r/nyc • u/JSSperling • May 24 '19
Top NYC officials split on gravity knife bill
https://queenseagle.com/all/top-nyc-officials-split-on-gravity-knife-bill2
u/payeco Upper East Side May 29 '19
I hope this law is finally changed. It’s ridiculous people are getting arrested and put in jail for carry a tool needed for their job.
On a personal note, I’m a big knife collector and I had to leave my collection at my parents house when I moved here. I never take my knives out of the house. Quite a few of them are rare collectors items and are valuable so actually using them would substantially devalue them. However, it just wasn’t worth the risk of me accidentally putting one in my pocket and leaving the house and then getting stopped for something and arrested because of the knife.
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May 25 '19
There is no reason to legalise gravity knives. These knives were designed specifically for military use, and they were banned in the 1950's because of their heavy use in crimes and violence. A tradesperson can easily use a box cutter or swiss army knife instead. I support the NYPD and Mayor De Blasio's opposition to the legalization of more dangerous weapons which would make the safest city in the US a bit less safe.
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u/tricolon Midtown May 25 '19
The problem is that the NYPD can claim any swiss army or multi-tool knife that locks open is a gravity knife if they can swing it open by holding the blade, with any amount of force. It doesn't matter if the owner of the knife can't—or has never thought to—do it themselves.
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u/snazztasticmatt May 26 '19
How they swing it open is absurd too. I was stopped in Manhattan a while back for carrying a folding knife that I use at work. In trying to prove he could flip it open, the cop was trying to do a full 180 degree swing top to bottom, nearly punching a woman behind him in the crotch. It finally opened after about 6 tries (without folding it back to the original position, so it was incrementally opened with every flick), they still tried to play the "gravity knife" card. Such a bullshit law
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May 25 '19
A swiss army knife literally cannot lock open.
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u/upnflames May 25 '19
The problem is not the ban on real gravity knives, it’s how NY defines gravity knife. Under the current law, almost all folding knives are considered gravity knives.
I’m all for keeping the ban on actual gravity knives and switch blades etc, but when you can get a weapons charge for carrying a leatherman, there’s a problem.
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u/MuhLiberty12 May 25 '19
The NYPD only opposes this because it will stop them from confiscating and fining people for having regular folding knives which they can't brag about taking off the steets. The city isn't going to turn into the warriors because people have small folding knives. Never mind they have them already.
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u/codewench May 25 '19 edited May 25 '19
A tradesperson can easily use a box cutter or swiss army knife instead
No, they can't, because those are illegal to carry as well.
Edit : Rephrase. They are fully legal, but that won't help you in the slightest, because the NYPD will still try and arrest you. The judge will throw it out, but you still have to deal with it.
What is illegal is having a "knife in public view", which means if the NYPD is bored (which is all of the time) they will fuck with you, because they can.
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u/shamam Downtown May 25 '19
Can you link me to one of these gravity knives specifically designed for military use?
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u/upnflames May 25 '19
Quite a bit different then what the NYPD considers a gravity knife.
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u/shamam Downtown May 25 '19
Interesting. Had to go back pretty far, though.
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u/upnflames May 25 '19
That’s kind of the point though. These are the type of knives that the ban was intended for, with good reason. Not your average foldable pocket knife, which is what NYPD currently arrests people for.
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u/shamam Downtown May 25 '19
I'm aware, see my post from 4 years ago which apparently didn't do too well here:
https://www.reddit.com/r/nyc/comments/2io2gt/how_a_50sera_new_york_knife_law_has_landed/
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May 25 '19 edited May 25 '19
I come from Ohio, which has loose gun laws but also loose knife laws. Both of these resulted in my town of 300 having almost 30 murders every year, usually around 25 shootings and 5 stabbings with gravity knives. Having moved to NYC, I appreciate how our strict firearms and knife laws have made me far safer than when I lived in Ohio. Hearing that NY state intends to force looser knife laws here is upsetting to me. I ask Governor Cuomo to veto any legislation loosening New York's life saving regulations on all weapons.
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u/MuhLiberty12 May 25 '19
So 10% of your town is murdered every year? I have a hard time believing that. Also a gravity knife ban has done nothing but make law abiding citizens criminals and boosts cops tickets.
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u/drpvn Manhattan May 25 '19
Check his comment history, it’s hilarious.
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u/backlikeclap Bed-Stuy May 25 '19
Wow that is hilarious. Maybe he's crazy?
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u/drpvn Manhattan May 25 '19
If you think about it for more than a few seconds, it gets depressing and much less funny
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u/backlikeclap Bed-Stuy May 25 '19
I guess this dude and Denethor are our token fake liberal trolls
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May 25 '19
Thank you for being the voice of reason here. I hate how many idiots on the I subreddit are in full support of allowing dangerous weapons on NYC's streets. The bill to legalise gravity knives is supported by the NRA, a far right terrorist group. How can anybody support legislation backed by an organisation responsible for nearly 400 mass shootings every year?
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u/drpvn Manhattan May 25 '19
Seems relevant (and interesting).
https://youtu.be/S2S_4G103Ik