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Washington D.C. legality question
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Cougar Allen
Buccaneer (ret.)
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Lets see if we can find the right forum
Except for the SAK, all knives with over 3" blades are illegal in D.C. Exotic weapons like stun guns, throwing stars, nunchakus, sword canes, etc. are also illegal. Assuming a victory happens for gunowners in the D.C. gun-ban lawsuit, it will be interesting to see if the District's onerous knife restrictions will be allowed to stand. The Second Amendment says "right to keep and bear arms". I assume that edged weapons are included right along with firearms, considering the fact that large knives and swords were commonly carried along with firearms during the Colonial times.
Certain kinds of government buildings, particularly office buildings, have even more restrictive limits than those stated above. I do not know if that would include museums. I am not even sure if the Smithsonian is considered a government facility or if the Smithsonian Institute is private. It might be worth a call to them to find out their restrictions.
If you want to tour the Capital building, White House, the Mint, or other government buildings, I wouldn't be surprised if it were almost like boarding an airplane. Especially the Capital and White House for obvious reasons. I haven't been to DC in a long time, though. I don't remember any security checkpoints at the outdoor monument attractions like the Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, Viet Nam War memorial, etc.
If you want to tour the Capital building, White House, the Mint, or other government buildings, I wouldn't be surprised if it were almost like boarding an airplane. Especially the Capital and White House for obvious reasons. I haven't been to DC in a long time, though. I don't remember any security checkpoints at the outdoor monument attractions like the Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, Viet Nam War memorial, etc.
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Up to 3" blades are okay. No serrations, no fixed blades. Most of the museums have metal detectors now. You can't go in the White House any more. The Washington Monument has heavy security now, but the rest of the monuments you can still pretty much walk up to. Assume that you are being watched, all of the time.
DC is a police state, especially down around the Mall and other government buildings. There is surveillance EVERYWHERE, and there are plainclothes police, FBI and Secret Service agents EVERYWHERE. Don't believe me? Try walking up to the White House fence and taking a picture. The last time I was in DC with my in-laws, I tried to take a picture of them with the White House as a backdrop. 2 plainclothes officers (Secret Service?) swooped in from opposite directions and started giving us a hard time, telling us we weren't allowed to take pictures. I've been in that house! Several times as a kid. You used to be able to take tours. Now you can't even take pictures of it. It's sad. You would not believe the police presence in DC. There are very serious looking cops all over the place. They have the newest equipment. They are mostly young, alert and heavily muscled. They are all armed to the teeth, and in no mood to take anyone's crap. It's very different from how it used to be, and more than a little scary.
DC used to be a nice city, but now it sucks. Half the time traffic is being diverted for "security reasons" and the other half it's being intentionally disrupted by protestors. It's ridiculously expensive, and extremely difficult to get around in. The Metro system is falling apart, the roads are a nightmare. I used to live there, I grew up there, but I had to move away. It's just insane.
DC is a police state, especially down around the Mall and other government buildings. There is surveillance EVERYWHERE, and there are plainclothes police, FBI and Secret Service agents EVERYWHERE. Don't believe me? Try walking up to the White House fence and taking a picture. The last time I was in DC with my in-laws, I tried to take a picture of them with the White House as a backdrop. 2 plainclothes officers (Secret Service?) swooped in from opposite directions and started giving us a hard time, telling us we weren't allowed to take pictures. I've been in that house! Several times as a kid. You used to be able to take tours. Now you can't even take pictures of it. It's sad. You would not believe the police presence in DC. There are very serious looking cops all over the place. They have the newest equipment. They are mostly young, alert and heavily muscled. They are all armed to the teeth, and in no mood to take anyone's crap. It's very different from how it used to be, and more than a little scary.
DC used to be a nice city, but now it sucks. Half the time traffic is being diverted for "security reasons" and the other half it's being intentionally disrupted by protestors. It's ridiculously expensive, and extremely difficult to get around in. The Metro system is falling apart, the roads are a nightmare. I used to live there, I grew up there, but I had to move away. It's just insane.
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2001
- Messages
- 182
Honestly, even the SAK will give you trouble.
At the Smithsonian the guards will hassle you about a sak and not let you in, govt buildings, and even a couple of eatery's, will not allow you in and might try to consfiscate. Yes, street legal in dc is a folder under 3" but the uniforms aren't counting, to them it's all a terrible weapon that only a terrible person would carry.
I work here and have a hard time carrying a leatherman. Day after day, the same dumb ass guard will try to tell me I can't have it...
At the Smithsonian the guards will hassle you about a sak and not let you in, govt buildings, and even a couple of eatery's, will not allow you in and might try to consfiscate. Yes, street legal in dc is a folder under 3" but the uniforms aren't counting, to them it's all a terrible weapon that only a terrible person would carry.
I work here and have a hard time carrying a leatherman. Day after day, the same dumb ass guard will try to tell me I can't have it...
Blade length must be under 2.5" for federal buildings including the bathrooms run by the national park service. There won't be paper towels so you won't need to cut anything anyway. You're better off with disposable $5 knives since the people running the security checkpoints are dumber than your average garden slug and auction off confiscated knives to help cut down the budget deficit. At the security checkpoints remember to remind yourself that we really did win the cold war and the rest of the country hasn't been taken over by the commies. Don't take out your frustrations on the Russian embassy; you'll be greeted by a Russian security chick that could kick your ass without her cigarette going out. She is kinda hot so feel free if that's your thing. But there is a really good French restaurant a block a way that serves a rabbit stew to make you forget your bruises. Feel free to piss off the French waiters, it will make them feel like home. Unless you get the one nice French waiter and then it's just freaky.
Wear a sportcoat and use sir/maam liberally. People will assume you're a fed or military and you will get much less hassle. But remember to say "no" when the security slugs ask if you will be carrying your sidearm onto the plane. It is less paperwork than checking a firearm and it will get you around the x-ray line. Go in through the passenger exit line and a very very bored slug will want to see an air marshal badge or tell him you're doing prisoner transport on your wife. If you get the guard that looks stoned out of his gourd then writing "POOlice" on a box cutter will make him happy and he won't think twice that your wife is wearing pink fuzzy handcuffs and giving you a death stare that says you'll never touch her again. Perform the pat down search at your own peril.
On the plane, if you get stuck sitting next to someone working for a political campaign then wait until they ask who you're voting for (they're just asking you a question so they can pause to catch their breath). Tell them that you're a felon and not allowed to vote. Enjoy the peace and quiet for the rest of your flight.
Wear a sportcoat and use sir/maam liberally. People will assume you're a fed or military and you will get much less hassle. But remember to say "no" when the security slugs ask if you will be carrying your sidearm onto the plane. It is less paperwork than checking a firearm and it will get you around the x-ray line. Go in through the passenger exit line and a very very bored slug will want to see an air marshal badge or tell him you're doing prisoner transport on your wife. If you get the guard that looks stoned out of his gourd then writing "POOlice" on a box cutter will make him happy and he won't think twice that your wife is wearing pink fuzzy handcuffs and giving you a death stare that says you'll never touch her again. Perform the pat down search at your own peril.
On the plane, if you get stuck sitting next to someone working for a political campaign then wait until they ask who you're voting for (they're just asking you a question so they can pause to catch their breath). Tell them that you're a felon and not allowed to vote. Enjoy the peace and quiet for the rest of your flight.