on scene if you have an accident, your car is on fire, you're stuck, and the cop is suffering burns to drag you out or will you call your friends and wait for them to get there... or maybe you'll shoot the flames to hold them at bay??? And will your bravado extend to your family if they're in a situation that they can't help themselves and you, your friends, and Smith and Wesson are unavailable?

Some cops are great, some are good, some are mediocre and an occasional one is an idiot... the same as any other segment of society. Even here at HT there are people that fit all descriptions... including the occasional fool.

[foxtrapper]

Recognize sarcasm for what it is, don't confuse it for bravado.

Believe it or not, generally speaking if you're in a crash and your car is in flames a cop is NOT nearby. You're going to be getting yourself out of the car, or counting on a good sam to get you out.

You can romanticise a cop all you wish. I know too many to suffer that delusion, I'll stick with reality instead.

[Beeman]

Originally Posted by mldollins

I am in Illinois. Some have said that if it is concealed its illegal. If that is the case, then a pocket knife is illegal.

Can someone give me some direction.....

thanks

Weigh the consequences. What would be the infraction for carrying this compared to the consequences of not? I have rarely heard of anyone suffering consequences of carrying something illegally unless they themselves did something illegal. I've been found carrying an illegal weapon, given a talking to and sent on my way.

[homesteadforty]

Originally Posted by foxtrapper

Recognize sarcasm for what it is, don't confuse it for bravado.

Believe it or not, generally speaking if you're in a crash and your car is in flames a cop is NOT nearby. You're going to be getting yourself out of the car, or counting on a good sam to get you out.

You can romanticise a cop all you wish. I know too many to suffer that delusion, I'll stick with reality instead.

soap box alert

In many areas a cop is likely to be the first on the scene of accidents... they're already on the road patroling whereas other rescue resources generally have to be called from the station... if not form home first.

But my bigger point is that if the cop is the first one there, at an accident, a house fire and many other sorts of situations they almost invariable will put themselves in harms way to help... and they don't stop to ask nor care whether the person they're helping is a criminal or not or likes them or not.

Another big point is that cops are just people doing a job... just like a homesteader, a trucker, a Doctor or the cashier at the local Wallyworld. They're not some mystical creature that pops up out of the ashes for their 8 hour shift then disappears back into the ashes until their next shift.

They are our brothers, sisters, parents, children, friends and neighbors. They may be the person beside you in the church pew, in the next seat at a ball game, or on the next stool at the local bar... some of them are even us (here on HT). They have the same issues as everybody else, how are the kids doing in school, the car is overdue for an oil change and needs tires, the snow needs shoveled, and for some they wish they had more time to work in the garden or more time to tend their animals.

I do not "romanticise" them at all... nor do I demonize them as you did:

Originally Posted by foxtrapper

As cops and prosecuters routinely find laws inconvenient impediments, don't expect either to feel the need to follow the law...

I just recognize who and what they are. I have known some that I was happy to call friends, many that were acquaintances (and basically indifferent to personally), a few that I couldn't stand to be around and one or two that I had (or almost had) fights with.

Finally, something that I find amusing and it typically comes from cop bashers, is that all cops are demonized because a few may stretch or even break occasional laws to their advantage... thing is, the demonization usually comes from someone advising a fellow HTer to break or ignore the law because it's an "inconvenient impediment".

[foxtrapper]

I didn't demonize them. What I said was "As cops and prosecuters routinely find laws inconvenient impediments, don't expect either to feel the need to follow the law should they ever find you concealing a weapon."

The rest of the anti-cop rant came from you and Sam-Luna. You both took my words and went running with them.

If you can't differentiate between someone with their eyes open and a demonization, that's your problem.