Umbrella problems

Peanuckle

My eldest son is 19 and was stopped by two police a couple of weeks ago as his umbrella was mistaken for a samurai sword, as pictured below, it was just hanging on his back the same as the photo. They snatched it off him without a word, ripping the case in the process and pulled it out about an inch before pushing it back at him and warned him that he shouldn't carry it as it was an offence to carry something that appeared to be a weapon?


He went into the local police station with it the next day and asked if they could clarify whether carrying it was actually an offence and their response was that as long as he didn't use it as a weapon there was no problem. They did suggest that he told anyone that stopped him that it was an umbrella straight away, which he normally does but didn't get the chance on that occasion. As for the damage to the case they said as no crime number was given then he's outta luck basically, I can fix it without a problem though so that's not an issue. He's since had a police van pull up when he was waiting for a bus and , thankfully, they were civil to him and accepted it was an umbrella before driving off.

I know life would be a lot easier if he stopped carrying it but he has Asperger's syndrome and he's very attached to it as it was a birthday present from one of his few friends so..................can anyone suggest what we can do to either make it more obvious it's an umbrella or disguise the samurai aspect? (the money saving bit is obviously it wasn't cheap and it's lasted over a year so far (previous ones didn't last a week at a time) so we don't really want to get rid )

Mrs_Imp

Write 'umbrella' across the case and the handle

thegirlintheattic

Colour the handle a different colour.

TamVilla80

I would say it is more the way it is carried and what it is in makes it look more sus. Could he take it out of the case and just carry it like a normal brolly (you might need to make some kind of tie/fastener to keep it all together maybe)? Just a thought?

sheilds

Can fully understand as my son also has Aspergers and his thing at one time was carrying around toy guns (he did have a wooden Samurai sword at one point as well) I think he felt more protected even though they were toys.
Some of them looked quite real (not good when you live in NI) so we taped them with brightly coloured tape and he was willing to accept that as a compromise.
He has since moved on to Guitars:)

Peanuckle

Mrs_Imp wrote: »

Write 'umbrella' across the case and the handle

it's cloth so won't be easy and it twists so maybe not clear but thank you

thegirlintheattic wrote: »

Colour the handle a different colour.

Hubby suggested putting hi-viz tape on it which would help make him visible walking as well but I was concerned it'd make it even more obvious

TamVilla80 wrote: »

I would say it is more the way it is carried and what it is in makes it look more sus. Could he take it out of the case and just carry it like a normal brolly (you might need to make some kind of tie/fastener to keep it all together maybe)? Just a thought?

That's the problem, he lost countless brolleys before this one as he forgets he was carrying them which is why his friend saw this and bought it as a gift. It;s the fact it's carried which saves it from being lost.

anguk

I've never seen an umbrella like that before and can understand why it could be mistaken for a weapon (but how many people would wander around like that if it was really a weapon?).

For me the thing that makes it look like a weapon is the long handle, is there any way of shortening it or maybe even putting a normal umbrella handle on it?

Tiddlywinks

There are other umbrellas that you can carry in a similar way but that do look like umbrellas so less of a problem - could you get one of those and get his friend to give it to him?

If he carries on as he is, there is a chance that a member of the public will take fright and report him - it does look real and threatening from a distance. As a result of this 999 call from a concerned member of the public, the police would likely attend - if an armed response unit were in the area then they would be deployed. When confronted and told to stop how would your son react? Would he comply or would he be unable to understand what was happening?

I know he is attached to the umbrella BUT this is a circumstance where you cannot do nothing and disguising it may make it worse if it is not done sufficiently to allay bystander fears.

My advice - swop it now to avoid a greater upset if the police become involved again.

FATBALLZ

Lol, sorry but that thing really is ridiculous (and as above, looks threatening in a public setting). Either he needs to not carry it across his back, or he needs to bend the handle into a u shape like on a proper umbrella. I'm surprised the police gave it back.

dampsquib

Tiddlywinks wrote: »

My advice - swop it now to avoid a greater upset if the police become involved again.

I agree with Tiddlywinks. In this crazy world (which is getting worse day by day) I wouldn't now expect to be able to point a water pistol at someone in public without risking someone mistaking it for a real gun, and the consequences that would follow. Sadly, I think your son's umbrella suffers from the same problem.
Some years back where I live, in a relatively crime-free county, a chap with a low IQ (if I remember correctly) was shot dead by the police when he refused to put a "gun" down, following a report from Joe Public about "a man with a gun". It turned out to be an air-pistol - but the police didn't know that until it was too late.
IMO, best not to let him carry the umbrella again in public, and certainly don't let him go to a Probate Registry/Court building (see my post at http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=52968725&postcount=529 on a connected subject: the hassle I experienced following going to look up a Will for a friend, whilst carrying an overnight bag which happened to contain my small Swiss Army Knife and a Leatherman Tool.

daska

I do understand the Asperger's thing but, if you can't persuade him to stop carrying it, in this instance I think the only solution is to be 'unable' to mend it. And have a word with his 'friend' about not being able to find a replacement. It'll be tough on you but it will pass. Does he have an Autism Alert card - if he doesn't that might be a useful thing to organise before a similar situation develops.