Ebay bans weapon sales in Blighty
At the cutting edge
Tuesday, 10 February 2009, 11:11
ONLINE AUCTIONEER EBAY has banned the sales of knives in the UK because the Brits are not allowed to handle anything sharp.
According to a statement the ban will be implemented "as soon as possible" in order to provide a "safe" marketplace for its members. The outfit said that British laws on knives were complex and it was easier to ban the lot.
The move comes after BBC Watchdog researchers revealed they had been able to buy knives illegal in the UK through the site.
One, which was intercepted by Customs officials, was apparently big enough to gut an elephant with whilst another was made from ABS plastic and could not be detected by most security systems. µ
L'Inq
BBC
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They do know a pointy stick is equally deadly?
You Brits needs to wise up to your nanny state.
I guess some of us ex-subjects of your Empire would enjoy the irony but that's a bit mean :)
I'm guessing they'll ban cheap metal and machinery tools next...
Criminals - not known for following laws and therefore armed - love a disarmed public. Britain is the Happy Hunting Ground, where citizens are not allowed to defend themselves, even if they were armed.
I can't gloat too much, the US gummint is racing that way as fast as possible.
Typical BBC sensationalist crap discised as news/public information.
There is no such thing as an illigal knife in the UK, which is why I alway regard BBC and other media stories about "knife amnisty" days as nothing but political bull.
The only restriction is where you take them and why. Basically you are allowed to take a knife almost anywhere as long as the blade does not lock (or is fixed) and has a sharp edge of less than ~2.5inches (approx as it may be 2.25 or 2.75" but just like BBC hacks, I cannot be bothered to look it up).
If on the other hand I'm off shooting bunnies and I take a locking knife with a 5" blade and gut hook on it, that is perfectly legal - just don't pop in to the Pub on the way home afterward with it still on you person.
yeh yeh yeh, saw it, a fleabaypeep waffled on about they cant just pull 'products' from its shelves instantly like supermarkets can, wouldnt be fair on sellers (all together now, a big AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW) and could take *cough several weeks to remove um, FFS since when has fleabay been concerned about its punters, sellers or otherwise ?? just had a look at the uk site, took literally 2 seconds to turn up 1,274 *cough, 'hunting knives' including, 178 bowie/commando knives that crocadile dundee would be proud to own, see here :- http://sports.shop.ebay.co.uk/items/Knives__W0QQItemTypef44c8c27ZBowieCommandoKnives7d7e0e23QQ_catrefZ1QQ_dmptZUKQ5fKnivesQ5fToolsQQ_flnZ1QQ_sacatZ7306QQ_ssovZ1QQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em282
I'd hate to be a kitchen stockist trying to sell regular kitchen knives! AND what about collectors? These so called "watch dog" shows over-cook these issues all the time, inflame the situation all for a few viewing stats.
The problem isn't knives it's the News-media once again over hyping an issue, granted it takes nothing away from the average idiot on the street wanting to stab someone for looking at them wrong - but taking such an extreme stance will only push this sort of crime into others using blunt-force objects like baseball bats and iron bars.
Watch out this time next year "Watchdog" will do a piece again and there'll be a ban on wooden bats, small sticks and metal objects next!
If eBay doesn't want to sell me a knife, then I will buy from somewhere else.
UK has some downright stupid laws, I know as I'm studying law.