Can I Keep a Baseball Bat in My Car
Baseball is a wonderful, all-American pastime. Crackerjacks and the roar of the crowd as a runner crosses home is something everyone should experience first hand. However, anyone who's ever been hit by a bat can tell you they're dangerous weapons.
The upside of a bat is that they take little to no training to learn how to swing. Of course, the downside is that if you use a bat in a fight, you could end up in court. What about just having one around for defense though? I checked into the matter so you'll have all the facts before you leave your Louisville Slugger in your trunk.
Is it illegal to carry a baseball bat in your car? A baseball bat is legal, even in your car, but what you do with the bat matters. Unfortunately, carrying a bat with the intent to hit people or private property is against the law.
Is It A Weapon
If you can hurt someone with the item in your hand, it's a weapon. There are whole self-defense courses based around training people to use whatever comes to hand as a weapon to defend themselves. I'd even go so far as to suggest taking a class in improvised combat. In situations where other weapons might be prohibited, and there's a real threat to your safety, it might save your life.
The other side of that coin is that using anything as a weapon comes with consequences. When society comes crashing down around your ears, and people are rioting in the streets with no rule of law, go for it. Protect yourself with extreme prejudice and survive however you can. In any lesser scenario, I'd caution some restraint and a whole lot of research before you take that swing.
Is a Bat a Deadly Weapon
Does a bat constitute a deadly weapon when used in a fight? Absolutely and unequivocally yes. In court, defendants have been found guilty of assault with a deadly weapon for using bats. In fact, there are quite a few things with legal precedent that you might not think of as lethal weapons. You'll find a few good examples below.
- Sports equipment, including baseball bats
- Motorized vehicles including boats
- Broken bottles
- Dogs
- Garden tools and power tools
Does that mean you should never defend yourself with a baseball bat? Unfortunately, you have to decide for yourself. Is defending your life worth the risk of losing your freedom? Where you cannot legally carry a gun, knife, or taser, you still have the right to defend yourself. Your circumstances and what risks you are willing to take are up to you. A bat, like the virtually indestructible Brooklyn Crusher by Cold Steel from Amazon , is a very effective weapon. Still, the law is pretty clear about the fact that it's a weapon as soon as you swing it with the intent to do harm.
What Else Can I Carry In My Car
When it comes to carrying weapons in your car, the rules are pretty simple. You can carry anything you have the legal right to own and transport. The law changes when you pull something out to scare, threaten, or hurt someone else. Once you take action with an inanimate object which constitutes fighting or even implying you would harm someone, it becomes a weapon. Whether an item is considered a lethal weapon is up to the court that tries the case.
You can carry plenty of weapons and alternatives in your car to defend yourself from harm, but the truth is that anything used to do damage is a weapon. Carry what you're comfortable with. As long as you aren't hunting people for fun, your defensive weapon should be fine in the car. Just, don't hold it in your hand while you're driving, and don't announce your intentions.
Some Suggestions
Here are a few easy alternatives that are probably legal in your area. Carrying a bat is excellent, but having a backup plan is always good too.
- Taser- Everyone knows that getting electrocuted isn't fun. Tasers take that to another level and up the shock factor, usually enough for you to escape.
- Tactical Pen- A good tactical pen is solid metal on the outside, and still lets you sign your name if you need it. As a defensive weapon, they're decent for stabbing, though not as good as a knife.
- Pepper Spray- Mace or pepper spray is a great way to slow down an attacker and distract them. The fog or mist variations are better than the streams unless you're in high wind. However, not everyone reacts the same, and there's a tiny chance that it might not stop the assailant.
- Personal Alarm- While an alarm isn't a weapon, it does deter likely muggers by drawing a lot of attention very quickly.
- Large Flashlight- Flashlights with hard metal bodies can stun or damage a would-be attacker. Furthermore, you can also get a flashlight so bright it works to cause temporary blindness so you can escape.
Is It Self Defense
Defending your own life is a fairly reasonable action, but a lot of different factors can affect how a judge rules. An excellent baseball bat, like the B arnett BB-W Wooden Baseball Bat you can get from Amazon , is one way to protect yourself in an emergency. However, you can get arrested for self-defense. Even if you get away with it later, you have to weigh the pros and cons for yourself.
I'm not a lawyer, police officer, or judge. However, I know that doing the least damage possible to escape will look better in court than beating someone to death after they're down. Typically using lethal force qualifies as self-defense if it meets some basic criteria.
Ask Yourself
- Would a reasonable person in the same situation make the same choice?
- Does your attacker have the ability to cause you serious bodily damage or death?
- Is the assailant close enough to do the damage you fear?
- Are you in jeopardy? Do they intend to hurt or kill you right now?
Even when all these things are clearly the case, you can still lose in court if the judge disagrees. Get a good lawyer and make sure you provide them with all the details to show you were acting only to protect yourself. Hence, you should always strive to be well informed. Similarly, be cautious about why and how before undertaking violence. As long as you live in a place with a social structure that has laws and law enforcement, hurting people has consequences.
Learn Your Weapon
When you choose to carry a weapon, you instantly become responsible for the result of what you do with it. When you're being attacked, any weapon is better than nothing. However, preparedness is all about planning. Looking into what works best for you and how best to use it is just part of the process. You should always practice with your weapon of choice if only to build muscle memory for the motions.
What Type of Bat is Best
There is no magical answer to the question of which bat to choose. Bats come in numerous styles, shapes, and materials for a good reason. If every hitter used the same exact bat in the same way, there would be an easy answer. Instead, you need to assess your skills and needs.
The primary factors are weight, length, and material. For example, the Louisville Slugger 2015 K100 Fungo Wood Bat I got from Amazon is made of solid ash and has a sleek design that concentrates the bulk of the wood near the tip. However, some people swear by metal bats or alloys. Still, others prefer children's bats so they can claim they coach little league. That seems like an unnecessary stretch unless you're a coach.
A wooden bat is more cumbersome, but it also swings a little slower because of the weight. Composite and aluminum (metal) tend to be lighter and easier to carry. The swing is faster with a lighter bat, but you won't have as much weight behind the swing. At the end of the day, a bat will do severe damage regardless of the type and style.
Final Thoughts
Have you ever seen a mailbox after some punk kids decided to play mailbox baseball? They aren't a pretty sight. The destructive power of a club is brutal and effective. Since a baseball bat is essentially a club with a coat of paint and a purpose in life, it works the same. You can maim or kill someone with a bat even if you aren't very strong.
Self-defense isn't about doing the most damage possible; it's about protecting your body and getting away from the fight. As long as you keep that in mind, then a bat can be your new best friend. If you're stopped with a bat in your car, don't worry about it. Unless that bat has evidence of a murder on it, or someone has been bashing mailboxes in your area recently, it's not going to matter. You have the right to remain silent on the issue of your sporting goods.
Baseball bats are legal to own and transport. A bat is a piece of wood or metal. It's not a weapon until you use it to do damage.
Can I Keep a Baseball Bat in My Car
Source: https://newbieprepper.com/is-it-illegal-to-carry-a-baseball-bat-in-your-car/