Do you think this is going a little bit too far?

Question

OK, so I went to my local In Store last week to get some cheap gardening equipment - spade, fork, shears etc.. and felt that the "nanny state" had stiked again!

There, hanging innocently on a hook was a trowel and on it was "This item is only to be sold to customers over 18" (for anyone who doesn't know - it's a tiny little spade for potting plants etc..)

Now, don't get me wrong, with all the stabbings going on lately, I will admit that there is a serious problem - but labelling a trowel for over 18's only - now that to me is going a little far.

There were plenty of other potential harmful items in the shop that didn't have over 18 stickers, like a cutlery set (forks and knives), a spanner/socket set (heavy bars of solid metal), a washing line (could be used to strangle someone) when does an item cross the line into "over 18" territory?

Do you think preventing under 18's buying trowels is preventing assaults/ deaths - or are they just trying to look like their doing something?

Answer 1

I see your point but doesn't that show that we are all at a loss as to what to do to solve this awful problem ?  --I always associated adults with murder and chasing girls with teenagers but teenagers murdering each other at this rate is just unheard of.  In the USA they shoot each other. In the UK they cut each other up.  I think the answer is more police police on the streets.

Answer 2

....thats really weird......

why would someone stab someone with a spade, of all things????

Answer 3

i think its a diversian lol

Answer 4

yes,,i agree with you completely..britain is going mad.mary.c.

Answer 5

David, are you winding us up?

Answer 6

on all sharp objects should be - over 18 stickers same as heavy metal objects,forks and knives ((unless picnic plastic)) erm same with washing lines etc and no i dont think it will prevent assaults/deaths unless you are always asked for ID cause i mean its like in sainsburys for drink it says " if you look under 21 then ill have to ask for ID" but what if teens are so full of make-up etc that they look 21 when really theyre like 15 or younger!! i mean im 14 and look 21 and theyd still let me buy stuff like that so i think they should ALWAYS ask for ID and not just if you look old enough!! i know people will say more police on the streets but police wont do anything because theyre scared of getting hurt themselves and who can blame them but the police are wearing bullet proof vest etc all the time so we need TOUGHER police officers not more!!

Answer 7

Its insane. There are tons of things kept behind the counter at my local grocery store that dont seem to add up to crime. You can still buy aerosols and lighter fluid off the shelf, but vanilla extract and antiseptics require id.

I think most items (if you looked hard enough) could be harmful in one way or another, i just dont understand the system of determining which are the worst.

Answer 8

Of course it is.

Why demonise under 18's - most are o.k. (it is the few), so just punish those that commit the crimes.

Answer 9

i think wot cud av append... is that summ 1 bought a trowel from their shop and killed some one or stabbed some one else with it, and the police have tracked the shop down and have put a limit on it? maybe..

its still diabolical though! no trowel in any shop should be labeled for 18 year olds! never! nott if more dangerous things arent!! i hope you find a trowel mayt :) hope i helped :O

Answer 10

Sounds like something got traced back to them, and they're trying to cover their A**es.

Answer 11

Well what about pens - they could be used to stab someone especially if you sharpened it, or barbecue skewers or sharpen a piece of bamboo or a brick could be used to knock someone on the head, a car can be used to run someone over but you are allowed those under 18.  Maybe they should just ban everything that's a bit hard, heavy or sharp!

Answer 12

You can actually be killed by being hit over the head with a frozen chicken, so they'll be 'over 18' next!

Answer 13

They're probably trying to prevent younger murderers from burying their victims' bodies.

What is the world coming to?!

Answer 14

yes they're right to do it! I think they should also have over 18 signs on buckets too! You could take the bucket to the public toilets, fill it with water, and begin to drown innocent people of the town. Shopping spree turns to murder spree!

That cling film is a potential weapon too! beware!

Answer 15

i know fella, its way over the top. if things keep going as they are  they will have bouncers at the door at b&q, or getting searched to buy a pint of milk. but what can we do ??

Answer 16

if somone is in the right mindset, they can kill you with nothing, and everything is  potentially violent, so yes,yes, yes

Answer 17

Sounds like the world is going crazy to me. Stopping under 18's from buying a trowel won't prevent violence at all. The only way to prevent the ever growing craze of stabbings etc, is to educate children from a young age as to what the dangers are and what harm a stabbing could cause. And maybe if they started setting up youth centres that the kids would enjoy that would help as it would keep them off the streets. The youngsters of today create havoc because they have nothing to do and no interests lets try and solve that instead of banning under 18's from buying a gardening tool.