Stupid laws

Kenze · November 2007

These are some stupid Laws still on the books in South Carolina(where i live). Does your state or country have similar?

It is illegal to display a confederate flag on a courthouse.

By law, if a man promises to marry an unmarried woman, the marriage must take place.

Railroad companies may be held liable in some instances for scaring horses.

A railroad my not remove itself from a town of more than five hundred people.

Fortune tellers are required to obtain a special permit from the state

Dance halls may not operate on Sundays.

No work may be done on Sunday

Musical instruments may not be sold on Sunday.

Performing a U-turn within 1,000 feet of an intersection is illegal.

It is considered an offense to get a tattoo.

Horses may not be kept in bathtubs.

It is illegal to sell any alcoholic beverages on Sunday, unless you own a private club.

A permit must be obtained to fire a missle.

It is illegal to give or receive oral sex in South Carolina.

When approaching a four way or blind intersection in a non-horse driven vehicle you must stop 100 ft from the intersection and discharge a firearm into the air to warn horse traffic.

It is perfectly legal to beat your wife on the court house steps on Sundays.

Every adult male must bring a rifle to church on Sunday in order to ward off Indian attacks.

It is a capital offense to inadvertently kill someone while attempting suicide.

A person must be eighteen years old to play a pinball machine.

Gameloading · November 2007

heh, are those laws still active? They are clearly very, very old.

"Every adult male must bring a rifle to church on Sunday in order to ward off Indian attacks."

Wharg0ul · November 2007

It is illegal in the state of Colorado to wear tin-foil or aluminum underwear.

I'm serious.

Rikimaru_X · November 2007

I live in SC too. Are you sure most of those laws still liable. In Horry/Gerogetown County you can sell wine/beer on Sundays.

Zikiel · November 2007

I live in Ohio.. this was definitely the best one of the list.

"It is illegal to fish for whales on Sunday."

Keep in mind, it's OHIO, a landlocked state, how many whales do you think we have!?

frodus · November 2007

Welcome to Redbank, SC. O how do i love my state,Theirs 3 from SC on these forms sweet...

Kenze · November 2007

Originally posted by Rikimaru_X

I live in SC too. Are you sure most of those laws still liable. In Horry/Gerogetown County you can sell wine/beer on Sundays.

Some of them are county laws. However I think you are right the beer/wine law was recently repealed.

Kenze · November 2007

Arkansas

The Arkansas legislature passed a law that states that the Arkansas River can rise no higher than to the Main Street bridge in Little Rock.

Canada

In Calgary there is a by-law that is still on the books that requires businesses within the city to provide rails for tying up horses.

California

In 1930, the City Council of Ontario passed an ordinance forbidding roosters to crow within the city limits.
In Los Angeles, you cannot bathe two babies in the same tub at the same time.
It is illegal to drive more than two thousand sheep down Hollywood Boulevard at one time.
In California, animals are banned from mating publicly within 1,500 feet of a tavern, school, or place of worship.
In Los Angeles, a man is legally entitled to beat his wife with a leather belt or strap, but the belt can't be wider than 2 inches, unless he has his wife's consent to beat her with a wider strap.

Colorado

In Denver it is unlawful to lend your vacuum cleaner to your next-door neighbor.

Connecticut

In Devon, Connecticut, it is unlawful to walk backwards after sunset.
In Hartford, Conn., you aren't allowed to cross a street while walking on your hands.

England

In the England it is illegal to sell most goods on a sunday, (this law is mostly ignored), it is however legal to sell a carrot. It is also legal to sell it at any price and to give free gifts with it, such as anything else one might want to buy on a sunday!

Florida

In Miami, it's illegal for men to be seen publicly in any kind of strapless gown.

Georgia

It is illegal to say "Oh, Boy" in Jonesboro, Georgia.

Idaho

Idaho state law makes it illegal for a man to give his sweetheart a box of candy weighing less than fifty pounds.
In Pocatello, Idaho, a law passed in 1912 provided that "The carrying of concealed weapons is forbidden, unless same are exhibited to public view."

Illinois

It is against the law for a monster to enter the corporate limits of Urbana, Illinois.
Kirkland, Illinois, law forbids bees to fly over the village or through any of its streets.
In Zion, Ill., it is illegal for anyone to give lighted cigars to dogs, cats, and other domesticated animals kept as pets.

Indiana

Back in 1924, a monkey was convicted in South Bend of the crime of smoking a cigarette and sentenced to pay a 25 dollar fine and the trial costs.
In Gary, Ind., persons are prohibited from attending a movie house or other theater and from riding a public streetcar within four hours of eating garlic.

Iowa

Horses are forbidden to eat fire hydrants in Marshalltown, Iowa.
In Ottumwa, Iowa, "It is unlawful for any male person, within the corporate limits of the (city), to wink at any female person with whom he is unaquainted."

Kansas

Kansas state law requires pedestrians crossing the highways at night to wear tail lights.
No one may catch fish with his bare hands in Kansas.

Kentucky

Frankfort, Kentucky, makes it against the law to shoot off a policeman's tie.
In Lexington, Kentucky, it's illegal to carry an ice cream cone in your pocket.
A Kentucky statute says: "No female shall appear in a bathing suit on any highway within this state unless she is escorted by at least two officers or unless she be armed with a club." Later, an amendment proposed: "The provisions of this statute shall not apply to any female weighing less than sixty pounds nor exceeding 200 pounds; nor shall it apply to female horses."

Massachusetts

There is a Massachusetts law requiring all dogs to have their hind legs tied during the month of April.
It is illegal to take more than 2 baths a month within Boston confines.

Michigan

In Clawson, Mich., there is a law that makes it LEGAL for a farmer to sleep with his pigs, cows, horses, goats, and chickens.
In Detroit, couples are banned from making love in an automobile unless the act takes place while the vehicle is parked on the couple's own property.
In Michigan, a woman isn't allowed to cut her own hair without her husband's permission.

Missouri

Minors in Kansas City, Missouri, are not allowed to purchase cap pistols; they may buy shotguns freely, however.
In St. Louis, it's illegal to sit on the curb of any city street and drink beer from a bucket.

New Hampshire

New Hampshire law forbids you to tap your feet, nod your head, or in any way keep time to the music in a tavern, restaurant, or cafe.

New Mexico

In Carrizozo, N.M., it's forbidden for a female to appear unshaven in public (includes legs and face).

New York

In Greene, New York, it is illegal to eat peanuts and walk backwards on the sidewalks when a concert is on.
In Carmel, N.Y., a man can't go outside while wearing a jacket and pants that do not match.

Ohio

In Ohio, if you ignore an orator on Decoration day to such an extent as to publicly play croquet or pitch horseshoes within one mile of the speaker's stand, you can be fined $25.00.
In Bexley, Ordinance number 223, of 09/09/19 prohibits the installation and usage of slot machines in outhouses.
In Oxford, Ohio, it's illegal for a woman to strip off her clothing while standing in front of a man's picture. (ed: ???)

Oklahoma

In Tulsa, Oklahoma, it is against the law to open a soda bottle without the supervision of a licensed engineer.
Harthahorne City Ordinance, Section 363, states that it shall be unlawful to put any hypnotized person in a display window.

Pennsylvania

The state law of Pennsylvania prohibits singing in the bathtub.
In certain sections of Pennsylvania many years ago, the Farmer's Anti-Automobile society set up some "rules of the road." In effect, they said:
1. "Automobiles travelling on country roads at night must send up a rocket every mile, then wait ten minutes for the road to clear."
2. "If a driver sees a team of horses, he is to pull to one side of the road and cover his machine with a blanket or dust cover that has been painted to blend into the scenery."
3. "In the event that a horse refuses to pass a car on the road, the owner must take his car apart and conceal the parts in the bushes."
In Pennsylvania, "any motorist driving along a country road at night must stop every mile and send up a rocket signal, wait 10 minutes for the road to be cleared of livestock, and continue."

Tennessee

In Memphis, Tennessee, it is illegal for a woman to drive a car unless there is a man either running or walking in front of it waving a red flag to warn approaching motorists and pedestrians.
In Tennessee, it is illegal to shoot any game other than whales from a moving automobile.

Texas

It is Texas law that when two trains meet each other at a railroad crossing, each shall come to a full stop, and neither shall proceed until the other has gone.
Texas law forbids anyone to have a pair of pliers in his possession.

Utah

It is against the law to fish from horseback.

Virginia

Virginia law forbids bathtubs in the house; tubs must be kept in the yard.

Washington

In Seattle, Washington, it is illegal to carry a concealed weapon that is over six feet in length.
It's illegal in Wilbur, Washington, to ride an ugly horse.
There is/was a law on the books in Washington state that stated that a motorcar driven at night must be preceded by something like 100 yards by a man carrying a lantern.

West Virginia

In Nicholas County, W. Va., no member of the clergy is allowed to tell jokes or humorous stories from the pulpit during a church service.

Kenze · November 2007

you know whats sad and funny about these? Someone has had to have done these things for there to be laws made against doing them.

Flem · November 2007

Heres a few good ones from Australia:

Sing an obscene song, tune or ballad within earshot of someone (Summary Offences Act 1966)
If you meet up with a pirate - do not trade with them (Crimes Act 1958)
Carry out unauthorised rain making operations - that is the 'seeding or nucleating of clouds by artificial means from a manned aircraft'. (Rain making Control Act 1966)

It is illegal to roam the streets wearing black clothes, felt shoes and black shoe polish on your face as these items are the tools of a cat burglar.

Guttss · November 2007

In my state of Oregon, Gas stations are Full service not self service. All of them, you cant pump your own gas no matter what.

Stark · November 2007

England

In the England it is illegal to sell most goods on a sunday, (this law is mostly ignored), it is however legal to sell a carrot. It is also legal to sell it at any price and to give free gifts with it, such as anything else one might want to buy on a sunday!

Sounds like a Monty Python skit instead of a law.

dhartz · November 2007

offtopic : If Stark isnt the #1 espada im gonna kill myself.

Oh and the laws were very entertaining to read, must be realy old though.

Greatness · November 2007

Originally posted by Zikiel

I live in Ohio.. this was definitely the best one of the list.
"It is illegal to fish for whales on Sunday."
Keep in mind, it's OHIO, a landlocked state, how many whales do you think we have!?

Ohio isn't landlocked, Lake Erie and Ohio River. Still I do not think there are whales at those places.

Rikimaru_X · November 2007

Originally posted by Flem

Heres a few good ones from Australia:

If you meet up with a pirate - do not trade with them (Crimes Act 1958)

*tells ninjas*

ONWARD TO AUSTRALIA!

BlazynAzn · November 2007

In NorthCarolina it is illegal to sing out of tune.

CleffyII · November 2007

Originally posted by BlazynAzn

In NorthCarolina it is illegal to sing out of tune.

Good call. Some law makers were really thinking.

Now only if this was law in California. Nearly all the pop-star It girls will disappear overnight as they will all be in lock up.

Rikimaru_X · November 2007

Originally posted by BlazynAzn

In NorthCarolina it is illegal to sing out of tune.

They should have gave South Carolina this law too.

Neanderthal · November 2007

No one may catch fish with his bare hands in Kansas.

That law is still enforced. And I've broken it, although it's been years and years since I did it. The Okies call it "noodling" and I guess it's legal there. Everyone I knew called it "hand fishing" and when we did it we always kept our eyes open for any fish and game people.

I'm not exactly sure why it's illegal but I think it's because it's considered unsporting. You can catch some monster catfish really easily by hand fishing. Basically you just go out in the water and feel around under logs or any likely spot. When you feel a big catfish you kind of tickle around on him untill you can get your fingers in his mouth or hooked in his gills and then pull him out.

It's actually a lot of fun. But if you feel fur on the fish...pull your hand out fast.

walkman2008 · November 2007

abbaba · November 2007

I saw a documentary on hand fishing (noodling) once. It was pretty interesting. Not something I'd like to try though, some of those guys got their hands cut pretty bad.

thorwood · November 2007

In Australia, the eastern states cannot even agree on the time of day.

Luckily, the different states do agree on which side of the road we should drive.

Spys · November 2007

probably the strangest one we got here is:

It has been prohibited to lock burglars up in the toilet, because that is restriction of movement freedom (Netherlands)

Praetoriani · November 2007

Originally posted by Spys

probably the strangest one we got here is:
It has been prohibited to lock burglars up in the toilet, because that is restriction of movement freedom (Netherlands)

That law does not specifically state 'toilets'. It's simply not allowed to lock someone up without their specific consent, unless you have that authority. Only police officers, Marechaussee and other people with the authority to do so, are allowed to do so.

However, you can make a civilian arrest and proceed to take them to the nearest cop (who has the authority to take him to the DA (Hulpofficier van Justitie) where he can be detained. Locking up people without their consent is simply not allowed, however.

Trust me though, there are much, much sillier laws. I'll look some up in the afternoon.

Godliest · November 2007

Originally posted by Rikimaru_X
Originally posted by BlazynAzn In NorthCarolina it is illegal to sing out of tune.

They should have gave South Carolina this law too.

I'm lucky I don't live in North or South Carolina.

Rakatee · November 2007

Most ridiculous British law:

1. It is illegal to die in the Houses of Parliament (27 percent)

2. It is an act of treason to place a postage stamp bearing the British monarch upside-down (seven percent)

3. In Liverpool, it is illegal for a woman to be topless except as a clerk in a tropical fish store (six percent)

4. Mince pies cannot be eaten on Christmas Day (five percent)

5. In Scotland, if someone knocks on your door and requires the use of your toilet, you must let them enter (four percent)

6. A pregnant woman can legally relieve herself anywhere she wants, including in a policeman's helmet (four percent)

7. The head of any dead whale found on the British coast automatically becomes the property of the king, and the tail of the queen (3.5 percent)

8. It is illegal to avoid telling the tax man anything you do not want him to know, but legal not to tell him information you do not mind him knowing (three percent)

9. It is illegal to enter the Houses of Parliament in a suit of armour (three percent)

10. In the city of York it is legal to murder a Scotsman within the ancient city walls, but only if he is carrying a bow and arrow (two percent)

Howdy, Stranger!

Stupid laws

Comments

Howdy, Stranger!

Quick Links

Stupid laws

Comments