Merseyside moped muggers steal two bikes at knifepoint

belugabob wrote:

“We simply will not stand by and allow people to carry knives and threaten the safety of themselves and others" Threaten themselves?

Yes, it's one of the big things that's emphasised when teaching kids about knife crime, statistically you're massively more likely to be injured or killed with a weapon if you carry one yourself, if you're known to be a carrier your rivals will try to carry a more effective one.

Rendel Harris wrote:

belugabob wrote:

“We simply will not stand by and allow people to carry knives and threaten the safety of themselves and others" Threaten themselves?

Yes, it's one of the big things that's emphasised when teaching kids about knife crime, statistically you're massively more likely to be injured or killed with a weapon if you carry one yourself, if you're known to be a carrier your rivals will try to carry a more effective one.

"You call that a knife...?"

"Now THAT's a knife!"

Rendel Harris wrote:

statistically you're massively more likely to be injured or killed with a weapon if you carry one yourself

Correlation, causation, etc. It's hardly surprising that people with a predilection to go to knife fights will carry knives, and end up getting knifed. I don't think their knife made them go.

I'm not suggesting you said that, but people might misunderstand.

Of course not, but there are two different groups, those actively looking for fights and to commit crimes using knives and those who are so scared of others carrying knives that they start to carry themselves for self defence. The initiatives I've been involved with were largely focussed on the latter group, showing them that such actions made the chance of being involved in an incident worse, so they were no self defence at all.

I understand the narrative, but is that really how it happens? Your knife gets you embroiled with other knife carriers?

If I had a well founded fear of being knifed, to the extent that I thought I'd better bring my own, the die is already cast, even before I've procured the knife. Another person might change the company they keep. Bringing the knife becomes a marker for someone who persists in frequenting bad company, despite knowing it is bad company. Maybe persuading them not to bring the knife is a proxy for getting them to change their friends.

Good for you for getting involved.

Sriracha wrote:

Rendel Harris wrote:

statistically you're massively more likely to be injured or killed with a weapon if you carry one yourself

Correlation, causation, etc. It's hardly surprising that people with a predilection to go to knife fights will carry knives, and end up getting knifed. I don't think their knife made them go. I'm not suggesting you said that, but people might misunderstand.

No, but if gang A has an issue with gang B, and gang B is known to carry knives, then instead of turning up with bats, they'll turn up with knives or machetes.