I wonder how long before items like baseball bats and axes are put in the same category? Any New Yorkers have input on this.
As I never, ever, plan on surveying in New York, I'm not turning in my machete.
They can pry it from my cold, dead hands.
WOW,,,,how amazing is that!!!!!!!!!!!
Next, they will want you plumb bob, unless of course, you install a special soft point....
NYSAPLS Update 10:22:41 AM:
We shared the above news story on our Facebook for members to weigh in. If youÛªre not on Facebook, hereÛªs a comment from member Tom Cerchiara:
So I wrote that this state senator who according to the news media wanted to ban the use of machetes in NYS. I figured that there was something we were missing. Here is his response. Makes a lot more sense than the way the media reported it.
"Thank you for contacting my office regarding my recent bill that will amend the New York State Penal Law to include a machete within the definition of ÛÏDeadly WeaponÛ. (See http://open.nysenate.gov/legislation/bill/S3199-2015)
Unfortunately, there has been some confusion in the media that has improperly characterized this bill as a ÛÏbanÛ on machetes. In fact, the bill only includes machetes in the Penal Law definition of a ÛÏDeadly WeaponÛ pursuant to subdivision 12 of Section 10.00. The effect of this definitional change is to mandate that when a person causes physical injury by using a machete and did so either intentionally, recklessly or with criminal negligence they can be charged accordingly pursuant to the Penal Law provisions covering Assault Offenses (Article 120).
I purposely did not include machete in the other ÛÏDangerous WeaponsÛ offense categories within the Penal Law including ÛÏcriminal possession of weaponsÛ or ÛÏmanufacture, transport, disposition and defacement of weapons and dangerous instruments and appliancesÛ. The specific reason for this is because machetes, as opposed to other ÛÏDeadly WeaponsÛ do have a functional use for many people throughout the state including farming, hunting, landscaping, etc. Therefore, I chose to solely amend Section 10.00 of the Penal Law so that only those persons who use machetes with the intent to harm or harm someone recklessly or with criminal negligence can be charged accordingly.
I hope that this has clarified any confusion or concerns you have about my legislation.
Sincerely,
Tony Avella"
I guess next on the list will be things like any household item that can be combined with another to make anything even slightly combustible. Let's not forget matches, anything fuse like (does that include clothing that can be ripped into strips?), and the list could go on forever.
Coming in our lifetimes: living in caves with no fire because everything has been outlawed.....
Cars have been used as weapons, how long is it going to take to ban them? Boating accidents and deaths happen all the time and we still have them?
I do work in NY and also in PA, and they will never take my machete away 🙂
The other thing to consider is that the senate bill is a one house bill, no matching bill in the Assembly. There is a separate bill in the Assembly (also a one house bill) that would make possession of a machete a misdemeanor. NYSAPLS is monitoring both of these proposed bills.
John, post: 367431, member: 791 wrote: I guess next on the list will be things like any household item that can be combined with another to make anything even slightly combustible. Let's not forget matches, anything fuse like (does that include clothing that can be ripped into strips?), and the list could go on forever.
Coming in our lifetimes: living in caves with no fire because everything has been outlawed.....
Cars have been used as weapons, how long is it going to take to ban them? Boating accidents and deaths happen all the time and we still have them?
I used to teach 'Field expedient flame, smoke and explosive devices'. There isn't much that can't be used as a weapon...
Tommy Young, post: 367421, member: 703 wrote: As I never, ever, plan on surveying in New York, I'm not turning in my machete.
They can pry it from my cold, dead hands.
Ditto.
Dang, I hope they don't look at the unintional drowning rate in NY. They may ban swimming pools next. Good thing I use a brush axe most of the time.
We had a law in proposed in Massachusetts a few years ago that as I remember would have required me to register each of my machetes separately in each town that I used them in, complete with fees if the towns chose to charge them.
I haven't heard anything since, so I guess it didn't go anywhere.
I live in NY...
Years back I walked into the local hardware store and went to the lady at counter and asked where the machetes were...
Her eyes grew wide and she exclaimed "machetes! We can't sell those!"
Surprised, I asked why, to which she replied, "if we sold those, everyone would be running around killing each other!"
......oh how the movies infect our brains.....
Just looking at a machete makes my elbow and shoulder hurt.
Dave Karoly, post: 367507, member: 94 wrote: Just looking at a machete makes my elbow and shoulder hurt.
Yeah, me too. My machetes are semi-retired. I can't tell how many times one went flying out of my hand when I got tired. Nobody ever got hurt though.
I tend to use loppers these days.
But even loppers are not without their dangers. In pre-edm days, I remember working on my dad's crew searching for a monument in thick brush. We turned an angle with the transit, pulled the tape through the brush, and found what we were looking for. Time to clear the line - I grab a machete, dad gets busy with his loppers - all finished!
We turned the angle, but when we went to measure, we found dad had chopped our 100 foot steel tape into 3 or 4 pieces!
A prism pole could be considered a deadly weapon also. I have used it to run off unruly dogs and figure I could run it right thru the gut of an attacker.
Joel S, post: 367418, member: 380 wrote: I wonder how long before items like baseball bats and axes are put in the same category? Any New Yorkers have input on this.
The assembly bill excludes it in certain circumstances if you are not a U.S. citizen. Weird, ,migrant farm workers?. But the reason it all came up was gang related in NYC area where they tried to use assault with a deadly weapon charge but court would not allow. Gangbanger's hacking people up and had to go with a lesser charge, lesser jail time.
Already things like numbchucks are on the list; my son was training with them and we found out.
NY and especially NYC has some of the toughest gun laws; so people improvise.
From NYSAPLS legal counsel:
"the legislation is still aimed at adding a machete to the list of weapons that, if possessed for the purpose of harming another, could result in an individual being charged with possession of a deadly weapon. A surveyor, or any individual possessing a machete for use as a tool in their profession (or yardwork, etc.) would not be affected by the legislation. Also, if it is helpful for members to know, the bill that passed is a Senate-only bill; there is a bill in the Assembly that has been moving through committee but it is not the same as the Senate bill and so is not matched up as a ÛÏsame as.Û The Assembly bill is similar to the original senate bill, which adds machete to the definition of a deadly weapon. Again, there should be no issue for land surveyors or others using a machete as a tool
Only in NY
Jim
here is another deadly weapon soon to be banned nation wide
I started using these 30 years ago, I no longer have any machetes
I much prefer the reverse style.