Replacement torch

[Bod]

[Vir Campestris]

I have a 2D Maglite.

It's great for lighting up the field - nice contained spot.

It's not so good as a flood. When I defocus it I get a ring, not a fuzzy spot. So it lives by the bed. If I walk down the road I use a little thing driven off a couple of AAA cells which is easier to carry and better for just seeing the ground.

Andy

[Johnny B Good]

Night fighting?

[David Lang]

Panasonic from TLC are cheap & good.

[Jonno]

Tim Watts scribbled

Neither do we. Nor do I see much of the 3 for 1 replacement plastic coppers, who for some strange reason are mostly women - here at least.

[Bill Wright]

What, you mean bash 'im over the head with it?

Bill

[Johnny B Good]

With the single cell (and the two cell) type, you can guarantee that they're not the crude dropper resistor ballasted type so typical of the cheap 3 cell type.

[GB]

I certainly can. How about this?

A disabled caravanner who kept a penknife in his glove compartment to use on picnics has blasted the authorities after being dragged through court for possessing an offensive weapon.

Okay, this story's about a knife, and there are specific laws about those, but the principle is the same.

[Chris French]

But the principle isn't the same.

As you say, there are specific laws about knives, generally, possessing one in public is an offence, unless you have good reason.

Now ok, we could argue about the specifics on this case - whether or not it should have been a good reason, but that isn't really the point.

With a knife the onus is on the possessor to show evidence of good reason for possessing it.

With a random object like a torch, large spanner, pickaxe handle, the police/ prosecution have to show evidence of intent to cause harm

[Tim Watts]

I call BS on the DM story. Been carrying a leatherman for years. yes, I can say it's for work (I use it sometimes for odd jobs). Never been questioned and I have had it put in public for its screwdriver.

[Bod]

Anyone can legally carry a folding pen knife 3" or less as long as it doesn't lock.

[Huge]

Me too. But folding pocket knives with blades under 3" are fine;

From

It is illegal to:

sell a knife of any kind to anyone under 18 years old (16 to 18 year olds in Scotland can buy cutlery and kitchen knives)

carry a knife in public without good reason - unless it?s a knife with a folding blade 3 inches long (7.62 cm) or less, eg a Swiss Army knife

carry, buy or sell any type of banned knife

use any knife in a threatening way (even a legal knife, such as a Swiss Army knife)

[Tim Watts]

And the DM bloke's knife did not look like a >3" blade.

[Clive George]

This was probably all discussed here when it happened. But that picture (of a normal swiss army knife) doesn't match the knife he was prosecuted for. (though it does appear the CPS used the wrong description).

[The Natural Philosopher]

[Clive George]

See my post - the knife in the pic isn't the one he was busted for. The prosecutor was dumb enough to refer to a swiss army knife, which gave him the opportunity to pose with one. The one he got caught with was a lock knife.

[PeterC]

I got an LED torch from Aldi a few months ago. It's not the super-lumen of some, is Cree, takes 3 AAAs (Eneloops) and is good for about 100m on a dark night. It's spot to wide, very even on wide and has 100% and 50%. I tried it on 50% (didn't want to roast it) and it was still useful after 7h and some light after 9h. About a fiver IIRC.

The one on Amazon had a few hundred 1-star comments and a couple of thousand

5-star - makes me wonder.

For general use I have the 3-AAA 99p ones scattered around the house, sheds and loft. They'll just accomodate ordinary rechargeables and are easy with Eneloops.

[John Rumm]

ISTR a case a while back where either plod or the CPS brought a case against a gardener for carrying a scythe in his van! (got thrown out by the judge IIRC)

[Tim Watts]

Oh I see... Well, that was a bit silly of him.

[John Rumm]

Looking under floorboards through a small gap with the aid of a mirror.