Carrying fixed knives?
 

Today while getting gas at the Publix Southern Trace Shell station about 10 a.m. near the Dunkin Donuts there was a motorcyclist with a fixed knife that looked to have a blade of 6 inches or more. The whole thing-- blade and handle-- looked to be about a foot or a little more in length.

State Knife Carry and Blade Length Laws

It was a rough looking 50ish couple on the bike. Not the often seen "accountant on a Harley" you often see around Bike Week.

I was wondering how legal is this in Florida and the surrounding states? I have not seen this before on bikers but cannot really say I have been around a lot of them except for the groups coming through the Villages for Bike Week in Leesburg who look more like librarians, teachers, lawyers, etc. than someone who just stepped off the set of The Sons of Anarchy. That is about a Hell's Angels like motorcycle club in Northern California.

There is probably a lot more to it, than what I found.

790.06 License to carry concealed weapon or firearm.—(1) The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is authorized to issue licenses to carry concealed weapons or concealed firearms to persons qualified as provided in this section. Each such license must bear a color photograph of the licensee. For the purposes of this section, concealed weapons or concealed firearms are defined as a handgun, electronic weapon or device, tear gas gun, knife, or billie, but the term does not include a machine gun as defined in s. 790.001(9). Such licenses shall be valid throughout the state for a period of 7 years from the date of issuance. Any person in compliance with the terms of such license may carry a concealed weapon or concealed firearm notwithstanding the provisions of s. 790.01. The licensee must carry the license, together with valid identification, at all times in which the licensee is in actual possession of a concealed weapon or firearm and must display both the license and proper identification upon demand by a law enforcement officer. Violations of the provisions of this subsection shall constitute a noncriminal violation with a penalty of $25, payable to the clerk of the court.

I guess it wasn't concealed ? ?

If you saw the knife, it is an open carry, and he can carry a machete, katana, saber, cutlass, cane knife, scimitar, etc if he wants to.

Did he hurt you in any way or make a dangerous move towards you?

I don't understand why you were even concerned?

I can't speak for the OP, but some people feel a little uneasy around plain folks carrying deadly weapons.

Given a chance, I'll maintain a good distance.

According to the poster a man with a hunting kinfe strapped to his belt and riding a motorcyle drove into a Shell station, paid for his gas, pumped his gas and drove away and never bothered a soul. We better find a spot in the "A" block of the 11pm local news for this story!

Actually, I never saw the couple buy any gas. They were buying something in the store as well as using some of the paper towels near the station I had my car in. I had to wait for the senior male motorcyclist with the foot long knife to get out of the way before I could pull up to the gas pump.

I just was curious what the laws were about carrying knives out in the open like this? And it seems to vary a great deal from state-to-state as well as city-to-city.

I guess when your easy rider rifle rack just won't fit across the back of your bike, a "hunting knife" strapped to your belt is the next best thing.

Maybe I should have asked him if it was alligator season? He just looked like he was planning on going into some very rough neighborhoods where they would probably have machine pistols of some sort.

We all have our stereo typical models for people heavily influenced by experience, the movies or television.......accountants on their Harleys!

Sometimes I wish I had not started reading a thread. this is one of those times. Trying to stick to the topic....
My read of Florida statutes indicates that one may ONLY openly carry a knife, BUT not conceal it without a permit.

definitions, Fl statutes...
13) “Weapon” means any dirk, knife, metallic knuckles, slungshot, billie, tear gas gun, chemical weapon or device, or other deadly weapon except a firearm or a common pocketknife, plastic knife, or blunt-bladed table knife.

Apparently one may not conceal a knife without a concealed carry permit. Interesting....what if you carried a butcher knife in a basket to grandma's to carve the turkey, on your Harley?

790.01 Carrying concealed weapons.—
(1) Except as provided in subsection (4), a person who carries a concealed weapon or electric weapon or device on or about his or her person commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

(2) A person who carries a concealed firearm on or about his or her person commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

790.06 License to carry concealed weapon or firearm.—
(1) The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is authorized to issue licenses to carry concealed weapons or concealed firearms to persons qualified as provided in this section. Each such license must bear a color photograph of the licensee. For the purposes of this section, concealed weapons or concealed firearms are defined as a handgun, electronic weapon or device, tear gas gun, knife, or billie, but the term does not include a machine gun as defined in s. 790.001(9). Such licenses shall be valid throughout the state for a period of 7 years from the date of issuance. Any person in compliance with the terms of such license may carry a concealed weapon or concealed firearm notwithstanding the provisions of s. 790.01. The licensee must carry the license, together with valid identification, at all times in which the licensee is in actual possession of a concealed weapon or firearm and must display both the license and proper identification upon demand by a law enforcement officer.

addendum in following post on open carry

addendum: open carrying (unconcealed) of weapons OTHER than firearms and electric devices (weapons minus firearms=knife, etc) is not prohibited. Also Certain weapons are allowed open carry self defense, such as chemical spray and stun guns.

ps...I'm not an attorney. correct me if you are and I'm wrong.

790.053 Open carrying of weapons.—
(1) Except as otherwise provided by law and in subsection (2), it is unlawful for any person to openly carry on or about his or her person any firearm or electric weapon or device. It is not a violation of this section for a person licensed to carry a concealed firearm as provided in s. 790.06(1), and who is lawfully carrying a firearm in a concealed manner, to briefly and openly display the firearm to the ordinary sight of another person, unless the firearm is intentionally displayed in an angry or threatening manner, not in necessary self-defense.

(2) A person may openly carry, for purposes of lawful self-defense:
(a) A self-defense chemical spray.

(b) A nonlethal stun gun or dart-firing stun gun or other nonlethal electric weapon or device that is designed solely for defensive purposes.

(3) Any person violating this section commits a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

An open carry is less dangerous than concealed. It is an honest up front statement: WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET. You waited for the couple to finish their business and leave before pulling up to fill your tank. Now imagine a slow accountant in that position, so you honk your horn and because he is a hothead, he pulls his legally concealed Pistol and kills you both. Sometimes appearances can be deceiving.