PS- Justin and Dad, today's post title is dedicated to you :)
Okay, so it's Monday. And I was up half the night with a screaming Lizzy. And then I woke up at 5am to have Shaun T kick my butt. And I still have to go grocery shopping at that big local grocery store that's a pain in the butt but so worth it for lower prices. So I needed to start my morning off with a little something fun. And because I'm just a little bit of a nerd who happens to love law, that fun happened to be dumb laws. Did you know that there are tons of crazy/stupid/silly laws still on the books in various states?
For example, in Oregon, you're not allowed to pump your own gas...a law that people from outside of Oregon think is absurd, but for me it's just normal, 'cause that's all I've known. I think I've pumped my own gas maybe twice in my life. Not gonna lie, it kind of scares me to death every time.
Another silly Oregon law? Dishes must drip dry, apparently. Mine don't. Shhh, don't tell.
Also? It's apparently illegal to eat ice cream on Sunday. Or to whisper "dirty" things into your lover's ear during sex. Or to use canned corn as fishing bait, which I'm sure must be a REAL big problem. The horror.
In Hood River, Oregon, juggling is strictly prohibited without a license. In Marion, OR, you cannot eat a doughnut while walking backwards down the street. I often wonder what must have happened to necessitate laws like these to be put on the books.
I want to hear about the crazy/funny/stupid laws in your state. So go to www.dumblaws.com, and report back to me in the comments!
Monday, February 28, 2011
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
apparently in PA you may not sing in the bathtub. Go figure. I'm more of a shower girl, anyway.
ReplyDeleteand ICE CREAM? REALLY?
The gas pumping weirds me out. Countless are the times I've pulled over in Oregon and gotten out of the car to find a gas attendant OMIGOD RIGHT THERE!!!
ReplyDeleteIn Vermont, it's illegal for landlords to prevent tenants from putting up a clothesline. Also, still legal to talk on your cell phone. Cuz that's a human right.
How funny, for some reason I have been reading your blog for like a year and didn't realize you were in Oregon!
ReplyDeleteI love when we drive down there and I don't have to pump gas, I feel so pampered!
Wow. I wish is was illegal for me to pump my own gas.
ReplyDeleteThere's an app for the iPhone that has dumb laws. Chad and I laugh at them all the time.
In STL, it's illegal for a milk man to run while on duty. And in the state of Missouri, speeding is not illegal. :)
OMG, you don't pump your own gas?!?! I'm so moving to Oregon. I despise fueling up my car...especially in the dead of winter.
ReplyDeleteIn Wisconsin it's apprently illegal to serve apple pie in a public restaurant without cheese. Interesting. And kind of gross.
Okay, I had to look up Arkansas and North Dakota! lol.
ReplyDeleteArkansas-
A law provides that school teachers who bob their hair will not get a raise.
A man can legally beat his wife, but not more than once a month. (!??!?! Seriously?!)
Alligators may not be kept in bathtubs.
Flirtation between men and women on the streets of Little Rock may result in a 30-day jail term.
It is unlawful to walk one’s cow down Main Street after 1:00 PM on Sunday.
North Dakota-
It is illegal to lie down and fall asleep with your shoes on.
Beer and pretzels can’t be served at the same time in any bar or restaurant.
And in Fargo-
One may be jailed for wearing a hat while dancing, or even for wearing a hat to a function where dancing is taking place.
Also-I have lived OUT of Oregon for just about 4 years now, and I still have only pumped my own gas twice. And it still terrifies me! lol. Jesse always does it.....
Seriously? You can't pump your own gas? That's so weird! Is it all full-service stations like the guy comes out and pumps your gas for you? We have a few here, but it's like a $.50 markup on the gas price.
ReplyDeleteMy funny laws in Texas:
A recently passed anticrime law requires criminals to give their victims 24 hours notice, either orally or in writing, and to explain the nature of the crime to be committed.
The entire Encyclopedia Britannica is banned in Texas because it contains a formula for making beer at home.
and in San Antonio where I live:
It is illegal for both sexes to flirt or respond to flirtation using the eyes and/or hands.
I'm from Alaska and I have heard of this one...in Fairbanks it is illegal to give moose Alcohol. The reason behind this is because a bar owner in Fairbanks had a pet moose that he used to get drunk then he would let it roam the streets.
ReplyDeleteAnother one in Anchorage is that it is illegal to tie your dog to the roof of your car. hmmm?
And last but not least, it is considered an offence to push a moose out of a moving airplane. There goes my plans for the weekend! HA!
I cannot believe that this stuff is real. I mean obviously these laws are not enforced because, well, just because holy crap!
ReplyDeleteEven more entertaining was looking up the "dumb" laws listed for Norway. Not so dumb turns out...
If your vehicle stalls and you leave it on the side of the road, you must mark the vehicle with a red, reflecting triangle.
OR
A fee is levied on each purchaser of any plastic bottle which is returned upon return of the bottle.
Those two don't really compete with some of the dumb American laws haha!
P.S. The laws for WA are way too good...I'm dying
ReplyDeleteLisa pointed out that the web site has a gem from my hometown: Dancing and drinking may not occur at the same establishment.
ReplyDeleteBecause, you know, they'd lose control of their loins or something.
This law, incidentally, had the effect of preventing a pub from staying in business in the downtown area, because every Friday-Saturday they had to close the bar to have live music. Several pubs came and went through the same location over the years.
It should be noted that I hate my hometown.
Oh, I want to live in Oregon!! I HATE pumping gas!
ReplyDeleteHowever...how much is gas up there? Ours currently is around $3.11-$3.19.
the gas think freaked me OUT!! I was traveling for work and had never been to Oregon. I rented a car and no one even mentioned it... ever. A guy came out of no where... grabbed my hand and I swear I was getting robbed. It didn't help it was 4 am and I was on my way to the airport... and GPS took me to a not so nice gas station to refuel.
ReplyDeleteI would love that law honestly here - I hate standing out there and smelling like gas all day.
in Baltimore, it is illegal to take a lion to the movies. good thing my lion hates the theater.
ReplyDeletealso, oral sex is illegal everywhere in the state of Maryland.
In St. Louis, it's illegal to drink beer from a bucket while sitting on the curb. Sadly, I HAVE seen this enforced (go go 2nd largest Mardi Gras in the nation!).
ReplyDeleteGreat laws! I like this post. Why must they drip dry? I would think they should be towel dried so that water doesn't drip on the floor creating a hazard. I remember when I turned 16 and had to learn to pump gas-it is kind of intimidating. So my question now, can the gas attendant pump his/her own gas?
ReplyDeleteI've never verified it, but I heard MN has a law saying it is illegal to cross the border into Wisconsin with a duck on your head.
ReplyDeleteI am sure we have/had a law saying it was illegal for men's and women's underwear to hang on the same clothesline to dry. Because they might get frisky I guess.
It's illegal to give or receive oral sex in SC. (Why do I feel like most women are now wanting to move to SC? At least on the giving part!)
ReplyDeleteWhen 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.
Every adult male must bring a rifle to church on Sunday in order to ward off Indian attacks.
Horses are to wear pants at all times.
In the town I went to college: Lifeguards must be present at apartment complex pools, but only after 11:00 PM. (We never had a lifeguard...)
In my town: It is illegal to urinate in the waters of any park. (Good to know.)
In Michigan I found the following:
ReplyDeleteIt is legal for a robber to file a law suit, if he or she got hurt in your house.
It is illegal for a man to scowl at his wife on Sunday. (Detroit)
It is illegal to paint sparrows to sell them as parakeets. (Harper Woods)
It is against the law to serenade your girlfriend. (Kalamazoo)
Ohio (where I am originally from)
It is illegal for more than five women to live in a house.
Throwing a snake at anyone is illegal. (Toledo)
I'm intruding since I live in Oregon as well.
ReplyDeleteWe don't pay extra for having our gas pumped. But sometimes, it's frustrating! Especially when you're in a hurry and the attendant is talking with his coworker.
Also, we cannot buy hard liquor in grocery stores. Has to be bought through an actual liquor store.
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.
ReplyDeleteoh PA.