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Some laws I get. Others seem like edicts drafted during some legislative mad-libs session. When I was living in Ann Arbor, there was a law circulating that went as follows: your body can be considered an open container (i.e. Bud tab is to beer what your mouth is to, well, that same beer–or some nasty jungle juice). There are numerous sites devoted to compiling the more entertaining U.S. laws, and here are some of my favorite selections:
A person must be 18 years old to buy a wax container. (CA)
No children shall attend school with their breath smelling of “wild onions.” (WV)
Dirt may not be swept from one’s house into the street. (ID)
Residents may not own chickens, but may own up to three turkeys. (CO)
Any from your states I’m missing?
Comments (36)
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It is illegal to eat chicken with a fork in Georgia
posted by MaryKay on 5-9-2007 at 8:15 pm
south carolina: men interested in beating their wives are allowed to do so on the steps of the state house on sundays. if a board is used to deliver the beating, it must be no wider than one inch.
posted by jenni on 5-9-2007 at 8:18 pm
Texas:(from the town where I went to college) No more than 5 unrelated women may live in a house at a time; that was considered a brothel.
posted by greenstrawberries on 5-9-2007 at 8:32 pm
If an elephant is left tied to a parking meter, the parking fee has to be paid just as it would for a vehicle. (FL)
posted by Anthony on 5-9-2007 at 9:17 pm
“Fireworks stores may not sell fireworks to Pennsylvania residents.”
This is true – there is a fireworks store that is 2 miles from my house in PA – but I can only buy sparklers and other such small devices. When my dad visits from Maryland we go shopping with him so he can present his out-of-state license.
posted by Melissa on 5-9-2007 at 9:19 pm
Apparently there’s a law on the books in the city of Quebec (or Montreal?) saying that hotels must provide a stable and feed for the horse of any guest checking in. I’d like to put that one to the test.
posted by kovvoy on 5-10-2007 at 3:18 am
One of my favorites from Kansas is from Wichita…”Before proceeding through the interesection of Douglas and Broadway, a motorist is required to get out of their vehice and fire three shot gun rounds into the air.”
Please note, this is in the middle of downtown Wichita, and actually a busy intersection. Sure this was put on the books in the 1870’s, but I think anyone following the law today, would get arrested.
posted by Michelle on 5-10-2007 at 5:47 am
here are some dumb laws in iowa:
One-armed piano players must perform for free.
Kisses may last for no more than five minutes.
fort madison, ia: The fire department is required to practice fire fighting for fifteen minutes before attending a fire.
indianola, ia: The “Ice Cream Man” and his truck are banned.
ottumwa. ia: Within the city limits, a man may not wink at any woman he does not know.
posted by laura on 5-10-2007 at 8:08 am
In Maine, it is against the law to attend church without a shotgun.
posted by W on 5-10-2007 at 8:16 am
The infamous “Mandatory Sweet Tea” bill in Georgia in 2003:
http://www.legis.ga.gov/legis/2003_04/search/hb819.htm
House Bill 819
By: Representatives Noel of the 44th, Lane of the 101st, Barnard of the 121st, Post 1, Williams of the 4th, Rice of the 64th, and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Article 13 of Chapter 2 of Title 26 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to food service establishments, so as to define a term; to provide that food service establishments which serve iced tea shall serve sweet tea; to provide for penalties; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Article 13 of Chapter 2 of Title 26 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to food service establishments, is amended by adding at its end a new Code section to read as follows:
“26-2-379.
(a) As used in this Code section, the term ’sweet tea’ means iced tea which is sweetened with sugar at the time that it is brewed.
(b) Any food service establishment which serves iced tea must serve sweet tea. Such an establishment may serve unsweetened tea but in such case must also serve sweet tea.
(c) Any person who violates this Code section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature.”
SECTION 2.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.
posted by Tom on 5-10-2007 at 8:18 am
In NC, it is illegal to sing off key. It is also illegal to use elephants to plow cotton fields.
posted by Jenny on 5-10-2007 at 8:19 am
In California:
It’s illegal for a vehicle without a driver to exceed 60mph.
It’s a misdemeanor to shoot at animals from a moving vehicle, the exception being whales.
In Oklahoma:
It’s illegal to take a bite out of someone else’s hamburger.
It is illegal to hunt whales.
posted by Jason! on 5-10-2007 at 8:44 am
Some dumb Georgia laws.
1) It is illegal not to own a gun in Kennesaw.
And this next one is strictly enforced, which blows my mind.
2)It is illegal to sell alcohol on Sundays.
posted by Charlie on 5-10-2007 at 10:23 am
In Bel Air, Md there is a law on the books which says to walk around town unarmed is illeagal.
posted by Victor on 5-10-2007 at 10:45 am
A House may not be parked in the street.
This is actually a new law in Topeka Kansas.
posted by kelleyG on 5-10-2007 at 10:47 am
In California it’s legal to drive barefoot, but against the law if you do it in flip flops.
posted by Lebetho on 5-10-2007 at 11:46 am
In Ottawa, Ont. it is illegal to carry an ice cream cone in one’s back pocket while walking down Bank street (main commercial artery) on a Sunday.
It is also illegal to wear a hat that may frighten small children.
posted by Frank S. Besner on 5-10-2007 at 1:30 pm
As in Ontario, it is also illegal to carry an ice cream cone in your pocket in Kentucky. There is a statue depicting the offence in one of the squares in Lexington.
posted by Kathy K. on 5-10-2007 at 1:46 pm
A person at work turned me on to Ohio House Concurrent Resolution 16, the adoption of “Hang On Sloopy” as the Official State Rock Song. I know it’s not a law… but I think it’s funny.
After some searching, I found a site with the resolution wording. I’ve linked it to my name.
posted by Jason! on 5-10-2007 at 2:24 pm
Illinois:
You may be convicted of a Class 4 felony offense, punishable by up to three years in state prison, for the crime of “eavesdropping” on your own conversation.
The English language is not to be spoken.
In Chicago:
It is legal to protest naked in front of city hall as long as you are under seventeen years of age and have legal permits.
It is forbidden to fish while sitting on a giraffe’s neck
posted by comeonadoreme on 5-10-2007 at 6:34 pm
In North Dakota it’s illegal to sleep with your boots on.
Stranger yet, it’s also illegal to co-habitate, meaning to have an umarried man and woman share a residence.
We are so conservative. Oy.
posted by Amber on 5-10-2007 at 8:12 pm
How…?
Never mind.
posted by Pointy-Hatted Geek on 5-10-2007 at 8:44 pm
And also, why…?
Again, never mind.
posted by Pointy-Hatted Geek on 5-10-2007 at 8:45 pm
While not necessarily a law, I always chuckle when I see the sign that says “No shoes, no shirt, no service” Would I be served while wearing shoes, a shirt, but no pants?
Annnddd, in Bel Air, MD, would I need to stay inside forever if I had no arms, considering the law states it is illegal to walk about unarmed? Ha ha ha. Just pokin’ fun, or this that now illegal?
posted by Lisa on 5-11-2007 at 12:15 am
a small town in PA:
My neighbor went to the Town Hall to learn the laws about pet ownership, such as “how many dogs are you allowed.” She discovered a specific law that states, “It is illegal to own or keep a hippopotamus within the town limits.”
Dang it! I want a Hippopotamus.
posted by Tdave on 5-11-2007 at 2:43 am
In Chico California, it is illegal to poses a thermo nuclear device within city limits, and in Seattle Washington, it is illegal to carry a concealed weapon over eight feet in length
posted by Jeff on 5-21-2007 at 3:12 pm
I’m sure this went on the books as a joke, but in Sequim, Washington it is illegal for it to rain.
posted by racinjason on 5-24-2007 at 3:33 am
In Alabama it is illegal for women to drive barefoot. Men are free to go shoeless.
posted by Taylor on 9-6-2007 at 9:21 am
In TN it is illegal to sell hollow logs.
It is also illegal to use a lasso to catch a fish.
And the kicker, Giving or receiving oral sex is still prohibited by law.
posted by Zell on 9-6-2007 at 11:11 am
greenstrawberries : the same law is in effect in Pennsylvania. On college campuses, fraternities can have large beautiful houses, whereas sororities are given use of a floor of a dormitory (if that)
posted by d on 9-6-2007 at 12:32 pm
In AR it is also illegal to give or recieve oral sex as well as anal sex.
You can also beat your wife with a stick.
posted by alisia on 9-6-2007 at 2:48 pm
In Toronto, it is illegal to drag a dead horse down Yonge Street on a Sunday.
posted by craig on 9-7-2007 at 12:20 pm
IN Alabama…It is illegal to sell peanuts in Lee County after sundown on Wednesday.
Women may not wear a ‘lewd dress’ in public.
No one may use a ‘funk ball’ within the city limits.
Bathing in city fountains is prohibited.
No person within the city may possess confetti.
It is illegal to spit orange peels on the sidewalk.
‘Spray String’ is banned.
Most locales do not have this problem, but Mobile found it necessary to ban bicycles from the interstate highways.
If one wishes to read palms in the city, they must first pay $10 for a permit.
It is illegal to howl at ladies within the city limits.
It is unlawful to wear women’s pumps with sharp, high heels.
Montgomery
It is considered an offense to open an umbrella on a street, for fear of spooking horses.
wrestling matches are prohibited.
Incestuous marriages are legal.
It is illegal to impersonate a person of the clergy.
It is illegal to maim oneself to escape duty.
You may not drive barefooted.
Dominoes may not be played on Sunday.
It is illegal to wear a fake moustache that causes laughter in church.
Putting salt on a railroad track may be punishable by death.
Boogers may not be flicked into the wind.
It is legal to drive the wrong way down a one-way street if you have a lantern attached to the front of your automobile.
You must have windshield wipers on your car.
You may not have an ice cream cone in your back pocket at any time.
Masks may not be worn in public.
Women are able to retain all property they owned prior to marriage in the case of divorce. However, this provision does not apply to men
…..
posted by Hall on 3-26-2008 at 5:08 pm
here are some dumb laws in north carolina
It is illegal to stand outside the police station for any purpose after dark.
No person may walk on top of the water tank of the city.
You may not ride a bicycle without having both your hands on the handle bars.
Restaurants “with on sidewalk dining” must post their menu so that it is clearly readable from the sidewalk, but is not readable from the street.
Cars may not be driven on sidewalks.
The mere possession of a lottery ticket is illegal in North Carolina and may result in a $2,000 fine.
While having sex, you must stay in the missionary position and have the shades pulled.
If a man and a woman who aren’t married go to a hotel/motel and register themselves as married then, according to state law, they are legally married.
It is illegal to have sex in a churchyard.
Persons in possession of illegal substances must pay taxes on them.
A three dollar tax must be paid on all white goods sold.
Organizations may not hold their meetings while the members present are in costume.
It is illegal to drive cars through city cemeteries for pleasure.
No one may visit their departed loved ones late at night.
posted by Eliza on 4-11-2008 at 1:21 pm
This is probably my favorite. I even found its official number.
In Louisiana it is illegal to drink blood.
So much for all the vampires…
posted by Samantha on 6-4-2008 at 3:36 am
I know it’s a little late, but here goes my hometown…
Satellite Beach, FL:
Persons may not appear in public clothed in liquid latex.
posted by Casey on 2-5-2009 at 10:14 pm