motorists take heed: if you’re ever driving at night in rural pennsylvania, state law requires you to stop every mile to send out a rocket signal. It is true. And if you see a pack of skittish horses approaching you, be sure to disassemble your car, piece by piece, and hide it under the nearest bushes, unless of course you want to break state law.
seems unlikely? Actually, this wacky Pennsylvania law is technically still on the books. In fact, Pennsylvania is not alone. if you look hard enough, each state has its own collection of dumb, outdated laws. And while these laws may never be enforced, they are still legally valid because no one has bothered to repeal them. most of these laws are so old that the legislators themselves do not even know that many of them exist.
You are reading: Strange laws still on the books
Have you violated any of these laws?
Let’s take Missouri as an example. just so you know, you can’t drive down the road with an uncaged bear in your car. But if you go through Farmton, Connecticut, you’ll have to share the road with bovine travelers. in this city, cows have the same rights on the roads as motorists.
When parking your elephant at a parking meter in Orlando, Florida, be sure to deposit the same amount of change you would deposit in a normal motor vehicle. And if you stop for a beer in North Dakota, don’t expect to get pretzels with your drink. it is against the law in that state to serve beer and pretzels at the same time.
blue laws
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Blue laws are those established specifically to prohibit certain behaviors on Sundays, or “god’s day”. Although, in general, few people strictly observe the Sabbath, many American cities and towns still have legal reminders of this observance on the books. For example, in Salem, West Virginia, it is illegal to eat candy less than an hour and a half before a church service.
in winona lake, wisconsin, it is illegal to eat ice cream at a counter on sundays. And don’t expect to order a slice of Kansas-style cherry pie on Lord’s Day. no restaurant can serve it unless they are willing to run afoul of the local police. marbles, dominoes, and yo-yos are also banned on Sundays in some states.
about man’s best friend
If you have a dog, make sure you don’t break any of the many laws regarding your four-legged friend. If you’re planning a short stint in Hartford, Connecticut, you may want to keep your dog’s obedience training a secret. it is against the law to train dogs in that city.
In some places, it’s also against the law to expose your dog to the dangers of smoking. In Illinois, for example, it’s illegal to give your pets lighted cigarettes, even if they enjoy a good Cuban from time to time. if you stay in normal, oklahoma, be sure to avoid disturbing the dogs by making funny faces. You guessed it, that kind of arson behavior is against the law.
women and the law
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Not surprisingly, many of the antiquated statutes passed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries were aimed at protecting the fairer sex from unwanted attention or unflattering reputations. For example, an Old Town ordinance in Cleveland, Ohio prohibits women from wearing patent leather shoes in public. the reason? shiny footwear could afford a nearby gentleman an inadvertent peep show.
In many parts of the country, the price of beauty can be high. Women in Florida, for example, can be fined for falling asleep under a dryer at a hair salon. And if you’re a single thrill seeker, head somewhere else. The Sunshine State also prohibits single women from parachuting on Sundays.
forget trying to adjust your stockings publicly in dennison texas or bristoltennessee. performing such a lewd act could earn you a sentence of up to twelve months in the state penitentiary.
If you’re a woman living in Michigan, you may want to check with your husband before heading to the stylist. According to state law, your hair belongs to your spouse and you will need her permission before you can alter it. When you visit Charlotte, North Carolina, don’t plan to pack light. according to city law, it must be wrapped in at least 16 yards of cloth before going out into the public. Even in New York City fashion, there are laws about how a woman dresses. In the Big Apple, wearing skintight or form-fitting clothing carries a $25 fine.
However, not all ancient laws directed at women are intended to preserve their virtue. some were apparently designed to promote home hygiene and public safety. For example, Pittsburgh has a special cleaning ordinance on the books that prohibits housewives from hiding dirt under their rugs. and in memphis, tennessee, women cannot drive a car unless there is a man with a red flag in front of the car warning other people on the road.
Times are changing.
It can easily be concluded that some of these silly laws were simply designed to make local legislators laugh or relieve boredom. How else could you explain the following Texas law? “When two railway trains meet at a crossing, each will stop and neither will proceed until the other has passed.” but as for the rest, you can be sure that they reflect the public standards of the time. In fact, if you want to study how public values have changed over the years, there’s no better place to start than with state and local statutes. You’ll not only gain insight into our past biases, but also our best intentions. After all, who but a well-meaning public official would make it a crime to disturb California’s butterflies?
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