Knives On Planes

[white avenger]

As for knives I don't really get the need to have them on board but I'm not gonna argue, I wish they'd do something about the liquids though, it's such a faff 'cause it's always stuff you take for granted and don't realise isn't allowed and you have to throw it out.

If we were only allowed to carry what we "needed" on board a plane, most of us would be flying naked.

The issue isn't whether or not we actually "need" to have knives on board planes, it's whether or not we should be "allowed" to have them if we, for whatever personal reason, want to have them. I have carried some sort of pocket knife with me since I was 12 years old, and it would be impossible to even estimate the number of times in the past 54 years that I have used it either in my work or for some mundane and totally harmless way, ranging from stripping wire and opening packages at work to opening letters, peeling apples, or just plain whittling in my off time. In all of that time, I have never injured or threatened to injure any living thing, human or animal, and never have any intention of doing so in the future. I am simply a person of habit, and my habit is to carry a pocket knife, not as a potential weapon, but as a tool that has proven itself useful to me on countless occasions.

 

[SinisterPledge]

Also, I'm STRONGLY against pilot having guns, just like they want teachers to have guns at school now in the US. You don't solve gun violence with more guns!

[MENTION=12171]Ethan Reigns[/MENTION],

I don't see how you could arm pilots. I mean, I get the principle, but taking a profession that has nothing whatsoever to do with firearms and then expecting them to suddenly be able and expected to actively defend an aircraft and its passengers in that way seems a bit unrealistic to me. I suppose it could be grandfathered in, and years down the road just become a part of the job, but there are major, major risks to it as well.

I mean, what if a jumpy pilot misfires and punctures the hull? Then people are in serious, serious trouble. I don't know if, on a plane, I'd trust a cop, marshal (even though I know they're allowed weapons on board) or military personnel to make a shot on a plane, let alone someone who doesn't perform it as a function of the job.

Sorry if I'm going off topic but this kinda intrigued me! I understand the arguments against having guns on a plane, but I still approve of the idea of pilots having some sort of protection. What about bean bag shotguns or other tranquilizers? Of course there would be lots of training needed. But what do you guys think about that? It would incapacitate the terrorists, not cause harm to the plane and be pretty intimidating in the first place.

 

[Ethan Reigns]

A pilot equipped with a taser would be able to defend the limited cockpit space without any concern for bullets penetrating the fuselage and causing explosive decompression. Pilots have some legacy requirements such as 8 word per minute morse code even though there are no transmitters on the plane that can send code. Training in weapons would be more valuable than that.

 

[Black Eye Guy]

On hr contrary, the only way that CAN you stop gun violence IS with guns

I agree about not starting this conversation again, but it should be pointed out that's opinion not fact. FACT says the opposite. Europe has a greater combined population that the US, Europe has stricter gun laws, Europe has a smaller combined total of gun violence. Simple math.

If we were only allowed to carry what we "needed" on board a plane, most of us would be flying naked.

The issue isn't whether or not we actually "need" to have knives on board planes, it's whether or not we should be "allowed" to have them if we, for whatever personal reason, want to have them. I have carried some sort of pocket knife with me since I was 12 years old, and it would be impossible to even estimate the number of times in the past 54 years that I have used it either in my work or for some mundane and totally harmless way, ranging from stripping wire and opening packages at work to opening letters, peeling apples, or just plain whittling in my off time. In all of that time, I have never injured or threatened to injure any living thing, human or animal, and never have any intention of doing so in the future. I am simply a person of habit, and my habit is to carry a pocket knife, not as a potential weapon, but as a tool that has proven itself useful to me on countless occasions.

The issue should be 'need' over 'allowed'. The only reason to bring potential danger to an aircraft should be 'need', and there's no need for a knife on board.

I don't get why your using your personal experience like it's the foundation of how everyone uses a knife. Demolition crews use dynamite responsibly and for good things, does that mean construction workers should be allowed to bring dynamite on board?
The people carrying the knives aren't being vetted, so people thinking this is a good idea based on their own responsible usage are opening up the possibility for all those who don't plan to use it responsibly. I just so think it's worth it at all.

 

[white avenger]

I agree about not starting this conversation again .

At least we can agree on this point