[bane]

It should also be reminded that we are talking from a Utah perspective; other states laws may vary regarding Pepper Spray but I don't really know which states or what differences. What I do know is that some countries actually consider Pepper Spray a chemical warfare agent and prohibit it's use by anyone including military. That doesn't generally apply to any of us but I know other states view pepper spray a little less kindly than you would think... I remember reading, for example, that some jurisdictions actually require registration for you to carry around mace; stupid, I know.

 

[bane]

That doesn't generally apply to any of us but I know other states view pepper spray a little less kindly than you would think

Also, you cannot take it on an airplane.

For those of us that travel, that means that although we can take our gun to many states, we cannot take our pepper spray.

I believe you are mistaken; it is my understanding that you can pack it into your checked luggage, just like you do with a gun. I'll look for official documentation and update here if I find it.

EDIT: Yep, here it is: http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/ ... ems.shtm#8

Mace/Pepper Spray - One 118 ml or 4 Fl. oz. container of mace or pepper spray is permitted in checked baggage provided it is equipped with a safety mechanism to prevent accidental discharge. For more information visit www.faa.gov., click on Passengers, then Preparing to Fly.
Carry-On: No
Checked: Yes

I was pretty sure this was right b/c my wife packs hers into her checked baggage every time she flies for business to ID.

 

[bane]

Note: IANAL, and you REALLY, REALLY should read the law yourself. It's not that hard to understand.

That's what I want to do but I don't know where to start. I'm only 22 guys, I don't know a lot of laws. Just point me in the right direction to make sure I cover all my bases and I will read them myself.

Personally, I would start with Mitch Vilos's book... a sort of "primer" to get you used to reading the legalese (along with his explanations so that you don't get too lost).

After/alongside that, try this thread of links to gun laws that apply to us here in Utah (maintained, thankfully, by Jeff): viewtopic.php?f=11&t=99

In that thread, start by focusing on the ones titled "U.C.A." and which the following brief-descriptions sound like they might apply to you. After you get a handle of those you can go back and read any others that sound interesting or which MIGHT apply to you in the future. After that, you can usually do pretty good searching the legislature's laws using their search engine; but I wouldn't do that until you've read the bulk of the stuff I've already mentioned -- the searches are really only adequate if you have a fairly good base of understanding to start from.

Another good idea is to search the forum for references to the laws AS YOU READ THEM. There are many grey-areas or areas-of-confusion in the laws, and excellent threads exist here that go a long way towards clearing things up in your head. But that is also why the recommendation for Mitch's book: his helps paint a pretty clear picture also. You don't have to read the book cover-to-cover; start with the chapters covering basic guns laws and work from there -- for example, I have never gone back and re-read any of the sections on hunting (because I'm not a hunter).

 

[bane]

Bane,

Doesn't Mitch's book really just cover deadly weapons - more specifically guns and knives?

Yep; sorry, I thought you were talking about weapons laws in GENERAL. If your knowledge of weapons laws in general is already pretty firm, I'd just go the legislature's web page and use their law-search utility and search for terms that apply to what you want to know specifically. Post threads about any confusing parts and we can discuss those parts and see if someone knows them well enough to explain any discrepancies you find.

 

[bane]

The entirety of the law is huge, and complex.

:agree:
I've often thought that a lot of this nation's problems would be automatically resolved -IF-:
1) The legislative-body preparing to enact a new law were REQUIRED to first read the law OUT-LOUD (and without distracted participants) and IN FULL just prior to the final vote.

2) The legislative-body responsible for a particular law were required to AGAIN perform the reading (not a re-vote, just a re-read) every-so-often, say every 4 years.

I can tell you one thing: the tax code would go bye-bye REAL QUICK! :evil:

 

[bane]

I once read a science fiction story (decades ago -- I have no idea who wrote it or what it was called) about a society in which the final signing of a new law into effect included the ritual death of the legislator who proposed it and, if I recall correctly, some sort of punishment for all of the legislators who voted for it.

That'd fix the proliferation of lousy laws for sure :twisted:

Hahah... :lol: Under that, this thread would have no reason to exist!