So it's illegal to carry a big stick in California.

[MadHound]

I've been working in a truck stop in order to make ends meet(last day is Wed, I've got a teaching job:woohoo:).

One of the items we carry is a tire thumper. It is essentially a big stick, about three-quarters the size of a baseball bat. It is used by truckers to determine if their inside tires are flat. I've seen them here in Missouri all of my life, carried one in the glove compartment when I was driving a school bus twenty years ago.

Today I found out that they are considered to be billy clubs in California, and are illegal.

I find this to be a bit bizarre. Really, what is the purpose of outlawing a big stick? It's not going to prevent people from beating on each other, since they can still use a baseball bat, pool cue, iron pipe, length of doweling, a big stick, a 1X1, 2X4, etc.

So what is the purpose of this? It just seems like more silly nanny statism running amuck.

[Shagbark Hickory]

1. Maybe your state has a problem with people bopping one another?

:shrug:

[MadHound]

2. No, not really

Missouri, despite it's plethora of big sticks, doesn't have a problem of people beating on each other with them. Nor, I suspect, due the other states who allow people to carry tire thumpers. So why are they banned in California?

[Shagbark Hickory]

6. Maybe just to be extra safe? OR maybe they don't want truckers to fix their own tires?

:shrug:

[TheWraith]

27. You nailed the "why" in the OP: Nanny statism.

Despite California's reputation as a liberal state, it suffers from one of the most severe cases in the country of nanny statism, which is an extremely conservative philosophy. It says that "those people" can't be trusted with anything important, or dangerous, or that the elites disapprove of. The only difference is that while right-wing nanny staters do it mostly about sex, drugs, and abortion, the left-wing nanny staters do it mostly about safety, about weapons (or potential weapons), and about personal eccentricity.

[A HERETIC I AM]

3. They aren't used to check just the inside tires.....

they are used to check any and all tires. As you said, they're called a "Tire Thumper" and while they can't replace a tire gauge for accurately checking tire pressure, they can give a good indication that the tires are close to proper inflation and even more important, that the pressure between a pair of tandems is close. Whacking the tread of a tire with such a club gives an audible thump which changes pitch with the pressure in the tire.

FWIW, I used my Mag-Lite or my tie-down bar for the same purpose. Let me see them outlaw those two tools.

[MadHound]

5. Yeah, I've used them for their intended purpose.

Wonderful things, and I just find it bizarre that they are outlawed in one, and only one state, as far as I can tell.

[A HERETIC I AM]

10. Well, what do you expect? California is one of the few states left that still have the STUPID

speed limit disparity of 70 MPH for cars but 55 for trucks on rural interstates.

Such speed disparity laws require that I am a moving chicane on the freeway. There is damned little difference between I 10 & I 40 East of the Colorado River and West of it, yet as soon as I cross into CA, I have to drive 20 MPH slower.

[classof56]

4. Except for the part about speaking softly when carrying one,

I don't know much about big sticks and had never heard of a tire thumper, so glad to know what that's used for. Anyway, just wanted to say--congrats on your teaching job. Hooray!

Peace.

[moparlunatic]

7. You can get nailed for

having a baseball bat in your car here too. Ask me how I know.

[REP]

11. You can get stopped for driving a messy car!

Ask me how. No violation - cop just wanted to know why my (old and dented but 100% legal) car was messy. Doesn't happen now that I drive a shiny new one.

[Diclotican]

16. REP

REP

Same happend often to me also, when I had my Corolla most police stopped me, for one reason or another - I was just gentle and polite, and the police officers the same...

But then, I don't live in US, so I guess i could be becouse of that.. Im, not sure

Diclotican

[Liberal_in_LA]

19. another way the poor lose...beat up cars stopped more than shiny new ones

[REP]

24. Just in one city, though

They never gave me a ticket - having a messy car isn't a crime - and the cops in the city I live in (which is actually a wealthier city) never hassled me in my beloved clunker or my bright red sportscar!

[panader0]

8. Just carry a Louisville Slugger

They can't outlaw a baseball bat can they?

[provis99]

12. carrying a baseball bat is illegal in California.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110324211810AAsZZmn

[moparlunatic]

15. Yes, here in Ca. they made me prove my kid was in

Little league.

[REP]

9. I love living in CA but there are some weird ass laws; tire-thumper is one of them

A lot of non-lethal self defense - and even some plain ol' walking sticks - can't be sold or shipped here. Granted, there is a LOT less crime here (meaning I don't need a collapsing baton) than in KCMO, but it's weird how the laws are.

[proud2BlibKansan]

20. Probably depends on WHERE you are in CA

I have a friend who moved to KCMO from CA because of crime in CA. She was somewhere in the valley, not sure where exactly. But she said the gangs there were much worse than KCMO.

I also know someone who moved from KCMO to Atlanta, again because of crime.

So I would imagine where you are makes more of a difference than the state.

[REP]

23. I don't know anywhere in CA that has KCMO's murder rate

I was born and spent most of my life in KCMO. Even Brookside was dangerous by the 90s. EPA is nothing compared to parts of KC. Even the Tenderloin looks pretty tame in comparison.

[Buns_of_Fire]

13. Sure, it STARTS OUT by thumping one tire...

But it's like eating potato chips -- nobody can thump just one, so people start thumping MORE tires. And soon, there are vicious gangs of tirebangers running around thumping tires all over the neighborhood, for no other reason than "it sounds cool."

Please, think of the tires.

[dionysus]

31. tirebangers, lol

[WatsonT]

14. Was it a military style stick?

Did it have any attachments like a laser pointer?

Was it painted black?

Did it have a special grip?


Because it could be an assault style murder stick rather than simply a regular stick.

[-..__...]

32. I guess this would be illegal in CA too...

[tularetom]

17. Well, ya know, when tire thumpers are outlawed

Only outlaws will have tire thumpers.

We sure have some dumbass laws in CA, I agree.

[Liberal_in_LA]

26. lol! n/t

[spin]

18. The solution is to move to Florida ...

a citizen can carry a loaded firearm in the glove box of his car without a license. A tire thumper is no big deal. If you have a concealed weapons permit, you could carry the tire thumper on your person as long as it was concealed.

No Permit Required

Relatively lenient regulations in the state of Florida allow gun owners over the age of 18 to carry a firearm in a vehicle with only minimal restrictions. According to Sheriff Mike Scott of Lee County, Florida, a gun owner may carry the weapon inside a private vehicle as long as it remains secured in the trunk, inside a gun case, inside a closed box or inside a closed glove compartment. Sheriff Scott also cites section five of Florida Statute 790.25 which specifies that gun owners may carry weapons in plain view when mounted in a gun rack in the rear window of a pickup truck.


Read more: Florida Laws on Guns in the Vehicle | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/list_6524626_florida-laws-guns-vehicle.html#ixzz1NsdVfwFs

790.06 License to carry concealed weapon or firearm.—
(1) The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is authorized to issue licenses to carry concealed weapons or concealed firearms to persons qualified as provided in this section. Each such license must bear a color photograph of the licensee. For the purposes of this section, concealed weapons or concealed firearms are defined as a handgun, electronic weapon or device, tear gas gun, knife, or billie, but the term does not include a machine gun as defined in s. 790.001(9). Such licenses shall be valid throughout the state for a period of 7 years from the date of issuance. Any person in compliance with the terms of such license may carry a concealed weapon or concealed firearm notwithstanding the provisions of s. 790.01. The licensee must carry the license, together with valid identification, at all times in which the licensee is in actual possession of a concealed weapon or firearm and must display both the license and proper identification upon demand by a law enforcement officer. Violations of the provisions of this subsection shall constitute a noncriminal violation with a penalty of $25, payable to the clerk of the court.emphasis added
http://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2010/790.06

[Shagbark Hickory]

29. Too bad more people don't leave CA and move to some bass ackwards red state,

It would free up a lot more real estate for those of us who want to live in a broke nanny state with perfect whether and no tornados.

[proud2BlibKansan]

21. Congrats on the teaching job!!

[Fla_Democrat]

22. But, but, but, dontcha feel so much safer?

When tire thumpers are outlawed, only outlaws will have tire thumpers. :evilgrin:





:smoke:

[Liberal_in_LA]

25. congrats on your new job!!!

[donheld]

28. Does that mean canes are illegal too?

[Fla_Democrat]

30. That may depend on the cane....

http://www.coldsteel.com/sticksportal.html


:evilgrin:




:smoke: