Cane update Washington D.C.

[Carl Levitian]

For years, my better half Karen and I have been going to the art galleries and museums in D.C. There is no shortage of great exibits traveling thru from other countries on loan to us in the U.S. Yesterday, we went down to the National Galery Of Art to see the display of Spanish arms and armor on loan to us from the museum in Madrid.

All I can say is; EXQUISITE, and that's an understatement. Not an inch of armor didn't have engraving, embossing, gold inlay, precious gems. It was the stuff the royalty wore at court and special events.

But on entering the gallery, I had a security guard, for the first time ever, check out my walking stick/cane.

I was carrying a rustic looking hornbeam stick I'd made myself, and he checked it over to see if nothing was inside it, and then asked me if it was 'nessesary?'

Did I really need it?

He was polite, and not overbearing at all, and I looked him right in the eye and said yes, I did. He let it pass, did not ask for any kind of proof, medical certificate. I had my Veterns hospital photo I.D. on me and it says service related on it, and I an rated 50% disabled by the V.A. for service related injuries, but the guard did not ask for any proof.

But still, it was slightly disturbing as this is the first time I have ever had any security person ask if it was 'nessesary'.

Now in all honesty, since this was an unusual exibit with many free standing suits of armor from the Imperial Court of Spain, and they may have been nervous about some guy walking around them with a knarly looking stick, I can give them back. I wouldn't want to be the guy who had to explain to the Spanish government why the suit of armor that Phillip the 2nd wore at his corronation in 1400 something is now dented because some guy with a stick was carelesss and knocked it over.

They have been sensitive over bags and backpacks for years now. If you wear a backpack in the National Gallery Of Art, you have to wear it in front, because they say they've had people knock things over just by turning around and hitting something with the pack on their back.

But, I'm also wondering if there is some kind of low level growing awareness of sticks as weapons by security types. If they are looking a little more at canes that maybe look a little too clubby. (Is that a word?) I wonder if somewhere, they had an incident with someone with a cane. All it takes is one event to raise the awareness of something. Like cops looking hard at somebody with a baseball bat because of some gangs using them as weapons.

I'm thinking that if I'd had one of those 'canes' with the big brass ball on it, or other thinly disguised weapon walking sticks like the Cold Steel stuff, I may not have been allowed in with it.

I think it was forum member wittzo, who was coming to D.C. in the near future, and was planning on carrying a cane. It may be advisable to stay with a plain looking cane that looks like a cane looks to most people. I know the medical suply store near me sells plain wooden canes for about 10 bucks, made out of ash. Seems like a very sturdy piece of wood. Open up the crook and you have a nice tool.

Things change, gotta change with them.

 

[bikerdoc]

My local court house now puts my cane in the xray machine.

Deputy said some knuckehead tried to get in with a sword cane.

 

[Deltaboy1984]

So far so good with me. Here in the south the Bass headed canes called bubba sticks are sold at Truck stops and Gas stations the differance between theirs and mine is mine is a 1930's era solid brass head vs their hollow headed ones. If I go up North I will carry my all Hickory Stock cane.

 

[glistam]

I would not worry to much about this incident, because in the US we have some pretty rock-solid bits of federal legislation protecting our right to carry a cane.
The Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 protects your right to assistive devices, and combined with provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974, means any person asking for "proof" of a disability can cram it, even if they're law enforcement, state or federal.
Is the guard in violation for asking? Well, not necessarily because he did not ask what the disability was, just if there was a need for it. But he came dangerously close to that line. Had he pressed it in anyway, I would immediately call the Smithsonian's central office to report it. If necessary the DOJ Civil Rights Division can be contacted, and when that happens there will be hell to pay. My mother is a professional advocate for people with physical disabilities, and I've seen many businesses and public entities get it served to them.

 

[conw]

I had a female security guard ask what I was using my cane for when I went into a museum, in DC 5-6 months ago. I told her I had hurt my ankle a few years ago, which is true.

 

[Classified00]

Here's a quote from the Cane Masters website:
"In the 16th century, if the Czar of Russia saw you brandishing one, it was grounds for an instant beheading. Early in the 1700’s, London gentlemen were required to procure a permit for the privilege of carrying one."

The sad truth is that the more popular the cane becomes as a self defense tool, the more it will come under scrutiny. I'm no lawyer but I would guess that the ADA and Privacy Act only cover you if you actually have a disability (which you guys may have ... but not everyone carrying a cane for self defense does).

Laws meant to protect us are often based on ignorance / rumor / unrealistic fear. Here in Texas, it's illegal to carry an automatic knife or a balisong but it's perfectly legal to carry a fixed blade, 5" or under. Why, because the autos and the balis got labeled as the weapons of gangs and thugs. The people marketing these knives advertised them as scary, tough guy, weapons to drive sales. Instead they scared the sheeple and ruined it for themselves.

If the cane becomes the new "switchblade", we could easily see the type regulation mentioned above. Legally, you're required to carry a perscription (bottle) for any controlled substance that you have on your person or you risk arrest / prosecution. I could absolutely see a requirement to have a scrip for a cane. That said, given that people have used canes since the beginning of days, how hard would it be convince a doctor that you sometimes need the extra support? Then again, if MD's come under scrutiny, they might be inclined to challenge patients more.

Lastly, I'm sure that how you are treated will depend on your age, apparent need for a cane and demeanor. If you look like a cane is a normal part of your life, you'll draw less attention than a 20'something walking around carrying the cane like a baseball bat.

My money says that Law Enforcement in DC (and maybe nationwide) is getting wise to the cane. It seems like now they are in the same catagory as backpacks, waistpacks and big purses. They draw a little attention until "the man" is satisfied that there isn't anything fishy going on.

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Umbrella Cane

I've mentioned the Unbreakable Umbrella in another thread.

For a little variety, here's an example of what can be done with a sturdy solid cane-grade stick and a bit of fabric:

Courtesy of J. Smith & Sons of London, the "Solid Stick" umbrella.

(http://james-smith.athena.titaninternet.co.uk/productimages/74LARGE.jpg)

Quite a respectable way to blow three or four hundred bucks.

 

[glistam]

Just a quick clarification since I also work in healthcare. The ADA and Privacy Act don't just protect the disabled. They protect the rights of all people to keep whether or not they have a disability to themselves. It is illegal to try and compel a person to reveal medical information about themselves, including the absence or presence of a disability. Trust me, people get sued, fined and fired over such things.

I'll give a slightly tangental example: Service Dogs. Under the ADA it is illegal in the US to ask a person with a service dog what their disability is, or to require any proof of the dog's training. And if the area is open to the public, the dog must be let in. The person does not have to be blind, deaf, or in a wheelchair. They can look completely normal, but anyone saying "you look fine to me" does so at their own peril. There are simply too many cases for me to name where such a person was destroyed in federal court for doing that, even when the dog owner was probably lying.

And the same applies to a cane. The laws over switchblades might be stupid, but I have seen no indications of anything going this way for the cane. Canes were "thug" weapons back in the 19th century in the US and the trend thankfully subsided without them being regulated or banned.

 

[PX15]

FWIW:

Just wish I could have seen the exhibit...

Jesse

 

[Deltaboy1984]

Thanks for that info on the ADA and the older Fed law.

 

[DT Guy]

The noose continues to tighten, I'm afraid.

Anyone familiar with the history of tonfa and nunchuckas will recognize what happens next.


Larry