Is it illegal to carry a baseball bat inside a car for protection?

[ACS S3]

Well I was thinking of throwing a baseball bat inside my car just incase. I live at Hollywood and lot of punks try to f*&k around seeing a young kid riding a nice car anyway a gun is not an options since I am not 18 anyway let me know guys what you have in your car thanks.

[shhuang]

don't see why it would be illegal...

[timpy]

just have a glove and maybe a ball too incase you get pulled over so you dont get harassed

[T-Rex]

just have a glove and maybe a ball too incase you get pulled over so you dont get harassed
exactly. If you don't have a ball & bat, it can be considered assualt with a deadly weapon if you have to use it.

[ilia]

Yea, carry the whole shebang and you're cool. Nothing illegal about baseball. My friends and I always used to have one back when we were younger, and it came in handy once when we got jumper by like 6 kids. Only needed to be handy that one time to make it worth carrying that whole time before and after.

[ACS S3]

can I throw the glove and boll in the trunk and the bat in the back seat?

[Robstah]

I have a huge breaker bar and crow bar in the back of my car. I use them for automotive classes.

[ACS S3]

:redspot

[timmy328is]

i carry a metal pipe in my trunk, also known as a breaker bar. :evil2

[sportcarm3]

Having a baseball bat isnt illegal, but if you hit someone with it it could go either way, same thing if you threw a baseball at their head. It dosent matter if there are balls or no balls, even if the balls are there and you hit someone in the head it isnt going to chane anything.

[bloxsom]

i have a 1 3/4 wrench (about 2.5 feet long) that sits under the rear seat. (e36 325is) you cant even reily tell that its there or that the seat pops up.
it has reily easy acess from the drivers seat.
lol, its for my fan deleat that i am going to do...

[Matt P.]

dude screw baseball bats. if you swing once and you miss they carry too much momentum and they are hard to recover.


Golf clubs are where its at!

carry a 9 iron and some golf balls in the back seat ;)

[Ohtwo]

Maglite.

I just haven't mounted one yet, because I dont want to put two sheet metal screws into my floor board. If you hit something, the maglite will probably fly around the cabin though.

[eugenem3]

hey, dude, I have a snow shovel in my trunk:lol

[Chuck Finley]

Yes of course it's illegal to have a baseball bat in your vehicle!! LOL better warn all the mom's taking their kids to practice!! They may get arrested for possession of a dangerous weapon!! LOL this thread makes me laugh

[trk]

Yes, it is illegall.

[mmzcee]

get a big ass maglite, so you can blind them and then hit em with it

[SS84]

Why continue being a punk?
Using a baseball bat just makes you a punk with a stick.

Take some self-defense courses or something, maybe a martial arts course...change your situation instead of buying into the circle of violence.

[cyanprinter]

Why continue being a punk?
Using a baseball bat just makes you a punk with a stick.

Take some self-defense courses or something, maybe a martial arts course...change your situation instead of buying into the circle of violence.

HAHHAHAH lol good advice

An even better idea, well maybe more applicable to home, is a CO2 fire extinguisher. Most of us are smart enough to take the idea from there lol. Humans can't breath C02 without passing out.

Personally, I have a police maglight stored between my seat and the tranny wall. A handy place to put a flashlight, as well as my umbrella. The light (and the umbrella lol) are there for peacetime use, but I'm sure that the flashlight would work in a pinch (anyone ever see those police videos where they use it as a nightstick?).

[gota525i]

I have "The Club"..Need be, it opens up in 2 pieces and WILL do some damage. When I take it off the steering wheel, I prop it in between my passenger seat and center console :)

[MP525i]

maglight ftw!

my sister's boyfriend is a state trooper... they carry maglights filled with lead. a nice little weapon for your knees if you get outta hand.

-mike

[LinearX]

I just keep a tire iron that's actually made out of iron handy.

[pbonsalb]

All of the above can be considered weapons. You can find prosecutions involving all of them. The safest bet would be to have your weapon with other tools or sports equipment or whatever so that there is less likely to be sufficient circumstantial evidence that it is intended to be a weapon.

Using it brings on more problems. Self defense is justifiable, but the investigation is usually not a simple one and the truth does not always come out. When there are three on the other side and they all say that you pulled out the tire iron and came after them and there are no other witnesses, you may find yourself with legal problems.

As others pointed out, if you don't know how to use a weapon -- and many people who have them do not, you may be worse off in the end. Generally, if you are in your car, you have the opportunity to leave and thus did not have to engage in self defense (generally the only time when you do not have a legal obligation to avoid the fight is when it is in your own home). All this comes out at trial.

Do whatever you do intelligently. Find the people who have been there and done that and seen the consequences if you want the best advice.

Philip Bradley

[ALPIN3]

Whatever happened to pepper spray? Or is that not hardcore enough? :confused

[Capital]

Just carry around a big riffle in your back seat with a dead bear, deer, or antelope tied to your roof. You'll be cool.

[morerevsm3]

you people are strange, I carry condoms for protection :stickoutt

[JCK]

http://www.pistolskytte.org/info/vapen/SIG-Sauer_P225.jpg

[TAMUmpower]

exactly. If you don't have a ball & bat, it can be considered assualt with a deadly weapon if you have to use it.

Correction, using a bat on anyone is assault with a "deadly weapon" even your fists can be considered a "deadly weapon". Technically anything can be considered one, even if you like took your shoe off and threw it.....there ya go.

[Chuck Finley]

lol i'm so glad i'm 21, carry a badge, and a CCW...lol

Here is my daily "protection"

Kimber Ultra Raptor II
Fox OC
Surefire E2D

;)

http://www.kimberamerica.com/images/pistols/special-eds/2005-Summer/large/Ultra_Raptor_Left.jpg

[Jean-Claude]

:rofl
I carry a old billy club in my backseat. The off-shaped "T" style.

[bigbilly]

Just carry around a big riffle in your back seat with a dead bear, deer, or antelope tied to your roof. You'll be cool.

That's GREAT! Now I just need to find a bear, deer, or antelope in Pinellas county. Do you think this would wreck my ragtop?

[MD326]

It doesnt matter if you have the glove and ball.. lol.

Self defense is self defense given the right circumstances. If a baseball bat is illegal misewell chop your limbs off since you can assault somebody with those too.

You can carry a knife if its up to 3 inches, and anthing over that length has to be a tuck away blade I beleive.

Weapons for self defense ftw.

[QuickSilv3r]

No, its not illegal at all. I carry a collapsable ASP Tactical Baton in my glove box for protection, they can take pretty much anybody down fairly easily with good force, they're strong(metal) and when they're collapsed, they dont look like a weapon. Cops even use them, I actually bought it from an online police warehouse ;) It's called self defense if any officer questions the use of it, that is, dont just beat someone in the face with it for no reason....:rolleyes

www.theofficerstore.com

[95m3sc]

mag lite is much better and if you need a flashligh it good too. Get the big ones that hold like 10 d batteries

[bdifc]

I always have a flashlight in my trunk. Just so happens to be a 6-D cell Maglite.

[b'hambimmer]

mag lite is much better and if you need a flashligh it good too. Get the big ones that hold like 10 d batteries
Gotta go with the multi-tasker - MagLite! It's also shorter and easier to use from the inside of the car. I'm not sure how you'd get the bat, golf club, etc. out from wherever you store it and bring it to bear while inside the car. How fearful of your life could you be if you get out of the car to defend yourself? It could be argued that you would have been safer in the car, putting it drive and speeding off.

btw - I usually have a hockey stick in my car. Daughter's the only girl on the local boy's bantam league. Her favorite t-shirt: "Yes, I'm a girl. Yes, I play hockey. And yes, I can kick your ass."

[scoobydawg04]

im not sure about everywhere else but here in wisconsin if someone comes after you, you have every right to do whatever you have to do to protect yourself. go vin diesel style, when he opens up the passenger seat to turn on the nawz, instead of nawz bottles but like your own little desperado assortment; grenades, throwing stars, pistols, tranquilizers, cyanide pills (for the enemy). criminals will be all weary to steal any bmw after that, they will hear stories about car seats filled with weapons and after that we wont be able to take our car seats into bars anymore without inspection for weapons.

[vnv01]

How about not going where the punks go.. so you don't have to find out whether you can swing that bat fast enough? (hint* If they jump you, it won't be fast enough, trust me.)

It's a weapon if it was involved in a crime.. You don't plan on commiting a crime, then you're cool. Gonna be hard to argue self defense if the "punk" is unarmed.. keep that in mind.

[cabezon]

when would you need a weapon in a car? if I am getting jacked and there is a gun to my head, my sneakers are the only tool I will need. if I am out of my car, and the bat is inside, then what? If you go into the car and don't drive away, but instead pull out a bat, you are going to jail.
The only situation where I see a baseball bat helping is a "shaun of the dead" and zombies are surrounding you.

[b'hambimmer]

How about not going where the punks go.. so you don't have to find out whether you can swing that bat fast enough? (hint* If they jump you, it won't be fast enough, trust me.)
Figures someone will bring logic and intelligence to the conversation and ruin it. :rolleyes

[Pink Floyd]

when would you need a weapon in a car? if I am getting jacked and there is a gun to my head, my sneakers are the only tool I will need. if I am out of my car, and the bat is inside, then what? If you go into the car and don't drive away, but instead pull out a bat, you are going to jail.
The only situation where I see a baseball bat helping is a "shaun of the dead" and zombies are surrounding you.

You win.

Seriously, we all know the reason for keeping weapons in our car. It's not self defense, it's to beat the shit out of some asshole who rearends us or to harass some asshole driver at the next traffic light. I always keep a few big rocks under my seat to throw at other cars - that way I don't even have to open the door.

[ACS S3]

Yeah so theres nothing that you can put inside a car for seld defense?Except a gun with a permit?

[memphit]

I'm probably going to get flamed for this but, do you honestly need to worry about getting jumped while in a car? Just buy a prepaid cell phone and remember the numbers "911". Guns are overkill IMO.

[Icarus94]

Just carry around a big riffle in your back seat with a dead bear, deer, or antelope tied to your roof. You'll be cool.

:lol :lol

That's why you carry a springfield micro compact on your waist band:devillook

[Chuck Finley]

Guns are overkill IMO.

Please go hug a tree. KTHXBYE :rolleyes


I said please ;)

[andrewstcyr]

you people are strange, I carry condoms for protection :stickoutt

yeah that's all you really need when you're cruisin in the bimmer but hellz that bat might come in handy for beatin off the ugly ones!

[SDKmann]

Just keep a few of your friends in the car with you. Some kid cut me off in the line to get out of the school parking lot and called me a fag so I sent one of my friends to run up and punch him through the window. How about a tazer? Those look fun.

[Hjasty Ipo]

I got pulled over with a baseball bat in my backseat, I told the cop it was because I got jumped at a Wendy's a while back. He said if it's for protection I can't keep it in the back seat or he could write me up for concealed weapon because I admitted it was for protection.

[scoobydawg04]

I got pulled over with a baseball bat in my backseat, I told the cop it was because I got jumped at a Wendy's a while back. He said if it's for protection I can't keep it in the back seat or he could write me up for concealed weapon because I admitted it was for protection.

that was a bonehead move by you then

[polishracing95]

my uncles a cop and he got me a night stick just incase i need it....:)

[rmani]

I got pulled over with a baseball bat in my backseat, I told the cop it was because I got jumped at a Wendy's a while back. He said if it's for protection I can't keep it in the back seat or he could write me up for concealed weapon because I admitted it was for protection.


I know someone else who got caught back in high school with a bat in the car, the cop just yelled at him. It can be taken as a concealed weapon. I used to carry one in my car when I was in high school cause I like the added security. Now I would consider a mag lite a much better option.

[crash8168]

Well I was thinking of throwing a baseball bat inside my car just incase. I live at Hollywood and lot of punks try to f*&k around seeing a young kid riding a nice car anyway a gun is not an options since I am not 18 anyway let me know guys what you have in your car thanks.
You are driving the only weapon necessary....

[srt8]

have you guys ever heard of your two fists the one you F**k Every night
lol

[EOSphoto]

Just carry around a big riffle in your back seat with a dead bear, deer, or antelope tied to your roof. You'll be cool.

Best answer so far...

Also I thought you can't carry concealed handguns in CA

[kindtree]

I got pulled over with a baseball bat in my backseat, I told the cop it was because I got jumped at a Wendy's a while back. He said if it's for protection I can't keep it in the back seat or he could write me up for concealed weapon because I admitted it was for protection.

Yeah, I was an MP in the Marines for a little bit, and basically if you admit it's for protection, you basically screw yourself because then it's considered a weapon. That's why you tell em the bat is for baseball, the machete is for whackin through bushes, and the dead body in the trunk is a science project....

But on a serious note, ANYTHING that the cop asks you what it's for, if you answer self-defense or protection, becomes a "weapon." I know it's probably not like that in every state, but I know gay ass CA is like that. Also, in some states, even if someone is threatening you or your property (car), if you have a legitimate avenue of espcape, the retreat rule applies, and you are obligated to make an effort to avoid the confrontation, but most states apply the "stand-your-ground" rule stating if you feel you or your property is in IMMINENT danger of serious bodily harm, and the potential offender is about commit a felonious act, by all means protect yourself.

A few years back, when I was in college at Michigan, I had a part time job as a cabbie and they passed this concealed weapon law where you could carry one as long as you had no prior felonies and you had a somewhat legitimate reason. Well, I was all set up to get one, because a couple of my friends got robbed, and sometinmes you carry a grip of cash by the end of your shift, but the stupid cab company clamped down and insisted that if we were caught with a weapon we'd be fired....

Also, do not get a weapon for protection if you are not absolutely schooled up on how to use it extremely effectively and efficiently. Otherwise, you're probably just putting yourself in way more danger than if you didn't have it.

Just my $.02

[alderuccip]

Maglite. Change the bulb to be a xenon bulb. Much brighter. Keep in your car for whatever you may need it for. It'll work for protection if you absolutely need it, but I would say your best bet is the gas pedal.

[turnerNCM3]

I have a concealed carry permit for a handgun. I have been pulled over with a glock in the glove box. "Any weapons in the car"...why yes...Showed the officer my permit and ID, end of story. Know your rights and exercise them.

[BigTed00]

gigantic maglight under the front seat ftw. Those things can do some serious damage, and while I'll probably never have to use it for self-defence its nice to have as reassurance. Plus its a kick-ass flashlight.

Mine is the oversized one

http://www.megaweb.gr.jp/Uds/About/collection_DB/outdoor/photo/big/od14.jpg

[Spargo]

<img src=http://www.nrastore.com/nra/images/detail/21719detail.jpg>
Thats about all you need right there

Realisitcally though when I went cross country with my fiance (or rather attempted) we put pepper spray in both the door boxes. Think of it this way, you're in your car somone comes up to you branding a weapon, what are you gunna do with your bat? poke him through the window? by the time you get out with your bat you'd probably be toast, pepperspray blinds the bastard, and you get away, AND its not as perminentaly damaging, you break somones arm with a bat you can get assault, but pepperspray is pretty well know and a defencive weapon.

The only downside I must say is you don't look very bad ass holding it :P

-Adrian

[SDKmann]

The only problem with just driving off is that if they have a gun or even a bat then they could shoot/hit your car. And if you hit them with your car there might be some body and paint damage....
What if you keep a knife in your glove box as a tool, not for cutting people, and you get pulled over. Is it considered a concealed weapon even if you dont intend to use it as one?

[bimmerdriver99]

Just get a carry gun.

[seonadancing]

I carry an Arnis stick that is made of kamagong wood under the passenger side seat. Jeepney drivers here carry lead pipes to guage how much gas they have left and they use that for self-defense as well. Well since, they're mostly stupid and load passengers in the middle of the road, i have a good chance of road rage and confront these inconsiderate fools. That's were the stick comes to play.

[SurgeGT]

I have "The Club"..Need be, it opens up in 2 pieces and WILL do some damage. When I take it off the steering wheel, I prop it in between my passenger seat and center console :)


OT but this reminds me of a funny 'punk kids' story growing up. i lived in a pseudo-ghetto and one day my friends in my car exchange words with 2 guys in another. we part ways...

turns out they live down the street and on their way home see us hanging out outside. they swing around and jump out of the car pretty much looking to fight...

the funny part? one of the guys comes out with "THE CLUB!" D@M!! for those that dont know, they split into two...a fat heavy side and a scrony whipping stick 'spank-me-ive-been-a-bad-boy' side--guess which side the dude had???? :biglaughb :biglaughb :biglaughb :biglaughb :biglaughb

i dunno...call me crazy, but i would have grabbed the heavy side. :dunno

[Chuck Finley]

Also, in some states, even if someone is threatening you or your property (car), if you have a legitimate avenue of espcape, the retreat rule applies, and you are obligated to make an effort to avoid the confrontation, but most states apply the "stand-your-ground" rule stating if you feel you or your property is in IMMINENT danger of serious bodily harm, and the potential offender is about commit a felonious act, by all means protect yourself.

Florida JUST changed the "duty to retreat" rule for your home and in public, god i love my state with its liberal gun laws :-D


Also, do not get a weapon for protection if you are not absolutely schooled up on how to use it extremely effectively and efficiently. Otherwise, you're probably just putting yourself in way more danger than if you didn't have it.

Could not agree more.

[IchLiebeBMW]

No one has to know that you have it for protection, for all they know you could have just bought it at the sporting goods store and you taking it home...

[1991bmw]

my friend carries a brass pipe in the back of his truck, it fucked up the side of a pickup once, we wanted to see how bad it would be, and ofcourse since i live out in the sticks half the guys have pickups that don't run and never have plans to. Lots of fun and lots of damage.

[ZeroM3Power]

Run wit the idea, just bring that glove and ball >_<

[Josh&Shannon530]

I came in waaay late on this; I'm usually on the 5-series threads... but here's my logic(s), including law-enforcement experience from a decade ago: 1: if you're going to carry a baseball bat for protection, but you're concerned with getting hassled by police for having a "weapon," then get a baseball glove too and keep it in the same seat as the bat. If you're questioned, it should be reasonably assumed that you do, indeed, play baseball with friends. Even if the law enforcement officer cites you for a "weapon," you will have evidence on your behalf in the fact that there was also a baseball glove in the car... of course, this is assuming you have learned your lesson about admitting you carry an item as a "weapon" for *whatever* reason, past present or future. 2: If you do carry a bat, or a club, or a stick, or whatever, have it *easily accesible* to you in case you need it RIGHT NOW. "Bad guys" almost always have the upper hand as far as the element of surprise; you need your defense *at hand in an instant.* You can't pause even for a second in time to ask an aggresor, "excuse me, will you give me just a moment to reach in to my back seat so that I may get my defense weapon?" Of course, I'm being sardonic, but you get my point. I, like others here, strongly recommend a Maglite, tucked between the seat and center console. I had a situation summer of '03 in which an overly-aggressive panhandler attempted to open my door at an intersection; the mere sight of a shiny, cylindrical black something coming up towards the door from out of his line of direct sight was quite enough to convince him that he needed to back away from the car. Lastly, 3: FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY AND WELL-BEING: you need to ASSUME that the "punks" or "thugs" you and others are referring to are ARMED WITH GUNS. I don't care *what* the laws are or what state you are in; it's simply a FACT that boys/teens/thugs/gang members/gang-wannabe-members/punks etc are no longer JUST a little attitude and testosterone. It's a very, very safe assumption that these guys, even as idiotic as they look with their baseball caps turned sideways or their little I'm-trying-to-look-cool goatees or pencil-thin moustaches or whatever the look may be, have a "piece" on them, or if there's more than one, at least one of them is going to have a gun. Even back in the mid-'90s, I was taking handguns off of guys as young as *twelve.* And I honestly couldn't count the number of guns I've gotten off of teenage males and young adults. The answer was always the same: "I've got one 'cuz evryone else out here do." And it's not like crime has gotten any kindler & gentler since then, you know? My point being: if carrying a baseball bat makes you confident to the point that you're willing to get out of your vehicle to confront someone, you may want to seriously consider just driving away and realizing there's worse things than an insult or two being hurled at you. It could be a few shots from a 9mm instead. OK, HERE'S my actual final thought: if you qualify to own one, get a handgun, get professional training on how to use it (including shoot/don't shoot scenarios and the psychology and responsibility of maintaining control of a lethal weapon), obtain the state-permitted concealed-carry licences, and keep it with you when you are in your Bimmer.

[Josh&Shannon530]

In re-reading what I just wrote, I apologize for being so damn long-winded... and for repeating a few other people's thoughts. Great minds think alike, and ours do too, I guess... haha

[SDKmann]

Ok, if you are a cop then can you answer this- if I keep a knife in my glove box as a tool and not a weapon and a cop finds it then is it considered a concealed weapon?

[Josh&Shannon530]

SDKmann- I'm no longer a law-enforcement officer; I got out of that business in '95. But I will say this, from my days (nights, actually) on the streets: there's the *letter of the law* in which everything is defined clearly in black & white in the State Codes & Laws book for your state; then there's the *spirit of the law* in the fact that many, many decisions are left up to the cop who's dealing with you for whatever reason or circumstance. Example: in Iowa, your state, *IF* the Code book says the knife is a weapon, then so be it: if the cop is going through your glove box because he has reasonable suspicion to do so, or if you've given consent for him to do so, and he finds the knife, then yes, he can cite you for it. *However,* if you're not a "thug," or if you don't have any previous criminal record, or if you're being courteous and not giving him an "attitude," then chances are, he's gonna let it slide. Believe me, the paperwork and pain-in-the-ass factor for one little violation like that is hardly worth the cop's time & effort... UNLESS you've pissed him (or her) off and he just wants to ruin your day to show you what the attitude invited. Know what I mean? It's different if he smelled weed in your car and your eyes are glazed over, and incident to the search for marijuana he found a large Rambo-type knife along with a pot pipe and a bunch of seeds & stems... versus asking you if there are any weapons in the car and you tell him where to find your Swiss Army knife your grandfather gave you when you turned 15. See where I'm coming from? I suggest you check your state's specific laws; the Code and Law book is usually in updated form at your public library. Or, for that matter, just ask a State Trooper... but by phone or in person at the local office... not in the middle of a traffic stop in which you're the target. (haha) Hope that helps.

[pbonsalb]

As a criminal prosecutor, I would recommend that you avoid these situations. Let's say you have the license to carry and someone threatens you and you shoot them. Don't think the police will show up, check you license, and tell you to have a nice day. You will be dealing with red tape for many months and maybe a civil suit even if law enforcement does eventually decide that, under the laws of the particular state you live it, your shooting was justified.

Leave the self defense for the ultimate last resort, unless you are the semi-professional street fighter type -- in which case you are certainly not driving around in a BMW advertising your identity to everyone.

Philip Bradley

[cedchung]

you're not yet 18 and you have an E36, an X5 and a 645??? :eek:

[hotimportknight]

Im sure it varies for all states, but i watched my 16 year old step brother get arrested in the mcdonalds parking lot while getting into his car, and the cops drive up and start shining around the back of his car. Didnt get a fine or any thing, but they put him in cuffs and waited for his mom to come get him. Kinda rediculous, but then again, he just got a felony assult with a deadly weapon or some thing for beating some kids brains in with a baseball bat... oh well dont live with him any more, not my deal.

[SDKmann]

Josh&Shannon530- Thanks, I guess I wont be putting a knife in there now. All the cops around here are jerks and will want to ruin your day even if you have done nothing wrong. In one of the cities that makes up the "Quad Cities" the cops there only have two radar guns but they pull over people anyway and say they are "speeding". The cops just take a guess and most people dont doubt what they are saying because they have a badge and a gun.

[Baby ///M3]

If you are in the State of CA, look up PC 12020 for a list of items that have been defined as "deadly weapons" by the lawmakers.

If I remember things correctly, I don't think a baseball bat constitutes deadly weapon per se under the code. In light of this, I don't think the prosecution would necessarily encourage everyone to carry a baseball bat (or anything that can cause great bodily injuries to another) around all the time in a moving vehicle.

In my opinion, as long as it's not a deadly weapon defined by the penal code, whether what you bring in your car counts as a deadly weapon really depends on your status, criminal priors, and modifications (if any) done to the baseball bat.

A lot of my clients have been screwed for simply carrying knives with blades exceeding 2 inches (even if they were using it for work) or even a baseball bat with a long hand string attach to it simply because they are parolees.

By screwed, I mean they were literally taken in custody and locked up for a period of time in state prison.

Jon

[ShoreBimmerBoi]

i carry a tazer, a retracting metal baton, a baseball bat, HCL acid, a rambo knife, and the most deadly of deadly weapons nunchucks. Oh yea and a few ninja stars.

[kindtree]

I wonder if they'd consider a noose a deadly weapon.... :confused

[pbonsalb]

The maglight may be the best one for being excusable in a normal stop. If it is used in an altercation, however, it may be deemed a deadly weapon. You can get in a fight and kick someone and in some jurisdictions be charged with assault with a deadly weapon. Or you could pick up the bottle or stick in the street and use it and be similarly charged in many jurisdictions.

If you must defend yourself, do so. If you are looking for a fight, be smart about it. Don't drive up in your nice BMW. Don't have tatoos and other identifying features. Don't do it with friends you cannot trust with your life -- 99% of the time the friends will turn on you during the investigation. Join a boxing or martial arts club. Whatever you do with what you learn, do it intelligently.

Philip Bradley

[photopaintball]

The best thing is carburator cleaner.
100000x worse than pepper spray.
If you spray it on your hands it will start to hurt after a while!
Comes in little spray bottles that fit in pockets.
Not considered a weapon.
Can be used from inside the car.
Stick it in your cup holder.

I agree that a baseball bat is a slow inefficent way of protecting yourself.
I used to have a spyderco butterfly knife but I sold it because I didnt want to go to jail if I was caught with it.
I would get a tire iron or such, this kind of thing belongs in your car.

OR GET AN ICE SCRAPER! this would be great if you live in a hot climate
"Man Killed in Self Defense With Ice Scraper"

[SpecVcepS]

I used to have a spyderco butterfly knife but I sold it because I didnt want to go to jail if I was caught with it.



I dunno why you would go to jail for carrying one... i carry the spyderco spyderfly butterfly knife with me all the time, last time i got pulled over the cop asked if i had any weapons on me, i was like yes...a knife i got for christmas....i merely had to hand it over to him, he handed it back and told me to put it away. They searched me and my car because a similar one was reported stolen in the area.

Dont be a dick and you shouldnt have any problems.

[m3steve]

It is not illegal, unless they can prove premedited intent to inflict bodily harm on a particular individual. Which would be nearly impossible unless you had a post it note attached to the bat with the guys name on it, that you just beat to a pulp. Its no different then having one in your house. Having a ball and a mitt in there isn't a bad idea though.

[ACS S3]

Now this is the shit :D
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a384/Crown-Wear/Roumanian_A8.jpg

[MattE21]

Question:

Say i keep a collapsible 16" baton on the side of my seat, not visible at all, but easily accessable. When i get pulled over, and the cop asks if i have any weapons, do i have to declare it? And if yes, what will the cop do?

[ACS S3]

I think you should say no, and if he searches and finds a bat just tell him you didn’t know a baseball bat would consider to be a weapon, because if you think about it, its like saying yeah i have a basketball in the car don’t you think?

[photobossman]

Here in Arizona you can carry a gun as long as it is in plane sight you can even have it loaded.

However, Even with a bat you will probably still get some looks and questions from Law enforcement officials if you are pulled over even if it is your constitutional right to bear arms.

Gary

[KB535i]

My best friend is an Orange County sheriff. After consulting with him on this he said if the cop wants to be a prick he could make things difficult for you. Be nice and tell him you just left the batting cages. "JUST LEFT" being the key. If he(cop)thinks its been in the car for long periods of time it "could be construed as a weapon.
If you wanna carry one, ide carry it in the trunk and use the "batting cages" defense.

get a big ass maglite, so you can blind them and then hit em with it
I do have a 4 cell maglite under the drivers seat. Light & protection

[maxse01]

I used to carry one in my car when I was in high school cause I like the added security.

That's because you were a thug in high school. :eek:

[OdyM3]

I dunno why you would go to jail for carrying one... i carry the spyderco spyderfly butterfly knife with me all the time
"butterfly" knives by the definition of one can be a felony in some jurisdictions. It is illegal to carry certain weapons if classified as such in statute law. Most lock knives of certain lengths are legal in most places. If in doubt, look it up. Even ASP (extendable batons) are very illegal in many places. Carrying a baseball bat around like the picture I see in this thread of the Audi can get you in some trouble.

Like others here say, a 4-D maglite, a car wheel "club", etc. are certainly things that can be used in an improvised situation to defend yourself.

I don't agree with it, but it is the law so vote for representatives and laws that make sense! I believe the right to defend yourself, is a human right. However don't think though that breaking these laws is going to be acceptable by a LEO just because you want to defend yourself. They don't care. You have to make due with what you can.

Of course I support the CCW (packing.org) movements around the country, but that's another subject.

[MVPaintballer]

Just put it under the seat or tucked in the side. Don't try to hide it, but don't just leave it on the seat, and if you feel safe enough, put it in your trunk.

Its not illegal, but if you get pulled over right after some douchebags were smashing mail boxes (or worse), then you might get some unnecessary trouble for it.

[AsianImage]

agreed, I carry a 4 cell D maglight..and I have pepper spray in my door box. I figure with those 2 things...I should be OK.

If those 2 things do not deter or stop the danger...I have a much more to worry about!

[95m3sc]

http://botac.com/

what everyou need in self protection ...here is the absolute best site. it's where the professionals buy from

[OdyM3]

http://botac.com/

what everyou need in self protection ...here is the absolute best site. it's where the professionals buy from

For what it's worth, Botac has a horrible reputation for customer service and order issues if you do a little research about it. Many threads have been written about them by people. If it's not a department order, don't be surprised if your order becomes a painful experience. YMMV.

[95m3sc]

Never had a problem.. Best of luck friend

[seonadancing]

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a384/Crown-Wear/Roumanian_A8.jpg[/quote]

Is that an option on Audis? How much? :D

[BimmerNick]

I carry an ASP 21" NYPD extendable baton. According to my friend who is a cop, its not illegal if its somewhat hidden in your car. Mine is kept in my door.

[aiyabud88]

The right answer is that you carry the softball/baseball bat because you play ball and leave it in the car. You DO NOT SAY it is for self defense!!! That is the key. If you really worry about it get a cheapy glove and throw that in there also. It is the intent you say in which you carry it that may hang you or set you free......a gun or knife may be a diffrent argument in Ca. But under a certian length is OK to carry. Just don't try to lie about a know type weapon a knife or similuar weapon. Even a gun carried correctly is OK, such as going to and from a gun shop, dealer, shooting range, hunting or fishing. Have a hunting lisc or fishing lisc on you helps you credibility. Check on the web under state penal codes and such also DMV codes.

[Muntzster]

I have an ebay tazer, throwing star, and i guess i could use my saftey window glass breaker thing .. for when i drive into a lake.

[fm.illuminatus]

Well I was thinking of throwing a baseball bat inside my car just incase. I live at Hollywood and lot of punks try to f*&k around seeing a young kid riding a nice car anyway a gun is not an options since I am not 18 anyway let me know guys what you have in your car thanks.

It's not illegal.

But aiyabud88 is right... it's not for "self defense"... never claim that. In the Socialist People's Republik of Kalifornia (SPRK) any attempt to defend youself makes you a criminal in the eyes of the government and the police... you can get in a lot of trouble for trying to save your own life (as opposed to letting the highly competent and well trained LAPD save it for you :D... that's *sarcasm* in case it wasn't obvious).

[fm.illuminatus]

SDKmann- I'm no longer a law-enforcement officer; I got out of that business in '95. But I will say this, from my days (nights, actually) on the streets: there's the *letter of the law* in which everything is defined clearly in black & white in the State Codes & Laws book for your state; then there's the *spirit of the law* in the fact that many, many decisions are left up to the cop who's dealing with you for whatever reason or circumstance. Example: in Iowa, your state, *IF* the Code book says the knife is a weapon, then so be it: if the cop is going through your glove box because he has reasonable suspicion to do so, or if you've given consent for him to do so, and he finds the knife, then yes, he can cite you for it. *However,* if you're not a "thug," or if you don't have any previous criminal record, or if you're being courteous and not giving him an "attitude," then chances are, he's gonna let it slide. Believe me, the paperwork and pain-in-the-ass factor for one little violation like that is hardly worth the cop's time & effort... UNLESS you've pissed him (or her) off and he just wants to ruin your day to show you what the attitude invited. Know what I mean? It's different if he smelled weed in your car and your eyes are glazed over, and incident to the search for marijuana he found a large Rambo-type knife along with a pot pipe and a bunch of seeds & stems... versus asking you if there are any weapons in the car and you tell him where to find your Swiss Army knife your grandfather gave you when you turned 15. See where I'm coming from? I suggest you check your state's specific laws; the Code and Law book is usually in updated form at your public library. Or, for that matter, just ask a State Trooper... but by phone or in person at the local office... not in the middle of a traffic stop in which you're the target. (haha) Hope that helps.

I went to traffic school a while back and the officer teaching it made the exact same comment about "letter of the law" vs. "spirit of the law"... he said that principle can also work with judges...

[cockerkiller68]

Do what "some people" do. Carry a Concealed Handgun. Well, you can't yet...in three years you can. You most likely will not be issued a CCW permit if you apply for one.

If you're 21, have no fellonies, and you're not in a gang, you can carry a concealed/loaded handgun with only the worry of a Misdemeanor w/$200 fine if you're caught. Works for "some people". If you get caught once, don't do it again though. 2nd time is a fellony.

This is just a thought.

www.packing.org for more info

[fm.illuminatus]

Do what "some people" do. Carry a Concealed Handgun. Well, you can't yet...in three years you can. You most likely will not be issued a CCW permit if you apply for one.

If you're 21, have no fellonies, and you're not in a gang, you can carry a concealed/loaded handgun with only the worry of a Misdemeanor w/$200 fine if you're caught. Works for "some people". If you get caught once, don't do it again though. 2nd time is a fellony.

This is just a thought.

www.packing.org for more info

$200 is worth it to save your life...

[pbonsalb]

But is your life really in jeopardy? Or are you just trying to prevent your personal property from being stolen? Or do you just want to be able to win if you get in a fight?

The felony conviction will be on your record for maybe 10 years and could prevent you from getting certain jobs and voting. Certainly, I would choose a felony conviction over losing my life, but realistically, I don't think I will have to make that choice.

Each state can be different, so make sure you research the laws of your state before you decide what you want to do and what the risks are. In my state, NH, about all you need to get a concealed weapons permit is a pulse. I don't have one and have not felt the need to get one. Had I suffered some bad experiences or had those close to me suffered them, perhaps I would reconsider, but in my 25 years of big city life (Washington, DC) and 15 years of small city or town New England life, I have gotten along just fine without any weapons.

One concern is that if you have a weapon, you might use it when you think it is warranted but the law does not think it is warranted. Self defense is defined by the law, not by the person who thinks he is exercising it.

Philip Bradley

[BavarianBeast]

dude screw baseball bats. if you swing once and you miss they carry too much momentum and they are hard to recover.


Golf clubs are where its at!

carry a 9 iron and some golf balls in the back seat ;)


hell yea man, thats where its at. I havent taken my callaways out my car in 2 months, but then again i golf a lot. You never know when they might come in handy.

[Msk8ter]

I used to carry a t-ball bat(the small ones),then i saw this really real looking strap at walmart, that cocks back/snaps back and everything when you shoot it.Its a co2 powered gun its kinda loud, but not as loud as a real one obviously.It doesnt have anything on it that makes it look fake either(orange colors ,or words on the gun).I keep it locked in the glove box loaded cause i know that shiat will hurt. I DELIVER PIZZA! So Im gonna at least get a chance to leave

[cockerkiller68]

I used to carry a t-ball bat(the small ones),then i saw this really real looking strap at walmart, that cocks back/snaps back and everything when you shoot it.Its a co2 powered gun its kinda loud, but not as loud as a real one obviously.It doesnt have anything on it that makes it look fake either(orange colors ,or words on the gun).I keep it locked in the glove box loaded cause i know that shiat will hurt. I DELIVER PIZZA! So Im gonna at least get a chance to leave

That my friend is a GREAT way to get killed.

NEVER try and use a fake gun when someone else is armed even with a small knife. Getting shot with bbs will make someone that wants to hurt you, kill you because it just makes them mad.

[cockerkiller68]

But is your life really in jeopardy? Or are you just trying to prevent your personal property from being stolen? Or do you just want to be able to win if you get in a fight?

The felony conviction will be on your record for maybe 10 years and could prevent you from getting certain jobs and voting. Certainly, I would choose a felony conviction over losing my life, but realistically, I don't think I will have to make that choice.

Each state can be different, so make sure you research the laws of your state before you decide what you want to do and what the risks are. In my state, NH, about all you need to get a concealed weapons permit is a pulse. I don't have one and have not felt the need to get one. Had I suffered some bad experiences or had those close to me suffered them, perhaps I would reconsider, but in my 25 years of big city life (Washington, DC) and 15 years of small city or town New England life, I have gotten along just fine without any weapons.

One concern is that if you have a weapon, you might use it when you think it is warranted but the law does not think it is warranted. Self defense is defined by the law, not by the person who thinks he is exercising it.

Philip Bradley


You are correct that 10 yrs is better than being deaded. My friend carries a loaded 40cal in his car at all times. He even had to use it to thwart a carjacking in his own town. My friend will continue to carry it. No, he doesn't carry it to ensure a victory in a fight. That would be plain stupidity, bordering small penis sendrome. If you carry a gun, trust me, you're less likely to get into a fight because walking away is a lot easier that a misdemeanor for getting caught with your heat on you. Also, you won't be so quick to fight because you understand the ramifications of your actions are increased if there is ever a weapon present.

[Chuck Finley]

I can't believe this is still going! All over a baseball bat. I think we are all beating a dead horse here.

[cockerkiller68]

I can't believe this is still going! All over a baseball bat. I think we are all beating a dead horse here.

With a bat?

[Jonny Z3]

I pack a 4 cell maglite as my weapon of choice

[fm.illuminatus]

But is your life really in jeopardy? Or are you just trying to prevent your personal property from being stolen? Or do you just want to be able to win if you get in a fight?

The felony conviction will be on your record for maybe 10 years and could prevent you from getting certain jobs and voting. Certainly, I would choose a felony conviction over losing my life, but realistically, I don't think I will have to make that choice.

Each state can be different, so make sure you research the laws of your state before you decide what you want to do and what the risks are. In my state, NH, about all you need to get a concealed weapons permit is a pulse. I don't have one and have not felt the need to get one. Had I suffered some bad experiences or had those close to me suffered them, perhaps I would reconsider, but in my 25 years of big city life (Washington, DC) and 15 years of small city or town New England life, I have gotten along just fine without any weapons.

One concern is that if you have a weapon, you might use it when you think it is warranted but the law does not think it is warranted. Self defense is defined by the law, not by the person who thinks he is exercising it.

Philip Bradley

I guess my mentality is the only time I would use a gun is if someone else attempted to or did use a deadly weapon against me (i.e. a large knife, crossbow (:confused), another gun) Otherwise, I'd have something more mundane for self defense... like a taser maybe... Still, if someone is shooting at you, to hell with the law and the implications, shoot back! Damn'd if I'm not going to return fire just because some socialist judge will try to put me in prison later. If self defense is really that illegal maybe I'll run to canada afterwards... but at least I'll be alive to do it. Of course if you carry a gun you can't be branishing it in a pissing contest, or using it because you were on the losing end of a fistfight. Guns are an extreme measure for an extreme situation, but if that situation ever arrises and you aren't armed you risk becoming another meaningless statistic, and very dead.

[giunick99]

A Teazer can be used as a jump box, LOL "just to justify" if the trooper asks you.

[96 Cosmos]

My friend keeps a hacksaw in his trunk.
Never know when you'll need to saw someone's head off Bauer-style :buttrock

[rancho5]

When I'm on my own...golf club and mag lite. On a road trip with my wife and children...Glock .40 holstered under the seat next to my Cold Steel knife with 10 inch blade. You can mes with me but never my family. BTW, perfectly legal here in NM as long as it's holstered.

[series]

if your to big of a bitch to have a gun in your car then i highly dought you will bang somebody with a baseball bat

[fieldy]

wow.....you guys have it different in the USA.....Here in the UK, and I live in central London, and for 18 years lived in the sticks so know both sides, we had no weapons, you get in an altercation just use your fists. If everyone did that, there would be no reason for paranoia on either sides

[C P Squared]

Tennis Racket?

[robc328i]

From someone who doesn't ever have to worry about getting carjacked where I live I have to say that some of you guys are a little paranoid. Like someone said, most of these punks are packing heat. Then it becomes the gunfight at the O.K. corral or Dirty Harry "do you feel lucky punk?". As for knives/flashlights/bats, well the old saying goes "never bring a knife etc.. to a gun fight". By the time you get out of your car with a weapon in your hand you may a have a bullet between your eyes.

By the way, in my state both pepper spray and tazers are illegal to possess.

[propr`one]

stock tire iron out of my 1989 accord, its nice and long, requires less force to take the bolts off.

Also, hammer under the seat can come in handy

[Gernes]

Shes in the glovebox. People who get in the car always ask why its locked I just tell them I dont want people messing w/ the registration to the car. As long as you dont do anything stupid to get pulled over your all good.

http://img174.imageshack.us/img174/1599/sw357rf7.jpg

[quattro santos]

If you ever have a problem, just use the JACK that our e36s have!

[quattro santos]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v325/irun4north/jack.jpg

[CVGTURBO86]

yeah... why wouldnt it be?

[fieldy]

If I was to get carjacked it would go like this:

If they have the gun, I would get out, and let them have it, after all, its just a BMW, theres thousands around.
If they didn't have A gun, for the sake of an altercation, I would get out, and let them have it, after all, its just a BMW, theres thousands around.

[Nefarious79]

A bat, lol, seriously I have a 14" electric chainsaw in my backseat. If that isnt intimidating I dont know what is. I have pulled it out twice and lets just say people dont want anything to do with a guy waving a chainsaw around.

[belligerent]

A bat, lol, seriously I have a 14" electric chainsaw in my backseat. If that isnt intimidating I dont know what is. I have pulled it out twice and lets just say people dont want anything to do with a guy waving a chainsaw around.


You keep a 14 " chainsaw in the back seat of your bmw 325 ??:confused


Just get a gun , it can be perfectly legal . Some people ( if they are trying to car jack you and you are fending for you rlife/car) just need to be shot ( maybe not killed ).
What is a bat gonna do when youre in the car ? a mag light is usefull accesorie though .
But one thing, it is not a good idea to have crazy knives or weapons in the interior when you get pulled and some how searched and when the pig finds it he is not going to be happy and it goes on your record for life ~.

I got pulled and had a old machette in the back seat. came from work tools in the trunk. Of course the occifer took me to jail for it . called it a felony . charges got dismmissed(cop was a dustch as usually).

its still on my record . Concealled weapon. what a joke :mad

[palomino]

You keep a 14 " chainsaw in the back seat of your bmw 325 ??:confused


Just get a gun , it can be perfectly legal . Some people ( if they are trying to car jack you and you are fending for you rlife/car) just need to be shot ( maybe not killed ).
What is a bat gonna do when youre in the car ? a mag light is usefull accesorie though .
But one thing, it is not a good idea to have crazy knives or weapons in the interior when you get pulled and some how searched and when the pig finds it he is not going to be happy and it goes on your record for life ~.

I got pulled and had a old machette in the back seat. came from work tools in the trunk. Of course the occifer took me to jail for it . called it a felony . charges got dismmissed(cop was a dustch as usually).

its still on my record . Concealled weapon. what a joke :mad
if its still on your record, apparently it wasnt dismissed.

you should have told him when he started searching you so he didnt have to find it. :rolleyes

you were probably doing something stupid in the first place to make him want to search your car. but of course, the officer is just a 'pig' and you have no responsibility for your actions. :rolleyes

[Elvis T]

Having a baseball bat isnt illegal, but if you hit someone with it it could go either way, same thing if you threw a baseball at their head. It dosent matter if there are balls or no balls, even if the balls are there and you hit someone in the head it isnt going to chane anything.


:lol

[belligerent]

if its still on your record, apparently it wasnt dismissed.

you should have told him when he started searching you so he didnt have to find it. :rolleyes

you were probably doing something stupid in the first place to make him want to search your car. but of course, the officer is just a 'pig' and you have no responsibility for your actions. :rolleyes
:lol
FYI I was in court that day , and the scumbag of a cop failed to bring the criminal machete to court , so it was dismissed. But since you dont see how the court system will screw you, every chance it gets , then you're a ignorant moron.

THis fawking pig was such an piece of shit he practically tried to start a fight mith me , prolly just to see if I would jump. and then wants to search a old junky work vehicle , and claims to find a 'weapon' ( thats sold in most hardware stores) . And then questions me by saying 'what are planning to do with this'

and the truth be told i was NOT doing anything stupid in the first place . I was driving basically good and not even speeding . I have seen many drivers do worse on the roads .
I have also seen dumbasses, like yourself, drive like they're blind.:rolleyes

[parabellum]

Wow...I don't know if you are the best person to keep a machete, if you lose your temper this easily...lol...

Anyway: Read your state and local laws, plan accordingly. As soon as I get a small safe installed in my trunk, I may carry one of my Glocks on long trips through the middle of nowhere. But, watch out for local/city laws...they apply even if you don't live there....

[Nefarious79]

You keep a 14 " chainsaw in the back seat of your bmw 325 ??:confused


Just get a gun , it can be perfectly legal . Some people ( if they are trying to car jack you and you are fending for you rlife/car) just need to be shot ( maybe not killed ).


Yeah I keep it where the backseat should be on my 84 325, my windows arent tinted either, I like it like that. Again, its more for imtimidation than anything else. Electric is better than gas because I dont have to yank on a cord; at the push of a button its on in about a second.

[Luftwaffe1O1]

500,000volt stun gun.

[Snizare]

FYI there is a difference between having charges dismissed and having the entire case expunged permanently from your record.

[ssyko813]

get a big ass maglite, so you can blind them and then hit em with it


+1

[ultimachi]

Why continue being a punk?
Using a baseball bat just makes you a punk with a stick.

Take some self-defense courses or something, maybe a martial arts course...change your situation instead of buying into the circle of violence.

Wait.....let me get this straight.

Don't be a punk with a stick, because you're just contributing to the circle of violence. Instead, take self defense courses and beat the shit out of all other punks with sticks......but remember! Don't contribute to the circle of violence!

:shifty

[pbonsalb]

FYI there is a difference between having charges dismissed and having the entire case expunged permanently from your record.

This is the question. There is a difference. If you have been arrested, there usually is a record of the arrest in that state's criminal database. When the police pull someone over and run the person's license, the record of the arrest would show up. It should also show up that the charge was dismissed, but the officer will still know that the person he just pulled over MAY be dangerous. The database information accessible to the officer is not detailed -- he will probably not know the weapon was a machete or that the felony concealed deadly weapon charge was dismissed not because the person was innocent but because the machete was not presented as evidence in court. The person likely won't be getting any benefit of the doubt from a future officer who pulls him over.

When charges are dismissed, the dismissal is noted in the record. However, the record is still there. Where charges are dismissed, one is entitled to have the record expunged. The expungement is usually not automatic. The person must file a petition with the court to expunge the record. The court, legal aid, a public defender's office, or perhaps some source on the internet might explain the form to use and how this process works.

If charges are prosecuted and the person is convicted, there is a period of time after which the record can be expunged, at least for most crimes. That period is usually several years at most for a misdemeanor and more like a decade for a felony. Again, it is up to the person with the conviction to file the necessary papers. Sexual offenses, drunken driving, and sometimes other offenses may not be eligible for expungement.

In this particular case, it is probably good that the original poster's record is still there and that he is not smart enough to figure out what to do about that. He comes across as potentially dangerous and uses a screen name that suggests he is. Internet searching is very good these days, and it is becoming easier to link people to their screen names. What you write in public can come back to haunt you. Posting videos of yourself doing crimes on MySpace might be the ultimate example of stupidity, but even writing in great detail about a street race in which you lost the other guy on a turn and did not see where he went could get you in trouble if the other guy crashed into oncoming traffic and killed someone -- you would also be criminally responsible.

Philip Bradley

[rubberdub]

great, youre gonna be the guy that brought a baseball bat to a gunfight.

[belligerent]

This is the question. There is a difference. If you have been arrested, there usually is a record of the arrest in that state's criminal database. When the police pull someone over and run the person's license, the record of the arrest would show up. It should also show up that the charge was dismissed, but the officer will still know that the person he just pulled over MAY be dangerous. The database information accessible to the officer is not detailed -- he will probably not know the weapon was a machete or that the felony concealed deadly weapon charge was dismissed not because the person was innocent but because the machete was not presented as evidence in court. The person likely won't be getting any benefit of the doubt from a future officer who pulls him over.

Yep , the po lice dont like that very much . they hardly beleive me when I say that there are no weapons in the vehicle...


the dismissal is noted in the record. However, the record is still there. Where charges are dismissed, one is entitled to have the record expunged. The expungement is usually not automatic. The person must file a petition with the court to expunge the record. The court, legal aid, a public defender's office, or perhaps some source on the internet might explain the form to use and how this process works.


Thats great, more BS from the court system , for someone whos innocent .



In this particular case, it is probably good that the original poster's record is still there and that he is not smart enough to figure out what to do about that. He comes across as potentially dangerous and uses a screen name that suggests he is.

Philip Bradley

:evil2 Are you talking to me ?:mad
what are you ? a cop , a lawyer , or just a plain ol F*cktard.
Are you actually siding with the court system ?
It doesnt seem very fair to me, that one would have to go through any of that , just to clear thier own record when the charges where dropped.
:shifty

[pbonsalb]

You are definitely true to your screen name. I suspect you earn all the trouble you bring yourself and I would guess that you bring yourself a lot. A change of attitude might do you some good. Given your attitude, I am probably wasting my time trying to help you.

If what you write about the incident is true, I think you might have won if the case had not been dismissed and you had presented it honestly. A machete used for work and kept with other work tools in the car should be explainable. Even if concealed under a tarp or blanket, the concealment should be explainable -- you did not want them to move around in the car, you wanted them out of sight to avoid theft, etc.

I agree that where the charges are dismissed, the record of arrest should not remain, but that is not how the system works in most states. The record the officer can access will show that the charges were dismissed, but charges can be dismissed for many reasons and he does not know the reason why. Officers work on the front lines of law enforcement and deal with enough trouble that many of them become fairly hardened and start to see things in black and white. They have heard all the excuses and often the excuses are not true. To lessen the likelihood that you will be denied the benefit of the doubt in the future due to your arrest record, I would make the effort to get it off your record. You should not have to hire a lawyer for that -- you should be able to do it yourself.

Philip Bradley

[Dittoz]

My 19yr old was pulled over and actually taken in to custody for doing 80 in a 40 zone. The officer confiscated his younger brother's 32" bat, but allowed him to keep the 4" folding knife he also had.

The bat was actually his hood-brace - he told the officer that, but the officer was in a mood and took it anyway. Funny about the knife though - you'd think THAT would haver been taken even though it's legal...

[H20@100]

Just read the entire thread, really interesting.

-Mark