Re: [89attendees] unlawful in Britain to carry pocketknives that lock

["Murphy, Sandra" <[e-mail]>]

>It is surely reasonable to be expected to know something of the law of the countries you are visiting. There is no need for the IETF to have to >warn of this. Most governments have web pages that give a simple summary of the law and this is hardly hidden (as already identified):
>
>
>https://www.gov.uk/find-out-if-i-can-buy-or-carry-a-knife

I posted the message precisely because I knew that there was a good chance there were people who would not know of this law and would be violating it.

"know something", sure, but there are endless varieties of "something".  I think you are missing the point that 

https://www.gov.uk/find-out-if-i-can-buy-or-carry-a-knife

presumes that you know that there's a question about carrying knives that needs to be answered.

When something is very very common and totally accepted where you are, it might not occur to you to ask.

find-out-if-I-can-buy-or-carry-folding-scissors
find-out-if-I-can-buy-or-carry-matches
find-out-if-I-can-buy-or-carry-razor
find-out-if-I-can-buy-or-carry-mouthwash
find-out-if-I-can-buy-or-carry-nail-clippers
find-out-if-I-can-buy-or-carry-aspirin

for example, are not any of them questions I thought to ask.  Luckily there was no need.  Or at least I don't think so, but I did get through the London Eye search without trouble.  :-) (The fact that the London Eye had forms readily at hand must mean that this pocketknife problem is a frequent occurrence.)

If I implied that I thought the Secretariat should warn of this, I did not intend to.  I don't know that it is possible for them.  I'm trying to think of a way to prevent such things, and all that I can come up with is a plea to those IETF-ers who are frequent international travelers.  They might have the broad experience to notice conflicts in which common behaviors in some countries are illegal in others.  (interoperability problems?) They could post warnings to the attendees list.  Keep your fellow community brethren out of the Clink.  :-)

--Sandy