Umbrella problems

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

pulliptears wrote: »

Would your average person know that? Doubtful. I'd have to look twice and I'm reasonably familiar with a samurai sword.

I've been reading this thread from the off and for me I've thought all along that this is all about minimising risk to the lad. Whilst he has that on his back he is running a risk that a member of the public will see him and report him as walking through a town carrying a sword, something the Police will have to follow up. Aside from the costs involved to the Police there will be the upset involved to the lad.

Personally OP I think you need to find a way to part him from this now to avoid more trouble later.

Well, seeing as they appear to be the umbrella of choice for every male up to the age of about 50 on their way into Central London each morning, including the men who turn left out of Charing Cross and head for their offices in Whitehall, I don't think it's as big an issue for the police as it's being made out to be.


If someone is daft enough to call the police for a large plastic umbrella, they'd call the police for a small one - maybe not saying it was a katana, more 'it's a gun'. Or if the OP's son were able to wear a hooded jacket, that he was disguised and obviously up to something. If he were to stay indoors and not have a life, I'm sure that would be the most minimal risk - but he is carrying something that is obviously an umbrella. A police officer that truly believed it was a sword wouldn't be daft enough to go and try and grab it - so even the officer concerned knew what it was.

pulliptears

Jojo_the_Tightfisted wrote: »

Well, seeing as they appear to be the umbrella of choice for every male up to the age of about 50 on their way into Central London each morning, including the men who turn left out of Charing Cross and head for their offices in Whitehall, I don't think it's as big an issue for the police as it's being made out to be.

Depends where OP is I suppose, I've never seen one around these parts so unless OP can be certain that all local plod are familiar with them surely its better to remove the risk?


If someone is daft enough to call the police for a large plastic umbrella, they'd call the police for a small one - maybe not saying it was a katana, more 'it's a gun'. Or if the OP's son were able to wear a hooded jacket, that he was disguised and obviously up to something. If he were to stay indoors and not have a life, I'm sure that would be the most minimal risk - but he is carrying something that is obviously an umbrella. A police officer that truly believed it was a sword wouldn't be daft enough to go and try and grab it - so even the officer concerned knew what it was.

A small plastic umbrella wouldn't really resemble a sword though, or a gun. We are talking about a functional object made to look like a weapon.

Your average man on the street wouldn't call the police to someone with his hood up, or someone with a small, regular umbrella, or even for a larger golf umbrella with a regular handle I imagine, but its reasonable to assume that someone would call the Police if they thought a lad was wandering around with a sword on his back.

anguk

Jojo_the_Tightfisted wrote: »

Well, seeing as they appear to be the umbrella of choice for every male up to the age of about 50 on their way into Central London each morning, including the men who turn left out of Charing Cross and head for their offices in Whitehall, I don't think it's as big an issue for the police as it's being made out to be.

I guess it depends where you live? I've never seen an umbrella like that until this thread, I didn't know they existed and if someone walked around here with one I would wonder what they were carrying. I think I'd probably assume it was some kind of sporting equipment as it's very rare to see a man with an umbrella up here.

My son works in central London and has a small folding umbrella with a curved handle so I don't think every umbrella carrying male under 50 has one.

adelight

Can you find a regular long umbrella with a more umbrella looking handle that will fit into the case? http://www.umbrellaworld.co.uk/personal/mens-umbrellas/gustbuster-umbrellas/gustbuster-the-classic-windproof-vented-walking-umbrella.htm Or even coloured so it looks even less suspect. And he can keep the other at home? If he understands how to react when police question him then surely he can understand why he should leave this umbrella at home.
I don't pay that much attention to brollies but I've never seen one of these before. If someone was walking in front of me in the street wearing one it'd make me jump and I might take the next left! People don't see something that looks like a weapon and assume it's an innocent novelty item. If you saw people handing over £20s and smoking crack pipes outside your house would you want the police to go "oh I bet it's just tobacco and he owes him some money!"?

lizziem_2

Peanuckle wrote: »

I've been looking at the ones people have linked to which have straps on them and will show him later. The prices of some are downright scary though, £50 for a brolly??

How about this one? http://www.muji.eu/pages/online.asp?V=1&Sec=7&Sub=37&PID=2040

Mr_Toad

I carry my umbrella like that, it leaves my hands free and I find it comfortable.

There is, however, one crucial difference. Mine is a multicoloured golf umbrella with a wooden handle. I regularly take it to London and have nver been stopped or questioned.

Your son's looks like a sword and he wears it like a sword, not a good combination so you can hardly blame the police for what they did.

If he'd been carrying it by the handle, thus covering it up somewhat, like a walking stick, then I doubt he'd have had the problem he did.

tabby_cats_mum

http://www.ninecircles.co.uk/Bags/Wooden_Weapons_Bags.aspx

I don't know if the above link is any good but my son has to carry his Akido weapons in a bag like this when he has them out of the house. Possibly one of them would fit and totally cover his umbrella, some of the bags have straps so he could still carry it slung over his back.

dampsquib

Abbafan1972 wrote: »

I guess in this crazy world, it won't be long before umbrellas themselves will be banned, as they could be used as "weapons". :mad:

It's happpening already! http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/chester-news/local-chester-news/2012/04/19/guns-and-knives-seized-by-chester-court-staff-a-freedom-of-information-request-reveals-59067-30789406/

When you dig down beneath the sensationalist headline, you'll find that some of the items seized were "‘other’ items which security officers considered to be potential weapons, such as umbrellas, aerosols and soft drinks cans, were also seized".

Alleycat

I've lived in London all my life (apart from a brief stint in Bradford) and my husband works in Westminster and regularly walks up and down Whitehall and neither of us have ever seen anyone carrying anything even remotely similar. They're either the little hand bag style umbrellas or the golfing types so not quite sure who Jojo has seen.

I agree with the other posters who suggest either changing it to look like a normal brollie or telling him he needs a new one.

coolcait

Peanuckle wrote: »

The prices of some are downright scary though, £50 for a brolly??

How much for peace of mind?