Rabies and I started talking about dumb laws, so I searched for this one website I found once. Here it is. (http://www.dumblaws.com/) (Some laws may address inappropriate acts.)
Feel free to share some dumb laws from your state or city.
For all of Virginia:
"There is a state law prohibiting "corrupt practices of bribery by any person other than candidates."
"Driving while not wearing shoes is prohibited."
I would so totally break this one.
"Citizens must honk their horn while passing other cars."
This would get so annoying. And I imagine it would be counterproductive, what with the road rage that is bound to come about from it.
"Children are not to go trick-or-treating on Halloween."
Ha ha, kids break this one every year.
For specific cities:
Culpeper: "No one may wash a mule on the sidewalk."
Norfolk (a neighboring city): "Spitting on a sea gull is not tolerated."
There goes my plans for next weekend.
"Women must wear a corsette after sundown and be in the company of male chaperone."
Stafford County: "It is legal for a man to beat his wife on the courthouse steps so long as it is before 8:00 pm."
Wow, that sounds rather outdated.
Virginia Beach (laws I have to obey): "If you are drunk and not driving your car, and the person who is driving the car is drunk as well, you may both receive DUI's."
"It is also unlawful to drive by the same place within 30 minutes on Atlantic Avenue."
Well, for both, I don't drive, so I guess I don't have to worry about those.
Waynesboro: "It is illegal for a woman to drive a car up Main Street unless her husband is walking in front of the car waving a red flag."
That's not sexist at all!
Nevada:
"It is illegal to drive a camel on the highway." (Gee, wonder why?)
"It’s still 'legal' to hang someone for shooting your dog on your property." (...)
Elko:
"Everyone walking the streets is required to wear a mask." (Also "...")
Nyala:
"A man is forbidden from buying drinks for more than three people other than himself at any one period during the day." (So much for friendliness.)
Reno (my hometown!):
"It is illegal to lie down on the sidewalk." (Sounds reasonable, seeing as you could cause an obstruction.)
"Benches may not be placed in the middle of any street." (Also seems reasonable, for the same reason.)
Warning, this website can be a bit inappropriate for younger members
Hmm, yeah, I better put that warning up there.
I remember one, but I do not remember where it is from (probably Florida).
It is ilegal to tie an aligator to a hydrant.
Kalamazoo: It is against the law to serenade your girlfriend.
...The First Amendment must also be against the law, then. >_<
It seems Lansing is sane, however.
From Michigan:
"There is a 3 cent bounty for each starling and 10 cent bounty for each crow killed in any village, township, or city in the state."
What's wrong with crows? They clean up roadkill and stuff.
"It is legal for a robber to file a law suit, if he or she got hurt in your house."
Good thing that kid from the Home Alone movies wasn't from Michigan.
Quote from: Darth Wyndisis on March 15, 2009, 05:37:33 PM
"It is legal for a robber to file a law suit, if he or she got hurt in your house."
Good thing that kid from the Home Alone movies wasn't from Michigan.
From that, I would think
Liar Liar took place in Michigan.
Ha ha:
"It is Illegal to go whale fishing [in Nebraska]."
"The penalty for jumping off a building is death."--New York
Is that for the city or state? Because I'm guessing anyone who jumps off a building in the city is dead anyway.
You know i'n new york a woman can go around topless, so long as it's not part of a business?
Quote from: Darth Wyndisis on March 15, 2009, 05:54:07 PM
Is that for the city or state? Because I'm guessing anyone who jumps off a building in the city is dead anyway.
I believe that's the whole state.
HNS you live in Virginia beach....
... Whoa....
So do I.
It's Illegal to Curse at the beach. I mean illegal with a Fine.
That law isn't really all that stupid. People might not want their kids to start cussing, so the law against using profanity at the beach is a re-enforcement of common courtesy and respect.
Yeah i just think it's funny how they put a fine on it.
One thing, though: First Amendment. Infringement much? Plus, words defined as cursing vary from person to person, and they're a social label more than anything.
Well, looks like another thing for me to bash society for. *thumbs up*
Dumb laws, or dumb-sounding laws, from my homestate (PA):
- It is illegal to have over 16 women live in a house together because that constitutes a brothel.
- It it illegal to sleep on top of a refrigerator outdoors.
- 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.
- 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.
- A person is not eligible to become Governor if he/she has participated in a duel.
- 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.
- Ministers are forbidden from performing marriages when either the bride or groom is drunk.
- No more than two packages of beer at a time may be purchased, unless you are buying from an official "beer distributor".
- 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.
- Though 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.
Arkansas:
It's illegal to say it "Ar-kan-ses"
Quote from: MagmarFire on April 09, 2009, 11:23:26 AM
One thing, though: First Amendment. Infringement much? Plus, words defined as cursing vary from person to person, and they're a social label more than anything.
Well, looks like another thing for me to bash society for. *thumbs up*
Again, it's not really much of an infringement. Consider this: A person can be arrested for shouting "Fire!" in a crowded theater because he has unnecessarily endangered human life. With the law against profanity being spoken on the Boardwalk, that's a reinforcement of common courtesy; a mother doesn't want her young children to hear and learn such language, so her right as a mother outweighs the rights of the foul-mouthed teenager. If you abuse your rights, then it's perfectly fair that you lose them if you can't use them responsibly.
Quote from: Whocares on April 09, 2009, 12:16:48 PM- Ministers are forbidden from performing marriages when either the bride or groom is drunk.
Sounds reasonable to me. Prevents the "OMG who the hell are you and why are you in my bed?!?" marriages from occurring, followed by a divorce and lawsuits.
Quote from: Whocares on April 09, 2009, 12:16:48 PM- No more than two packages of beer at a time may be purchased, unless you are buying from an official “beer distributor”.
I wouldn't call that one unreasonable, either, but I don't think it's really necessary.
Quote from: Hi no Seijin on April 09, 2009, 05:47:01 PM
Again, it's not really much of an infringement. Consider this: A person can be arrested for shouting "Fire!" in a crowded theater because he has unnecessarily endangered human life. With the law against profanity being spoken on the Boardwalk, that's a reinforcement of common courtesy; a mother doesn't want her young children to hear and learn such language, so her right as a mother outweighs the rights of the foul-mouthed teenager. If you abuse your rights, then it's perfectly fair that you lose them if you can't use them responsibly.
I do see where you're coming from, but those are two highly different circumstances with considerable differences in gravity. For the former, I completely agree that someone who yells, "Fire!" in a crowded theatre should be arrested, for that does endanger human life. The latter, however, most certainly does not, or it at least isn't a direct causation to any freakish effect that may result in that sense.
Sure, why not have one lose his or her rights if he or she can't use them responsibly? Of course it's
fair. On the other hand, it's when the gray areas are encountered where varied perception of the word
responsible must be taken into account (such as why and how it is defined in this case--by which I mean, of course, that it has been defined through a social label and not necessarily a deep, philosophically- and universally-accepted one), and given the likewise-varied seriousness of both instances, the latter sounds, in comparison to the former, much less serious, thereby reducing the law's effectiveness. That doesn't mean that it doesn't infringe at all, though, and the last time I checked, it's the Constitution that has higher jurisdiction over a state-originated ordinance, not the other way around.
It's not like you're getting sent to jail for using profanity on the Boardwalk; it's just a fine. I'm not even sure how heavily enforced that law is. The Boardwalk is generally an area I avoid, at least during the summer months (also known as "Tourist Season") when it becomes crowded.
And look at it this way: We're a PG forum (or at least we try to keep it that way). Warnings are given to people who use profanity. It's the same thing as this law, just at a smaller scale.
Yeah, I was just pointing out it's funny.
I go to sandbrige beach anyway, much nicer there.
Quote from: Hi no Seijin on April 16, 2009, 09:00:49 AM
It's not like you're getting sent to jail for using profanity on the Boardwalk; it's just a fine. I'm not even sure how heavily enforced that law is. The Boardwalk is generally an area I avoid, at least during the summer months (also known as "Tourist Season") when it becomes crowded.
And look at it this way: We're a PG forum (or at least we try to keep it that way). Warnings are given to people who use profanity. It's the same thing as this law, just at a smaller scale.
My argument could be applied here, too, but yeah, excellent point. ;D
So wait, you two live in the same state? Or a similar area, that is?
Yeah, so far I've determined we both live in VA Beach.
Not gonna push any further.
I read somewhere it's illegal to throw a potato in this one town in Idaho...
They sure love their potatoes