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There are lots of weird laws on the books in America. Here are the 10 craziest that technically could still get you thrown in the slammer.
1. In Alabama, it is illegal to wear a fake mustache that causes laughter in church.
Luckily, this little mustachioed fan does not appear to be in a church in Alabama. It's a good thing, too, because this youngster is making us LOL.
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2. Is that an ice cream cone in your pocket, or are you just trying to steal my horse?
In Lexington, Ky., you are not allowed to carry ice cream in your back pocket. The reason? Back in the old days, horse thieves were considered the scum of the Earth, but they were clever. They would put ice cream bars in their back pockets in order to lure a horse away from its owner. Then, if the thief got caught, he could just claim that the horse followed him home, and he didn't actually steal it.
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3. If you are driving through rural Pennsylvania at night, you must stop and fire signal flares every mile.
An extremely outdated law in Pennsylvania was originally enacted as a safety precaution. When people were first starting to use automobiles, they had to share the road with livestock. Therefore, if traveling at night, they were required to shoot the flares and wait 10 minutes to ensure all cattle and horses had cleared the road. Even more amusing, the rule also states that if a team of horses approach your vehicle you must pull off the road and cover it up. If the horses are still startled, you must "quickly and completely disassemble his motorized vehicle and hide such under the nearest brush or shrubbery." Somehow, this silly law is still on the books.
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4. If you molest a butterfly in California, it'll cost ya.
We're not necessarily sure who worded this law, but we're sure they had good intentions. After all, butterflies are beautiful beings and they don't need you getting all touchy-feely with them. Most likely the law really means you can't kill or hurt butterflies, but either way, if you molest one you will be fined $500.
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5. It is against the law to educate dogs in the city of Hartford, Conn.
Remember this little show-off from the movie, The Artist? His name is Uggie, and he's a trained Jack Russell Terrier. But guess what? If he was brought up in Hartford, he'd just be another butt-sniffing canine at the local dog park. I guess animal movie stars have to catch a big break too.
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6. In Gary, Ind., you are not allowed to enter a theater or public vehicle within four hours of eating garlic.
Finally, a weird law that actually makes sense. Nobody likes to be close to someone with bad breath, and this law lessens the chance that it will happen to you.
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7. You cannot have sex with a porcupine in Florida.
Something strange is going on in Florida. Recently there was news that STDs among senior citizens has risen dramatically there, and now we find out that there is a law specifically prohibiting sex with porcupines. Sounds like a no-brainer, right? Well not so much for two Russian tourists who thought it would be a laugh riot to try to break the silly law. The end result: 'needles of a porcupine in genitals.' Ouch.
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8. In Miami, it is illegal for a man to wear any kind of strapless gown.
Remember when James Franco hosted the Oscars last year with Anne Hathaway? Hopefully you don't, but at one point during the show Franco came out in a woman's dress in an embarrassing attempt at comedy. Well, if they would have hosted the ceremony in South Beach, he wouldn't have had to suffer through this.
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9. It is illegal to kiss a woman in Logan County, Colo. if she's sleeping.
So maybe this law is not as crazy as it seems. For instance, if a woman falls asleep laying out in the sun or in a hammock, she shouldn't have to worry about men coming up and kissing her. Right? That's the only logical reason we can come up with for this law.
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Next: Kim Kardashian or Kate Upton?
10. If you have a monster in Urbana, Ill., you better have a license for it.
Let's be clear about this last wacky law. You are allowed to have a monster in Urbana, it just has to be licensed. In case you were wondering how a law like this can even exist, it can be found in an act from 1872 that states if you are trying to make a profit for "exhibitions of freaks of nature or monsters," you must first receive a license from the city clerk. Somebody please tell the manager of Erik "Lizardman" Sprague (pictured) before they head to Illinois for a freakshow.
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4 Comments
Just did some searching (I'm a lawyer) and not a single one of these is actually true. All the states and most counties and cities have their codes online now, so it's not that hard to check them out. There are tons of these "dumb laws" lists out there and I'd guess that 95% of them are just made up. Which is odd, since there are so many truly dumb laws out there for real.
April 15 2012 at 6:36 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyLaws In South Dakota that are still in the book:
April 14 2012 at 1:40 AM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down ReplyNo horses are allowed into Fountain Inn unless they are wearing pants.
It is illegal to lie down and fall asleep in a cheese factory.
Movies that show police officers being struck, beaten, or treated in an offensive manner are forbidden.
If there are more than 5 Native Americans on your property you may shoot them.
City Laws in South Dakota
Spearfish
If three or more Indians are walking down the street together, they can be considered a war party and fired upon.
How stupid is this?
My guess is this law comes from the central California coast where in certain places Monarch butterflies swarm by the zillions. Pismo Beach and Pacific Grove are two of the places. Always some idiot trying to catch them.
April 13 2012 at 11:12 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Replygo Kings!!!
April 13 2012 at 8:06 PM Report abuse Permalink -1 rate up rate down Reply