New Law
You’ll be delighted to know that there are no planned changes to the law on carrying guitars in public in general and on trains specifically. Furthermore you do no need to place them in a bag and the bag certainly does not need to be locked.
Once we got passed the bit where I explained I was talking about something thinner and sharper than a guitar (really, is my pronunciation that bad?) in great detail (you’d think a police officer would know what a ‘katana‘, or ‘samurai sword‘ was; I used both terms before giving up and saying “it’s a bloody sharp 3′ blade with a 1′ handle“) I also discovered the change in the law doesn’t affect me. To their credit the British Transport Police were able to answer me there and then. Still waiting for a response from Essex police.
I’m terribly disappointed to hear that those darned musicians with their fancy making music and transferring ideas through the medium of rhythmic verse are going to continue to be accommodated on our public transport system. I would have thought a locked bag a minimum requirement to ensure that this orgy of good natured sound making is contained to safe areas populated by trained professionals ensuring that no free music is allowed anywhere. WON’T SOMEONE THINK OF THE CHILDREN?
I’ll be alerting my congressman or who ever it is represents aliens in this country to this disappointing British stance and its possible negative effects on the record industry cartel.
I know - it’s disgusting. Apparently people can carry any sort of musical instrument openly in the UK. I trust the US allows you to take action against such behaviour.
Isn’t carrying a violin case practically an act of terrorism?
The violin case itself isn’t an issue. Jokes about its contents can pit you on sticky ground. Puffa jackets and looking foreign on the other hand…
Having once played the Violin I can back up Dom’s comments that any jokes about the contents usually results in the impact of said case into some soft part of the ‘joker’s’anatomy (backs of the knees worked well).
But of course I was younger and I’ve mellowed since then
I trust said instrument was carried in accordance with the law?
Well it was carried in accordance with the law but I think I may have contravened a few when I played it.