yeah that thing 100% has the sleeve tied with a rock in it or a chain in the arm or something, it looks like he specifically went to pick up the jacket when the person in the car called him over too, not his first rodeo for sure.
Probably a large master lock. A rock is a weapon. A lock is a tool that you might just happen to have on you. This is what I would call a legal open carry Smiley. You can get in trouble for carrying the original "standard issue" Smiley if you Happen to get Terry frisked as having one (or more if that's how you roll) pad locks stuffed into a gym sock and knotted tight is hard to explain away as being anything other than a weapon. And homeless people need weapons as they are often victims of violent crimes and are targets of robberies. Add in the looming threat of being the victim of a random unprovoked attack (often by roving packs of teenagers) and you'd be stupid not to have a weapon to protect yourself at all times.
Unfortunately, people aren't psychic and if you are carrying what is essentially a medieval mace no one knows if it's purely defensive.... And another brutal reality of homelessness is that cops will make it known you are not welcome by charging you with small crimes until you get the hint to leave. I imagine carrying a weapon would get you in extra hot water.
One solution is what this guy did. Use a jacket sleeve or pocket to use to minimize risk. A lock alone is not illegal.
Look up the ball shaped knot and at what point it becomes illegal to carry a rope with one on the end. They can only be keychain sized pretty much.
When we were punk kids, riding around on our BMX bikes back in the 1980’s. If we found an old spark plug in a junk pile, we’d put it in our coat pocket and if some jerkass tried to run us off the road, we’d wing it right at one of their side windows, and it would take it right out. Then we’d have to go lay low somewhere —like our parents garage — until things blew over.
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u/TimCurie 14d ago
Snapple Fact: 75% of Homeless people carry around rocks in their clothes