Stupid Laws

[Syrup]

Ok, if you know of a stupid law (I mean like, ridiculous stupid, not stupid because you broke it.)

 

 

Here's the first one: In New York, the penalty for jumping off a building is death.

 

 

P.S. They have to be real

[epicguy10000]

If I remember here in Ohio it's illegal to get fish drunk, well there goes my weekend

[Zovesta]

In Iowa, a man with a moustache may never kiss a woman in public.

 

Apparently.

[Fuzzbucket]

In the UK it is illegal to die in the House of Commons. I'm not QUITE sure how you avoid doing so if your time comes, or what the penalty is....

 

Also in the UK it is treasonous to stick a postage stamp bearing the queen's image (which they all do) upside-down.

 

And to eat mince pies on Christmas day !!!!! (which is when you WANT to eat them for 's sake !)

[RWyvern]

Stupid laws in California:

 

You may only throw a frisbee at the beach in Los Angeles County, CA with the lifeguard’s permission.

 

No vehicle without a driver may exceed 60 miles per hour.

 

Nobody is allowed to ride a bicycle in a swimming pool.

 

Detonating a nuclear device within the city limits results in a $500 fine.

 

It is illegal to pour salt on a highway.

 

All persons wishing to keep a rhinoceros as a pet must obtain a $100 license first.

 

Kites may not be flown above 10 feet over the ground.

 

 

[Princess Artemis]

In the UK it is illegal to die in the House of Commons. I'm not QUITE sure how you avoid doing so if your time comes, or what the penalty is....

lol. I bet the consequences for that are severe!

[TikindiDragon]

lol. I bet the consequences for that are severe!

We're quite good at not repealing silly laws, really. For instance:

 

All men over the age of 14 are legally required to practise the longbow two hours a week under the supervision of the local clergy.

 

It's also illegal to enter the Houses of Parliment in a suit of armour.

 

It is, however, perfectly legal to kill a scotsman in the City of York, provided he is within the ancient city walls and is carrying a bow and arrow.

[Slaskia]

No vehicle without a driver may exceed 60 miles per hour.

 

Um...what? Isn't that a bit hard without...ya know...a driver!

 

Nobody is allowed to ride a bicycle in a swimming pool.

 

*now sure if she wants to know what drove them to make that law*

 

Detonating a nuclear device within the city limits results in a $500 fine.

 

That fine is rather low...if you ask me....

 

It is illegal to pour salt on a highway.

 

That's really got to suck for those living in areas where it snows....

 

All persons wishing to keep a rhinoceros as a pet must obtain a $100 license first.

 

Who would want to keep a rhino!?

 

Kites may not be flown above 10 feet over the ground.

 

What would be the point of flying one in the first place!?

 

 

And to think I live in the state right next door!

[epicguy10000]

Detonating a nuclear device within the city limits results in a $500 fine.

 

Well there goes my weekend...

 

I remember in like 3rd grade our teacher read us a book full of dumb laws...I with one had to do with horses eating fire hydrants...

 

 

[Fortune86]

There is a county in the UK (I forget where, sorry) where it is illegal to eat a pork pie on Wednesday afternoons.

 

I don't think it gets enforced often

[Stripey]

Wow, some odd laws indeed out there.

 

Wyoming laws:

 

It is illegal to ride a horse into a bar.

 

It is illegal for women to stand within five feet of a bar while drinking.

 

Using a firearm to fish is strictly forbidden.

 

You may not take a picture of a rabbit from January to April without an official permit.

 

In Cheyenne: You may not take a shower on a Wednesday.

 

In Newcastle: You may not make love in a freezer.

 

It is illegal to tattoo a horse with the intent of making it unrecognizable to its owner.

[Fortune86]

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

 

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.

[Thuban]

Cars may not be sold on Sunday.

A woman isn’t allowed to cut her own hair without her husband’s permission.

Any person over the age of 12 may have a license for a handgun as long as he/she has not been convicted of a felony.

It is illegal for a man to scowl at his wife on Sunday.

 

No person shall throw an abandoned hoop skirt into any street or on any sidewalk, under penalty of a five- dollar fine for each offense.

 

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

 

All bathing suits must have been inspected by the head of police.

 

 

 

michigan, care of dumblaws.com

[Fuzzbucket]

It is, however, perfectly legal to kill a scotsman in the City of York, provided he is within the ancient city walls and is carrying a bow and arrow.

Ah yes - my friend who lives there often threatens her brother with that one The same applies to Welsh people visiting Chester - as long as you do it after midnight !

 

It is illegal to be blindfolded while driving a vehicle in Alabama...

 

In Milan, it is a legal requirement to smile at all times, except during funerals or hospital visits (I'm glad I didn't know that when I was there last summer... But I wasn't arrested !)

 

Here's a few UK laws from the BBC:

 

It is legal for a male to urinate in public, as long it is on the rear wheel of his motor vehicle and his right hand is on the vehicle.

 

A bed may not be hung out of a window.

 

Taxi drivers are required to ask all passengers if they have smallpox or the plague.

 

Any person found breaking a boiled egg at the sharp end will be sentenced to 24 hours in the village stocks (enacted by Edward VI).

 

Any boy under the age of 10 may not see a naked mannequin.

 

It is illegal to be drunk on licensed premises.

 

Ladies may not enjoy chocolate on public transport. (Not sure if it is OK to eat it if you don't actually like it... )

 

 

AND:

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."

 

I can't WAIT to test that.

[SilverX7Studios]

Stupid Georgia laws;

 

Of Athen-Clarke County;

-No one may carry an ice cream cone in their back pocket if it is Sunday.

 

-Massage businesses may not sell alcohol on the side.

 

-Adult bookstores may not sell alcohol. (As if they'd want to)

 

Of Acworth county;

 

-All citizens must own a rake.

 

Of all of Georgia;

-Donkeys may not be kept in bathtubs.

Now, in Pennsylvania;

-It it illegal to sleep on top of a refrigerator outdoors.

 

-A special cleaning ordinance bans housewives from hiding dirt and dust under a rug in a dwelling.

 

-You may not sing in the bathtub.

 

-Fireworks stores may not sell fireworks to Pennsylvania residents.

 

-Any motorist who sights a team of horses coming toward him must pull well off the road, cover his car with a blanket or canvas that blends with the countryside, and let the horses pass.

 

-Motorized vehicles are not to be sold on Sundays.

 

-You may not catch a fish with your hands.

 

-You may not catch a fish by any body part except the mouth.

 

-Dynamite is not to be used to catch fish. (Dangit)

 

-You do not need a fishing license to fish on your own land, but a hunting license is required to hunt on your own land.

 

Of Allentown;

-There is a ban on men becoming aroused in public.

Edited May 11, 2012 by SilverX7Studios

[catstaff]

Some fun New England laws...

 

In New Hampshire:

 

Any cattle that crosses state roads must be fitted with a device to gather its feces.

 

You may not tap your feet, nod your head, or in any way keep time to the music in a tavern, restaurant, or cafe.

 

You cannot sell the clothes you are wearing to pay off a gambling debt. (There goes strip poker...)

 

On Sundays citizens may not relieve themselves while looking up.

 

In Massachusetts:

 

Snoring is prohibited unless all bedroom windows are closed and securely locked.

 

An old ordinance declares goatees illegal unless you first pay a special license fee for the privilege of wearing one in public.

 

All men must carry a rifle to church on Sunday.

 

Tomatoes may not be used in the production of clam chowder. (This one, I kinda agree with, lol!)

 

In Connecticut:

 

Town records may not be kept where liquor is sold.

 

You can be stopped by the police for biking over 65 miles per hour.

 

It is illegal to dispose of used razor blades.

 

In order for a pickle to officially be considered a pickle, it must bounce.

 

In Rhode Island:

 

Impersonating a town sealer, auctioneer, corder of wood, or a fence-viewer is against the law.

 

Ropes may not be strung across a highway.

 

Professional sports, except ice polo and hockey, must obtain a license to play games on Sunday.

 

It is considered an offense to throw pickle juice on a trolley.

 

In Vermont:

 

Women must obtain written permission from their husbands to wear false teeth.

 

At one time it was illegal to tie a giraffe to a telephone pole.

 

It is illegal to deny the existence of God.

 

(City of Barre) All residents shall bathe every Saturday night.

 

And in Maine:

 

Shotguns are required to be taken to church in the event of a Native American attack. (Can you tell Maine used to be part of Massachusetts?)

 

You may not step out of a plane in flight.

 

After January 14th you will be charged a fine for having your Christmas decorations still up.

 

(City of Freeport) It is illegal to expectorate (spit) from any second-story window.

[Zaxian]

From wikipedia: "Some laws are however real and still exist on the books:

-> In New Orleans it is prohibited by the fire code to curse a fireman when he is engaged in his official duties.

-> In Tennessee duelists, preachers and atheists are not allowed to be elected to public office.

-> In Washington state, there is a law that 'a motorist with criminal intentions [must] stop at the city limits and telephone the chief of police as he is entering the town.'

-> In Chester, England, any Welshman caught within the city walls after sunset may be shot with a longbow.

-> Every high school in New Zealand may hold 1 pound of uranium and 1 pound of thorium, for conducting nuclear experiments (universities can have 20 pounds of each). However, there is a fine of $1 million for letting off nuclear explosions."

[BlazingPhoenix]

New York

- You may not allow your dog to sleep in the bath tub.

[Sadako]

New York

- You may not allow your dog to sleep in the bath tub.

...My dog sleeps in the bathtub all the time. For some reason.

 

A state game law in Kansas prohibits the use of mules to hunt ducks.

 

Kansas also has a law enacted specifically to prevent picketing at funerals, because the biggest jerk in the universe lives there. One could argue that this law is not stupid at all, though it's pretty stupid that they had to actually make a law about it.

 

In Kansas City, Missouri, installation of bathtubs with four legs resembling animal paws is prohibited.

[Princess Artemis]

I looked up one reportedly stupid law for the city I live in: Ducks have the right of way on a certain street.

 

This is actually not stupid. On that street, there is a duck park, and if people didn't yield to the ducks on the occasions they crossed the street, there would be dead ducks all over the place.

 

Well, it's stupid in that anyone felt the need to make it a law...anyone with sense would give the ducks right of way.

 

 

[lulubelle00]

In New York-

It is against the law to throw a ball at someone’s head for fun.

 

While riding in an elevator, one must talk to no one, and fold his hands while looking toward the door.

 

Slippers are not to be worn after 10:00 PM.

 

[tigerra79]

In Newcastle: You may not make love in a freezer.

Well that's awkward... O.o

[loftiicry]

Apparently it's illegal to ride a camel backwards down a certain street a few blocks from where I live.

Just that street, too. If you happen to have a camel and can ride it backwards, you're good to go on any other street in the area.

Oh, palm springs...

[philpot123]

-> In Tennessee duelists, preachers and atheists are not allowed to be elected to public office.

Duelist, makes sense.

 

Preachers were originally (and technically still are, but I doubt that's enforced) excluded from public office under the Tennessee constitution with the idea that a preacher's first duty was to God and a political office would make that more difficult.

 

Most state's constitutions had prohibitions on atheists in office. If you didn't profess belief in the Christian God, you could not be elected because they believed you didn't consider yourself accountable to anyone/anything. Most states have amended that part of the constitution, but Tennessee still hasn't. There was even an instance in the mid 1800's of a man's testimony in court being stricken because he professed to be an atheist, and the judge said he was unaware that such a man existed in the entire country, and considering testimony in court hinged on swearing an oath to God he could not be held to be trustworthy.

 

I *believe* you aren't allowed to shoot whales out of anything but a car in Tennessee, but that's probably one of those rumored ones that isn't true.

[WestWindReborn]

Florida laws to make you go "lol...wut?"

 

 

 

The state constitution allows for freedom of speech, a trial by jury, and pregnant pigs to not be confined in cages.

 

Unmarried couples may not commit “lewd acts” and live together in the same residence.

 

A special law prohibits unmarried women from parachuting on Sunday or she shall risk arrest, fine, and/or jailing.

 

If an elephant is left tied to a parking meter, the parking fee has to be paid just as it would for a vehicle.

 

Men may not be seen publicly in any kind of strapless gown.

 

Having sexual relations with a porcupine is illegal.

 

You may not fart in a public place after 6 P.

 

It is considered an offense to shower naked.

 

You are not allowed to break more than three dishes per day, or chip the edges of more than four cups and/or saucers.

 

Florida city laws

 

Daytona Beach

 

The molestation of trash cans is banned.

 

Destin

 

Destin states that a cat that viciously chases passers-by is a ‘bad cat’.

 

Torpedoes may not be set off in the city.

 

If you notice an ice-cream man attempting to sell his cold concoctions in a cemetery, call the police immediately, for that is illegal.

Hialeah

Ambling and strolling is a misdemeanor.

 

Key West

Chickens are considered a ‘protected species’.