Other strange laws

13 years ago

Cathy's beer thread and all of the great responses got me thinking.

There are so many just plain weird laws on the books. What are some whhere you live?

Tim read something just the other day that said there is a law in MN which makes it illegal to sleep without clothes on. (I am sure you'll see my photo on the post office wall very soon)

I don't know if it is still on the books but there used to be a law here that made it illegal to drive a red car.

Tell me the strange laws in your state.

Linda

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (14)

caliloo
13 years ago
I love these!!! This is a partial list of my absolute favs.

*******************************************************
In New York, it is against the law for a blind person to drive an automobile.

In Florida, it is against the law to put livestock on a school bus.

In New Jersey, cabbage can't be sold on Sunday.

In Virginia, chickens cannot lay eggs before 8:00 a.m., and must be done before 4:00 p.m.

In Massachusetts, it is against the law to put tomatos in clam chowder.

Here is a link that might be useful: strange facts
centralcacyclist
13 years ago
California must have some odd ordinances here and there. Here in Modesto, "cruising" is against the law. This means you can't be seen making the same loop over and over up and down the main drag on a Friday or Saturday night in your car.

Yeah, people here need lives!
Related Discussions
Strange Growth on your Roses? (Dublin Bay and others)
Q
Comments (17)
Poodlepup, When you or any of us are trying to diagnose diseases, we need to look for multiple symptoms. Red color isn't even a failsafe diagnosis of RRD; some OGRs never show the red color at all when they are sick with it. RRD has symptoms that are sometimes really blatent, but other times are more subtle. An example is when infected leaves have margins that are different from the pattern of uninfected (same cultivar) leaves. Sometimes the leaves shapes change and the symmetry is lost. Stipules may be hugely overgrown- a stipule on a healthy rose may end up with crazy dentitions when the rose is sick.
...See More
Apartment Advice/Laws
Q
Comments (5)
I moved into an older apartment building, that has 8 apartments. I'm guessing it was built somewhere in the 40's or 50's. It's the kind that still have the old disconnected gas pipes through the walls where they once would have had a gas light on each floor. Anyway, I live in an apartment with another apartment below me and and 2 above mine, on my side of the building. The man above me is a musician. I didn't know this before moving in. Within a few short weeks of living here I met him. He was sitting on the stoop with the handy man chatting when I approached the stoop I introduced myself to him. He displayed a blanc look on his face. I told him I love music and I can hear him clearly while he practices. I even asked where he plays out, and he responded Brooklyn. i suggested that if he lets me know when he is playing, that I would go to see his show. The handyman chimed into the conversation and I learned he had a large band. I offered information about my relatives who play instruments and they built a sound proof room so they didn't disturb others in their house. I suggested (very politely and within the conversation contents) that he might want to consider soundproofing too. He didn't acknowledge me, however the sound proofing idea was being discussed by both of them when I entered the building and politely wished they have a good day. I believe all went well since they continued the conversation on sound proofing. After several weeks of listening to loud foot tapping over me and musical instruments being played and usually the same notes over and over again and again, I realized that their practice time, grew a little more each day as time went on . When I first moves in I was working then lost my job. so I am here day after day and became aware that they were not only living upstairs but using the apartment as a sound/music studio. They have drums. clarinet, and other horns that I am not able to distinguish the names, but go from high pitches to extremely low pitches. They practice and practice continually tapping their feet to the tempo. As they play faster and louder they tap harder into the floor to the point that pieces of ceiling fall onto my floor. when they hook up the horns to amplifiers and other musical equipment it electrifies the sounds and vibrates through the ceiling, shaking the ceiling fan and lights, the water pipes and the radiators and windows and everything else in the apartment. I swear the floor vibrates too, even though the music is coming through the ceiling above me. if i had a job and money I would quietly move, but immediately, Unfortunately I can't afford it at this time. I have found myself yelling up to them and asking them to please stop tapping their feet on the floor because the ceiling is falling and everything is vibrating. I have to ask several times and then they stop usually by adding several stops on the floor. It reminds me of what a child would do when they are rebelling. But these aren't children. I put up with this thinking the chain of command was the handyman to the landlord which is what the handyman I moved told me when I moved in and I had no reason not to believe him. But it has been over 2 years and nothing has been done. The reason I waited was although I pay my rent but occasionally I get behind about 5-10 days. But I believed the landlord was getting the information from the handyman, after all he is now the superintendent of this building. Yet It has gotten worse since I first moved in. It was him and one other, now she lives with him. i believe their are others as well living there from time to time and they all play instruments together. I lost my cool and yelled up to the ceiling one day a few weeks ago when they played from about 2pm until after 11pm. I am sorry for being so wordy here but I wanted to give you as much of a picture as posible. Is there anything I can do, just short of moving? Thank You
...See More
Lost my mom and mother in law
Q
Comments (6)
Thanks mav.So sorry to hear about your husband.I dont know how you do it.I cant imagine not having my husband with me.Yesterday we had to take the car to the garage to get the brakes fixed so we used my mothers car which my dad now drives.When I got into the passenger side of her car I started to cry hysterically.My hands were shaking and I was gasping for breath.I hadnt been in her car without her ever.I was having a panic attack.Luckily,we didnt have far to go so I was home in about 10 minutes.I really feel like Im falling apart.This was a huge setback for me.Im really sorry to be whining but I cant help it.I just miss her so much.I dont think I can go on for much longer.
...See More
Strange, strange weather.
Q
Comments (16)
It's warm here too, for December. I'm near Philadelphia. Most of my memories of last-minute Christmas shopping is freezing to death while running from the car to the mall. Not this year. We've had some chilly days and nights, but nothing bad. Of course, we had snow on Halloween, a flood and an earthquake this year, so maybe we will have a brown winter. I'd love that. It seems we do go through cycles of snowy winters, then non-snowy winters, so maybe we are due for no snow. I hope so, but I am not counting on it. The weather around here is generally more moderate. We don't have the extremes that others do. My least favorite weather is very humid. That's the worst. I even rather shovel snow, as long as the power stays on. Good luck to you who are freezing, drowning or snowed in!
...See More
Teresa_MN
13 years ago
All of those laws were put in place at one time when they must've made sense. I'm sure years from now the "No pants on the ground" law enacted in some states won't make any sense. I for one don't enjoy seeing someone's backside. Although I did enjoy seeing a couple of shoplifters in downtown Minneapolis get caught because they couldn't hold on to the merchandise, hold up their pants and run at the same time!
triciae
13 years ago
Here's a few gems from around Connecticut:

Hartford:

It's illegal to cross the street while walking on your hands.

You may not educate dogs. So you know the dogs playing poker velvet painting wasn't done in Hartford! :)

It is illegal to kiss your wife on Sundays. (No wonder we have so many road rage accidents on Mondays!)

You may not bike over 65 miles per hour.

Devon:

You may not walk backwards after sunset.

Attwoodville:

It is illegal for people to play Scrabble while waiting for a politician to speak.

Simsbury:

It's illegal for a politician to campaign at the town dump.

Waterbury:

A beautician must not hum, whistle, or sing while working on a customer. (Now there's a good law.)

In general, statewide throughout Connecticut:

You are required to report to the police any dogs sporting a tattoo.

The marriage of imbeciles and feeble-minded persons is prohibited.

It is against the law in Connecticut for a man to write love letters to a girl whose mother or father has forbidden the relationship.

Silly String has been banned FOREVER.

There is a $1 fine for frowning in public.

/tricia
doucanoe
Original Author
13 years ago
LOL, Tricia! Wonder what "incident" cause Silly String to be banned!

I found a few more from my home state:

You can not eat hamburgers on Sunday in St Cloud MN

Persuading another person to go to a massage therapist after 11pm is a misdemeanor in Minnetonka MN

YouÃ¢ÂÂre restricted from driving a red car down Lake Street in Minneapolis

Officers are required by law to kill all feral cats in Hibbing MN

Landing an airplane in city parks is prohibited without permit in Cottage Grove MN

Entering Wisconsin with a chicken on your head is prohibited.

Oral sex = illegal in Minnesota (bummer)

It is illegal to cross state lines with a duck on your head.

Residents of even numbered addresses may not water their plants on odd-numbered days excluding the thirty first day where it applies in Cottage Grove MN

It is illegal to paint sparrows to sell them as parakeets.

In Duluth, Minnesota it is illegal to allow animals to sleep in a bakery.

Linda
triciae
13 years ago
Oh, I forgot one...in Guilford you may decorate your home for the holidays with any color lights you wish as long as they are white.

Another Hartford priceless one...it is illegal to discharge a firearm from a moving vehicle EVEN DURING HUNTING SEASON. And yes, the reference to hunting season is part of the law. (Duck Martha! The guy in front of us spotted that buck we just passed!)

Re: Silly String

This law went on the books in the 90s. In CT we love parades. Tax payers did not like cleaning up the mess so we solved the problem. No more Silly String! (lol)

/tricia
vacuumfreak
13 years ago
Those are funny! Linda, I've often wondered about people who sleep with no clothes.... what if the house catches on fire in the middle of the night?
doucanoe
Original Author
13 years ago
Ha! I guess I'm S.O.L., Bobby!
As long as I am not traveling naked to Wisconsin with a chicken on my head, I think I'm safe!

Linda
Lars
13 years ago
Where I was born (Temple, Texas), there was a law saying that it is legal to ride your horse into a saloon; however you could not drive a horse and buggy through the town square. I think this was because the streets were very muddy back then. Anyway, horses were welcome in the saloons, and may have needed to get out of the rain and mud.

Lars
cloudy_christine
13 years ago
Do ballot initiatives count? I just saw on a blog post that this is currently on the ballot in Denver. Can that be true?!

"Shall the voters for the City and County of Denver adopt an Initiated Ordinance to require the creation of an extraterrestrial affairs commission to help ensure the health, safety, and cultural awareness of Denver residents and visitors in relation to potential encounters or interactions with extraterrestrial intelligent beings or their vehicles, and fund such commission from grants, gifts and donations?"
BeverlyAL
13 years ago
In Alabama:

It is illegal to wear a fake moustache that causes laughter in church.

Putting salt on a railroad track may be punishable by death.

Dominoes may not be played on Sunday.

Bear wrestling matches are prohibited.

In Auburn, Alabama:

Men who deflower virgins, regardless of age or marital status, may face up to five years in jail.

In Mobile, Alabama:

It is unlawful to wear womenÃ¢ÂÂs pumps with sharp, high heels.

Bathing in city fountains is prohibited. (Well, darn!)

It is illegal to spit orange peels on the sidewalk.
jimster
13 years ago
In Tennessee, a hunting license is free to anyone who is over 70, a veteran or blind.

Jim
rob333 (zone 7b)
13 years ago
Yes Jim, but it's perfetly legal to collect and eat roadkill, so they really don't need a hunting license ;) My favorite is, according to the Tennessee Code Annotated:

"'70-4-208. Unlawful importation of skunks--Penalty'
(a) It is unlawful for any person to import, possess, or cause to be imported into this state any type of live skunk, or to sell, barter, exchange or otherwise transfer any live skunk, except that the prohibitions of this section shall not apply to bona fide zoological parks and research institutions.

(b) A violation of this section is a Class C misdemeanor.

[Acts 1974, ch. 622, ÃÂ§ 1; 1982, ch. 738, ÃÂ§ 31; T.C.A., ÃÂ§ 51-514; Acts 1989, ch. 591, ÃÂ§ 113.]"

What'd skunks ever do to anyone? Animal discrimination!
dcarch7 d c f l a s h 7 @ y a h o o . c o m
13 years ago
Stupid law, not a strange law for this country.

I was at a Broadway show. I went to the bathroom during intermission. There was a long long long line to the ladies' room. No waiting for the Men's room. So I asked a couple of guys if they would mind lrtting the ladies use the Men's room for a few minute. No problem. I got a lot of thanks from the ladies.

In some dance clubs, it is so bad that the ladies just go and use the men's room. No one is surprised because it is don't all the the time.

The law says that you must have equal accomodation for both sexes.

dcarch

Other strange laws

Comments (14)

caliloo

centralcacyclist

Related Discussions

Teresa_MN

triciae

doucanoe
Original Author

triciae

vacuumfreak

doucanoe
Original Author

Lars

cloudy_christine

BeverlyAL

jimster

rob333 (zone 7b)

dcarch7 d c f l a s h 7 @ y a h o o . c o m

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Other strange laws

Comments (14)

Related Discussions

doucanoeOriginal Author

doucanoeOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

doucanoe
Original Author

doucanoe
Original Author