You might carry knives to the planes again

[peacefuljeffrey]

I'd like to be able to fly with a multi-tool again. I hate having to go through my luggage to get it at the other end.

And to hope it's still there. :grumpy:


I have not flown much since 9/11, and the times I have, my stuff was undisturbed. (I think I have been on a total of 4 commercial flights, and 180 skydive flights since then.) Haven't had anything pilfered, but I know that the possibility is always there. While none of my knives is a $300 custom or anything, it's not like I could peruse the inventory and say, "THIS one I wouldn't mind having stolen."

What I have done, when it was possible, was subject the checked bag to the search (where they open it and stuff, right in front of you), and then after they were done, but cable-ties through the zippers. That way if anyone goes into the bag after the check has been done, I will at least KNOW it happened, and at what point in the trip it happened.

I am REALLY hoping that they pull back that idiotic rule, and soon.
It would be, for one thing, one indication that our rights as Americans are not utterly vanishing, if we saw one of them actually returned!

-Jeffrey

 

[peacefuljeffrey]

I wouldn't bet on it happening though. Common sense aside, some hopolophobic bigwig(s) would start quacking and pressure would be brought to bear. I'm not going to hold my breath, though I would dearly like to be able to carry my Wave or even a SAK on the plane again.

So why can't RIGHT-THINKING people ALSO bring pressure to bear? Why do we view ourselves as though we are out of the race as far as making ourselves and our demands/perspectives heard?

If someone comes out, as you suggest, and squawks about them letting us carry knives on board airliners again, why shouldn't we fairly expect that someone else will stand up to them and challenge them and DEMAND an explanation of just why knives need to continue to be banned?

We should be putting these idiot hoplophobes on the spot and forcing them to explain their irrational positions. When they are exposed as being irrational, they will be forced to sit down and shut up, and we may just get our way. Since there is no sensible reason to support the ban on knives (we all know that no one with a knife will ever again successfully take control of an airliner), we need that point of view put on broad display so that the public can realize we are right, and support our our sensible position.

-Jeffrey

 

[Danzz]

Why do we view ourselves as though we are out of the race as far as making ourselves and our demands/perspectives heard?

Because sensible people take a position on an issue like this using reason and logic. Reason and logic are not very "loud". Screaming irrational paranoia gets more people's attention, and the holplophobes are not going to stop screaming "knife! danger! knife! criminal!" just because there are many reasonable and sensible arguments against doing so.

 

[colinowens]

I walked though the metal detector at Logan with a Leatherman once! Although I once lost my Syderco in Britain going on the Eurostar train to Paris. I would have rathered the other way around.

 

[nutz_about_knives]

They probably wouldn't allow knives anyway... Just imagine everyone starts bringing their daggers and hunting knives on board... For national sercurity reasons too...You can't spot a spy agent from another country bringing in a assasin knife if everyone brings on a knife also.

And about why people cán't take down hijackers with knives, although there are maybe 200 passengers to 6 hijackers.... Its because they usually threatern to detonate a "bomb" and there may be a 'sleeper', which is a terrorist sitting among the passengers like one of them, with a remote control in his hand. Its because of the sleeper that many people would not try to retake control of the aircraft, because once the sleeper sees that they terrorists are being overthrown he will push the button. Of course if the bomb is on the terrorist it may be worth a try... If you can move quick enough.

 

[Thirteenth Star]

They probably wouldn't allow knives anyway... Just imagine everyone starts bringing their daggers and hunting knives on board... For national sercurity reasons too...You can't spot a spy agent from another country bringing in a assasin knife if everyone brings on a knife also.

And about why people cán't take down hijackers with knives, although there are maybe 200 passengers to 6 hijackers.... Its because they usually threatern to detonate a "bomb" and there may be a 'sleeper', which is a terrorist sitting among the passengers like one of them, with a remote control in his hand. Its because of the sleeper that many people would not try to retake control of the aircraft, because once the sleeper sees that they terrorists are being overthrown he will push the button. Of course if the bomb is on the terrorist it may be worth a try... If you can move quick enough.

Yeah, but, Richard Reed ("shoe bomber") almost blew up a plane regardless of the post-9/11 knife restrictions.

 

[Danzz]

You can't spot a spy agent from another country bringing in a assasin knife if everyone brings on a knife also.

No offense but is this a serious point? How is an "assasin knife" different from any other kind of knife, yet similar enough to a legit tool that a hypothetically permissive-to-knives TSA would let it on board in the first place? And why not just stick it in checked luggage if the knife is that important to the spy agent?

On the subject of airplane takeovers- I think that since 9/11, people realize that if they cooperate with terrorists on a plane, they are most likely going to die anyway and kill more people on the ground in the process.

 

[madcap_magician]

No offense but is this a serious point? How is an "assasin knife" different from any other kind of knife, yet similar enough to a legit tool that a hypothetically permissive-to-knives TSA would let it on board in the first place? And why not just stick it in checked luggage if the knife is that important to the spy agent?

I believe that the comment was meant to be sarcastic in nature.

I'm beside myself in joy at this possibility...

 

[ckj]

They probably wouldn't allow knives anyway... Just imagine everyone starts bringing their daggers and hunting knives on board... For national sercurity reasons too...You can't spot a spy agent from another country bringing in a assasin knife if everyone brings on a knife also.

And about why people cán't take down hijackers with knives, although there are maybe 200 passengers to 6 hijackers.... Its because they usually threatern to detonate a "bomb" and there may be a 'sleeper', which is a terrorist sitting among the passengers like one of them, with a remote control in his hand. Its because of the sleeper that many people would not try to retake control of the aircraft, because once the sleeper sees that they terrorists are being overthrown he will push the button. Of course if the bomb is on the terrorist it may be worth a try... If you can move quick enough.

I"m not sure i could spot a spy agent either way. It's not like he's gonna go, "hey i'm a spy agent look at my assasin knife".

 

[Phry]

They probably wouldn't allow knives anyway... Just imagine everyone starts bringing their daggers and hunting knives on board... For national sercurity reasons too...You can't spot a spy agent from another country bringing in a assasin knife if everyone brings on a knife also.

And about why people cán't take down hijackers with knives, although there are maybe 200 passengers to 6 hijackers.... Its because they usually threatern to detonate a "bomb" and there may be a 'sleeper', which is a terrorist sitting among the passengers like one of them, with a remote control in his hand. Its because of the sleeper that many people would not try to retake control of the aircraft, because once the sleeper sees that they terrorists are being overthrown he will push the button. Of course if the bomb is on the terrorist it may be worth a try... If you can move quick enough.

Wasn't this a movie with Kurt Russel?

 

[peacefuljeffrey]

I"m not sure i could spot a spy agent either way. It's not like he's gonna go, "hey i'm a spy agent look at my assasin knife".

Besides, apart from movies, just how common are knife-wielding assassins in the world?

-Jeffrey

 

[Blue Jays]

Hi All-

"...It's not gonna happen, not that I care. I don't see the need to have a knife on me while flying. It's not like I'm gonna cut open my bag of peanuts with it and have somebody scream 'Terrorist!' I would rather just pack 'em in my bag. Would be nice if they allowed them in the carry on, in case they lose my luggage..."

Having a nice folding knife aboard an aircraft is convenient for opening mylar food packaging, plastic wrap on new CDs and DVDs, tough plastic clamshell packaging, slicing bagels and spreading cream cheese, halving apples and smearing peanut butter, removing fabric pulls from garments before hopping into a cab to visit clients, popping zip-ties on luggage, and a whole bunch of other things.

It ain't about defense all the time...

~ Blue Jays ~

 

[Merek]

...threatern to detonate a "bomb" ....may be a 'sleeper'... with a remote control in his hand. ....many people would not try to retake control of the aircraft, because once the sleeper sees that they terrorists are being overthrown he will push the button. .....

I will take the chance there is NOT a bomb rather than submit to a terrorist plot just for a few extra minutes of life lived in fear....

Sitting by quietly ain't in my nature. I remember my mother's story from when she was a little girl in Chicago. Someone drove into deep water and was out of the vehicle and trying to swim, but was screaming that they could not and needed help. The crowd stood and watched him drown. This story made a big impression on me as a kid and I have made many things my business simply because it was the right thing to help someone, whether to save their life, purchase their groceries anonymously or offer encouragement and a smile.
If someone isn't intending to act, get out of the way. 9/11 changed a lot of things. Remember Flight 93!

I will happily be a 'knife-wielding assassin' assassin.....