5 Mar
2005
5 Mar
'05
12:12 a.m.
Eric Smith wrote:
Chris wrote:
Yeah, what's the thinking behind that?
Last I knew, lock pick sets were illegal to own in
NJ unless you are
someone that has a "legal" use for one. Of course, since legal use isn't
really defined, it leaves it pretty wide open.
I own more than one hundred locks, and sometimes I can't find the key to
open one. In some cases, I purchase equipment with locks but no keys.
So I think I have an entirely legitimate use for lock picks. Whether a
court would agree is an open question.
(It is also illegal to have a police scanner in
your car,
Contradicted by the Communications Act of 1934, which being Federal
law should override it.
as well as carry a center punch...
Now I'm baffled. I can see reasons for banning lock picks and police
scanners, even though I vehemently disagree with those reasons. But
why on earth should center punches be illegal? I don't carry one
routinely, but if I'm going somewhere that I expect to need one,
I carry it. For that matter, I routinely have a bolt cutter in my
car, and I suppose
an overzealous police officer might try to contrue that as a burglar
tool, but I can cite multiple occasions when I've had a legitimate use
for it.
I usually have a pretty comprehensive toolbox in the back of my car (I
drive old Citroens, which need a lot of servicing, and I often get
called upon to rescue my friend's BMWs and Mercs ("Hey, why not get a
nice new reliable German car to replace that Citroen?" - "Well I'll ask
you that next time I tow yours home..."). Centre punch, cordless drill,
Citroen Special tool BFH-14 (Big, um, *Friendly* Hammer, 14lb),
boltcutters, hacksaws, sockets, spanners, screwdrivers, that kind of
stuff. If I was insane enough to move to New Jersey, I suspect the
police would have a field day.
Of course, their sniffer dogs may well be, erm... "adversely affected"
by sniffing in the boot of the car - brake cleaner, carb cleaner,
contact cleaner, screenwash, engine oil, gearbox oil, diff oil,
suspension hydraulic oil, hydraulic flushing fluid and cleaning solvent
might just be a tad overwhelming for the poor beast. Oh, and I think
there's a pair of my old hiking socks there too.
Gordon.