Don't buy a baton, stun device, dagger or pepper spray for self-defense and carry it; leaving it in the car counts as carrying
- Top value
- Evidence A
- Keeps you free
- Free
- Takes minutes
- No willpower
In plain words
Daggers, spring knives, batons and stun devices, if found on you when you go out, can bring detention of up to 5 days (拘留). Taking them into a station, a mall or a bus brings detention of 5 to 10 days. Actually using one can also backfire: someone was punched by an unarmed man and then stabbed him with a knife he had hidden beforehand, and was sentenced to 4 years for excessive defense (防卫过当).
Mentioned in
- Call the police and don't hit back when a conflict starts; the one who throws the first punch almost always loses
- Don't buy realistic replica guns, steel-ball guns or air guns online, and don't buy "toy guns" of unknown origin
- If a stranger demands money from you in the wild, give it to him, don't fight, note his features, and report to the police after you get away
Translated from the Chinese original. Original book, section 9, tip 26. This section describes legal rules, mostly mainland China’s. It is general information, not legal advice; for your own case, talk to a lawyer. Content may be out of date and rules differ by place. When you actually deal with an agency, a doctor or a court, follow what local officials, doctors and lawyers tell you. Disclaimer