What umberellas tell us about the Health and Safety culture

Maybe living in West Wales I treat rain as one of those common events, you put on a coat and get on with it. If you don't have a coat you get wet and accept it.

I am spellbound when I visit London and it is raining. What other regular event  gives an excuse to carry a 10 point sharp weapon at or around head height. They don't even need a license to use one in public. How many people get blinded in one eye each time it rains in London by a lack of due care and attention from the umbrella driver? If the number is zero, I would expect fudging by the Association of Umbrella Manufactures [is there one?].

Maybe I am only at risk because I don't have or use such an irresponsible item. Applying the US right wing argument for guns, if everyone had an umbrella, then no one would get a sharp spike of metal in the eye or ear.

Given the rather obvious 3rd party risk if carrying these offensive weapons, why are they legal?
What don't commuters need training and a certificate before they are allowed to carry one on a drizzly day?

"How to teach Umbrella safety to Children" looks hopeful. Even the moral-less sharks have got wind of it.

Would it be reasonable to walk around London carrying a unguarded  javalin? No, unless you are on your way to javelin training and you have the sharp bits covered. So why are such bloody dangerous items considered acceptable?

Some of it may be "sorry about your eye, but at least I did not get wet".

It says a lot about our collective attitude to risk of injury.