Ban machetes?

City Councilor Chuck Turner notes the absence of sugar-cane fields in Boston and so proposes banning the giant knives.

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In a related development

By bobmetcalf | Sun, 04/27/2008 - 3:28pm

City Councilor Chuck Turner has also proposed a ban
on snow shovels....

PRO Machete

By Tod (not verified) | Sun, 04/27/2008 - 4:56pm

If they outlaw machetes, than only outlaws will have machetes. LOL, What needs to be done is the police have to actually police our streets. WTF are we paying them for. there is no cop presence in some neighborhoods around Boston.. the cops are more of a clean up crew these days. any clown with a bucket can do that...

Cops cannot be everywhere

By anon (not verified) | Mon, 04/28/2008 - 10:36am

If cops were everywhere people would complain that they were being too aggresive. Plus they can't be in every house and on every street in the city.

Cops are damned if they don't and damned if they do. I'm suprised anyone wants to be a cop these days.

Boston has an ordinance that

By Chris (not verified) | Sun, 04/27/2008 - 4:45pm

Boston has an ordinance that prohibits people from carrying a blade longer than 2 inches. Turner’s proposal, to be presented Wednesday, will update that ordinance to include machetes.

Um... so he wants to ban all machetes less than 2 inches long?

Already can't buy one

By Gareth | Sun, 04/27/2008 - 5:27pm

I tried to buy a machete the other day at Home Depot and they told me it's illegal to sell them in MA. I can't find the law link. But I gave my last machete away and I regret it. Machetes are the best for clearing brush.

So big bald bold guy is going to accomplish what? I already can't have a machete.

He's got you covered

By Kaz | Sun, 04/27/2008 - 6:05pm

Turner’s ordinance will not apply to “carrying a machete on one’s person or in a vehicle if the machete is carried for the purpose of cutting vegetation or if the machete is being transported for the purpose of cutting vegetation.”

Don't worry, you can still have one for clearing brush. Anyone who says it's illegal is probably confusing store policy with the law. Or just dumb. I'm more disappointed, because I still want to use my set of these.

Ah, there's your mistake

By adamg | Sun, 04/27/2008 - 6:45pm

You should have tried Lowe's in Dedham instead - they're much more accommodating.

Too late

By Gareth | Mon, 04/28/2008 - 8:00am

The hideous overgrown willow is already removed. I used a saw, loppers, shovel, and chainsaw. I missed the machete for trimming the suckers off the trunk, but the taproot proved to be the greatest obstacle.

Because a chainsaw is so much safer than a machete, I feel protected!

Next time I've got some brush to murder remove, I'll go to Lowe's.

Try Wal-Mart

By BrucemB | Sun, 04/27/2008 - 11:38pm

$6.76 in the sporting goods section. The guy at Home Depot was full of crap...for now.

Here's what this looked like the last time it was proposed (the bill went nowhere):

from 2005:

Any individual who requires a machete for the purposes of cutting vegetation shall register the machete with the local police department on an annual basis and, upon payment of an appropriate annual registration fee as determined by the local granting authority, shall be issued a permit authorizing him to possess the machete solely for the purposes of cutting vegetation.

And, there were fees involved? Shocking!

Amazon.com

By Ron Newman | Mon, 04/28/2008 - 9:08am

Plenty available there

Or...

By BrucemB | Sun, 04/27/2008 - 11:39pm

They could pass a law banning MS-13 from the City. No wait, that would be racist.

for machete action...

By anon (not verified) | Mon, 04/28/2008 - 10:23am

Whoa Bruce
I am pro machete too! I think there must be better things to ban and better places to waste time...
I could give many examples but I think I won't...

he said: "I'm the man"

By rich (not verified) | Mon, 04/28/2008 - 10:31am

I had a dispute with a parking attendent at the Landmark center in the Kenmore area last August and he showed me a Machete and said quote:"I'm the man" - I pay $25.00 per week to park there and he was trying to hustle me into paying more.

This guy was probably from some country were Machetes are common place.

The man...

By Gareth | Mon, 04/28/2008 - 10:39am

He threatened you with an illegal weapon. Did you call the cops?

What for?

By Route 66 | Mon, 04/28/2008 - 12:21pm

So the cop could just put his hand out for his portion?

Riight

By Gareth | Mon, 04/28/2008 - 12:47pm

See, people with legitimate professions don't have to give the cops a share. You should try it!

sounds like

By femmme.fatal (not verified) | Mon, 04/28/2008 - 12:47pm

a politician...

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