Owen Sparks
member
- Joined
- May 27, 2007
- Messages
- 4,523
‘Sticks on a plane’ experiment a success.
As many of you know I am a big advocate of sticks and canes as self-defense weapons. Not only are they just about the most effective non-firearm hand weapon you can use, they are almost always non-lethal if used properly. The biggest advantage though is that when a stick comes in the guise of a walking cane you can legally have it anywhere as it is protected as medical equipment under The Anericans with Disabilities Act.
We decided to prove this in one of the most restrictive environments in the country, the nation’s airports.
One of our black belt instructors is also a professional lawyer. He volunteered to be the guanine pig and carry a cane on a recent snowboarding trip to Montana. This trip required him to pass through several airports including Memphis and Detroit. The “cane” was nothing more than a three foot length of hickory with a rubber tip on one end and a hardwood ball on the other. This thing weighs a pound and a half, still had the bark on it and is very rustic and roughly made. It looks more like something Buford Pusser would use rather than medical equipment.
The result? After passing through three airports twice each the cane never received a second glance by the TSA agents or any other security personnel. He did have to put it through the X-ray tunnel but being that it contained no metal no one inspected or even touched it. Our man did not fake a limp but he did use the stick normally by touching the tip on the floor with every step as he walked past the authorities. The rest of the time he kept it in his hand.
Lessons learned:
As long as you behave normally, no one will notice or care if you carry a cane.
Avoid metal because it will attract unwanted attention if you have to go through metal detectors.
Being young and fit does not disqualify you from carrying a cane.
Owning a cane does not make you a stick fighter any more than owning a guitar makes you a musician. You must train with it, especially for close quarters combat where you may not have room for conventional swings.
You have no excuse not to have a heavy walking cane in your vehicle at all times and in your hand any time you think that you might need it.
As many of you know I am a big advocate of sticks and canes as self-defense weapons. Not only are they just about the most effective non-firearm hand weapon you can use, they are almost always non-lethal if used properly. The biggest advantage though is that when a stick comes in the guise of a walking cane you can legally have it anywhere as it is protected as medical equipment under The Anericans with Disabilities Act.
We decided to prove this in one of the most restrictive environments in the country, the nation’s airports.
One of our black belt instructors is also a professional lawyer. He volunteered to be the guanine pig and carry a cane on a recent snowboarding trip to Montana. This trip required him to pass through several airports including Memphis and Detroit. The “cane” was nothing more than a three foot length of hickory with a rubber tip on one end and a hardwood ball on the other. This thing weighs a pound and a half, still had the bark on it and is very rustic and roughly made. It looks more like something Buford Pusser would use rather than medical equipment.
The result? After passing through three airports twice each the cane never received a second glance by the TSA agents or any other security personnel. He did have to put it through the X-ray tunnel but being that it contained no metal no one inspected or even touched it. Our man did not fake a limp but he did use the stick normally by touching the tip on the floor with every step as he walked past the authorities. The rest of the time he kept it in his hand.
Lessons learned:
As long as you behave normally, no one will notice or care if you carry a cane.
Avoid metal because it will attract unwanted attention if you have to go through metal detectors.
Being young and fit does not disqualify you from carrying a cane.
Owning a cane does not make you a stick fighter any more than owning a guitar makes you a musician. You must train with it, especially for close quarters combat where you may not have room for conventional swings.
You have no excuse not to have a heavy walking cane in your vehicle at all times and in your hand any time you think that you might need it.
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