is carrying a bat legal?

Question

Hello Everyone.. So i carry a baeball bat in the trun of my car.. am not acting ganagster or trying to be a hardass.. i just carry it for my own safety. I have seen people get jumped and if it wasnt for the bat.. they could ave been seriously injured.. I would never hit anyone with it.. I wanna know if it is legal t carry that bat incase u wanted to defend urself. Do you get charged if police came and saw u carrying the bat and u said u wanted it to ensure ur personal safety. just to defend ur self. Do u need a license like for a gun.? I live in london ontario

Answer 1

Can't tell you about Canadian law, but it's almost always all in the context. In the States, the particular weapon is less important than the perceived threat -- people have been convicted of assault with a deadly weapon for threatening others with dogs, screwdrivers, beer glasses. Unless a particular item is restricted, (like handguns,) you can certainly possess it; but that doesn't mean you won't be liable for *how* you carry it.

Your larger problem here is the attitude you seem to be taking towards "self-defense". Under the common law, presumably applicable in Ontario, you have to fulfill what is called the "duty to retreat" before you can exercise self defense. If you have time to go to your trunk, get out your bat and wield it, you have time to run away. My wife is a public defender, and has had dozens of clients who wanted to claim self defense after hurting someone in a fight the other guy started. The law doesn't care who started it.

EDIT:
Everyone suggesting that carrying balls will somehow legitimize carrying a bat is missing the point. You can carry a chainsaw, a machete, a hunting rifle *and* a baseball bat in your car without it being illegal. It's no different from carrying a backpack or a tube of toothpaste. As soon as you make a credible threat of bodily harm, whether it's with the bat or the tube of toothpaste, it's assault. Put another way, if you actually have a sports-related reason for carrying a bat, and you use it to make a threat, it's assault. The reason you have the bat in the car is totally irrelevant.

Answer 2

Well I don't know about London, Ontario but when I once lived in a if'y neighborhood here in the USA I carried a Louisville Slugger in the back seat of our car. Of course I had the presents of mind to also throw a baseball glove and a couple of balls with it.

Being in the trunk wouldn't of done me much good. By the time I got to it I would've been in serious trouble

Answer 3

I'm not familiar with Canadian laws. If you are here in the States, you won't have any problems carrying a bat in your trunk. It can be considered a weapon but it is also sporting equipment and you don't need a license. I wouldn't suggest walking into a convenience store with it over your shoulder however.

Answer 4

I don't know the Canadian laws. But simply carrying the bat should not be illegal unless you use it in a threatening manner. I don't think anyone would mess with you if they see the bat in possession. The cops could ask you to put it away. I don't think they have the right to know its for your defense.

Answer 5

it is legal as long as you can prove that you are not carrying it with the intent to use it as a weapon. Maybe take up the hobby of hitting some baseballs around so you "play" the sport. Maybe also involve someone else once in awhile so that you have proof that you play

Answer 6

Carry the bat closer to you.....like under the front seat. If the police stop you, just tell them you're on your way to practice.

Answer 7

Yes. In America. Or rather the United States of America.

The United States Constitution is absolutely clear on this. You have a right to keep and bear arms. That right shall not be infringed upon.

That means that the military, nor any elected official, nor a law enforcement official, nor any business owner, nor any other citizen can infringe upon my right to "keep and bear arms."

Now does that mean there aren't ignorant people who will attempt to violate my civil rights? Of course not. People can be very stupid sometimes.

We know what the Constitution says but someone, a while back, told me something very valuable. We have no rights. The Constitution fails to guarantee us anything. What it does do is give us something to go by when others violate our rights.

For example: If I walk down the street with my MP-5 submachine gun I'm sure I'll get a few weird looks from people as they pass by. Most of them moved here from places like California, Minnesota, Michigan and Pennsylvania and are conditioned to believe in gun control legislation even though it's unconstitutional.

So let's say I do this. And someone calls the police and has them attempt to arrest me. And, of course, since I'm hardly a nutcase I submit to the legal authorities. And they confiscate my H&K and throw my shiney hiney in the local jail.

But what they may not know is that I will sue the police officer and I will sue the person who made the phone call. See, the police keep records of who originated the call. And I'll sue the city or county or state or whatever authority is involved.

I'll sue and I'll win because other people have done the same thing and I can cite those court cases as precedent that I have the constitutional right to "keep and bear arms and that my right shall not be infringed upon."

So what will happen to the police officer and what will happen to the citizen who thought they were 'doing good' by placing the phone call? They will lose their homes. I will own the house they live in! The police officer will also loose his peace officer's license. He/she will have to move to another state and try to become a cop somewhere else.

The thing with the United States Constitution is that it is only good if you have the spine to stand up for yourself or you have enough money to hire the best legal representation that money can buy.

Now, there are only two nations on Earth where you can legally own and carry weapons. The USA and Switzerland. You live in Canada and have no rights. But that's your problem.

Answer 8

its much easier to carry the bat,there is no law concerning possesions of sporting goods. but a gun will make you look violent, but i agree with heyyou, carry a ball with it.

Answer 9

I used to keep a hammer under the front passenger seat - just in case I needed one.

Answer 10

***I would never hit anyone with it.***

NEVER carry a weapon you are unwilling to use. It only serves to ARM your attacker. I don't know Canadian law. In the US, it would probably not be questioned unless use threatened someone with it.