Watch Out
Every country has a variety of weird and wacky laws that make you wonder, “What on earth did people do to require that being a law in the first place?” We’ve collected 35 of the best ones from across the USA and presented them to you. Some things to bear in mind when traveling the country!
Don’t Wear a Fake Mustache in an Alabama Church
In Alabama, churches are sacred places, and that means you can’t do anything in them that would provoke laughter. That includes wearing a false mustache. But if you wore a false mustache and it didn’t provoke laughter, maybe you’d get away with it?
Don’t Let a Donkey Sleep in a Bathtub in Arizona
Do you have a pet donkey? Well, don’t let it sleep in your bathtub. Apparently, back in the 1920s, there was chaos when a donkey slept in a bathtub and it was swept away by a flood. So the authorities responded by deciding no donkeys were going to sleep in bathtubs again in Arizona.
Don’t Pronounce Arkansas Wrong
The authorities in Arkansas are apparently very strict about the pronunciation of their state’s name – they don’t want it getting mixed up with Kansas. That’s a mistake newcomers to America often make, so be careful. You pronounce it Ar-kan-saw!
No Women Drivers With Housecoats on in California
Every so often there comes a reminder of how poorly women were treated in times past. In California, there’s a law that says women can’t drive wearing a housecoat. Luckily, it’s not enforced anymore.
Make Sure Your Pickles Bounce in Connecticut
Connecticut take their pickles incredibly seriously. For a pickle to be legally sold in the state, it must pass the bounce test – drop it from a height of one foot and see what happens. So rest assured that any pickles you eat in the state have been thoroughly tested.
Don’t Whisper in Church in Delaware
Many states have firm rules about what can and can’t take place in churches. In Delaware, for example, you’re not allowed to whisper. So if you have a devastating secret you want to reveal about someone, it’s best to just shout it out.
Unmarried Women Can’t Parachute on Sundays in Florida
This is a famously weird law that dates back to the times when there were much stricter laws about what women could and couldn’t do. It’s very specific: no parachuting on Sundays if you’re a woman and unmarried. Don’t worry if you’re a female parachuter, though, it’s not enforced anymore.
Don’t Eat Fried Chicken With a Fork in Gainesville, Georgia
Fried chicken is big in Gainesville, the “poultry capital of the world” to the extent they have a law about how it must be eaten. With fingers only, never with a fork. Unsurprisingly, this law isn’t enforced, except once as a joke in 2009.
Don’t Put a Coin in Your Ear in Hawaii
You can’t put a coin in your (or anyone else’s) ear in Hawaii. So if you’re a magician who uses that as a trick, best to go elsewhere. Apparently, King Kamehameha III enforced this law in 1847, and it survives to the present day.
Don’t Eat People in Idaho
Okay, obviously it goes without saying that you can’t eat people anywhere in the United States, but Idaho has specific laws against cannibalism. Rather disturbingly, the law stipulates that you can actually eat a dead body if it’s necessary for survival. So… maybe discuss things with your friends before you venture into the wilderness!
Don’t Sell Cold Beer in Indiana
If you want a cold beer in Indiana, you might be out of luck. Grocery stores and gas stations can’t sell cold beer, only warm. So if you want a cold beer, you have to go to a licensed liquor store. Needless to say, this is a pretty controversial law.
No Driving an Ice Cream Truck in Indianola, Iowa
All kids love ice cream trucks, but unfortunately they won’t get to use one in Indianola, Iowa. The city has banned them! It’s thought it’s because they pose a safety risk to children, who might run into the road to get their ice cream.
Don’t Eat Cherry Pie With Ice Cream on Sundays in Topeka, Kansas
This is one of those laws where you simply can’t work out what caused it to be made. Religious reasons, maybe? Whatever happened, you’re not supposed to eat cherry pie with ice cream in Topeka on Sundays.
Don’t Have a Duel in Kentucky
Those who paid attention in history class know all about the dangers of dueling. But in the olden days, the problem was so bad that Kentucky made a law: all public officials must swear they’ve never dueled. Of course, you can’t duel these days, but the rule remains.
Don’t Wrestle a Bear in Louisiana
Yep, once upon a time bear wrestling in Louisiana was such a big problem there had to be a law against it. But it’s a law that keeps both humans and bears from harm, so it’s not as silly as it might seem. People wrestling bears don’t have animal welfare in mind.
Don’t Swear on the Highways in Rockville, Maryland
If you suffer from road rage in Rockville, Maryland, it may not be the place for you. A law there bans swearing on public streets, all in an attempt to ensure people remain civil in public. So watch out!
Don’t Put a Gorilla in Your Backseat in Massachusetts
This is one of the most bizarre laws on the books. In Massachusetts, it’s illegal to have a gorilla ride in the backseat of your car… but no word on putting it in the front seat. You have to wonder what caused this law to be a thing in the first place. A case of gorillanapping?
Don’t Buy or Sell a Car on Sunday in Michigan
America is a Christian country, and Christian doctrine states that Sunday should be a day of rest and worship. So many states have laws preventing certain things from happening on a Sunday, and one of them is this Michigan law: no buying or selling cars on the Sabbath Day.
No Greased Pig Contests in Minnesota
Ever wanted to try and catch a greased pig? Well, you can’t do that in Minnesota, it’s against the law. And when you think about it, it’s easy to see why – greased pig contests are horrible for the pig, and many would count it as animal cruelty.
You Can Castrate Roaming Bulls in Missouri
Here’s another animal-related one. In Missouri, it’s legal to castrate a bull that’s been roaming around for three consecutive days, provided you have three witnesses. This law isn’t used much today, but it’s still on the books.
Don’t Drive on Mountain Edges in Nebraska
At first glance this law seems perfectly reasonable – driving on mountains is dangerous – until you realize Nebraska doesn’t have any mountains. Oops. It seems this law was most likely taken from another state and no-one put much thought into it.
Don’t Collect Seaweed at Night in New Hampshire
This law seems pretty silly at first, but it’s actually kind of reasonable. Seaweed is vitally important to the ocean and people shouldn’t just take it. So this law was created in the 1970s and it still stands today.
No Knitting for Men During Fishing Season in New Jersey
New Jersey wanted all men alert during fishing season, so it banned them from knitting during that time. Of course, in the modern day, many men knit, including during fishing season. The law is never enforced, so they’re fine.
Don’t Shorten an Anthem in New Mexico
This is a curious one. In New Mexico, both the United States national anthem and the New Mexico anthem must always be sung in full – no cutting down the songs. So if you’re performing either of them, best make sure you remember every word.
No Throwing Balls at Heads for Fun in New York
It’s the “for fun” part that makes this law weird. Where’s the line drawn between throwing a ball for sport and throwing it for fun? But either way, if you’re a kid on the playground and you throw a ball at another kid’s head, you could be in big trouble.
Don’t Serve Beer and Pretzels Together in North Dakota
If you’re looking for a beer and pretzels snack in North Dakota, you might be out of luck. It’s illegal to serve them together! This is a somewhat baffling law, but it’s still enforced by all accounts.
No Horse-Tipping in Oklahoma
This is one of those laws where it’s faintly depressing it had to be a law in the first place. People in Oklahoma used to have “horse-tipping” events where they’d basically just abuse the poor horses, and it was rightfully banned.
Don’t Hunt in a Cemetery in Oregon
Cemeteries are supposed to be sacred places where people go to mourn the dead, so Oregon made a law banning any hunting in cemeteries. You’ve got to wonder who was hunting in a cemetery in the first place, though.
Don’t Catch Fish With Your Mouth in Pennsylvania
This is another one where you have to wonder what on earth people were doing to warrant the law being made. It’s illegal to catch fish with your mouth in Pennsylvania – you have to stick to traditional fishing methods.
Don’t Sleep in a Cheese Factory in South Dakota
No-one’s sure why this law was made, but it was probably something to do with hygiene and workplace safety. If you work at a cheese factory in South Dakota, be careful not to fall asleep on the job! You could get into serious trouble for it.
No Selling Eyeballs in Texas
Again, what on earth did someone do to warrant this law being made? It’s unsurprisingly illegal to sell eyeballs in Texas, but the law is thought to have stemmed from a real-life incident, which is just disturbing.
No Drinking Alcohol During Emergencies in Utah
If there’s an emergency in Utah – think earthquake or zombie apocalypse – you won’t be allowed to drink alcohol. To be fair, this one is fairly sensible when you think about it. No-one wants a bunch of drunk people running amok during an emergency.
No Trick-Or-Treating Past 14 in Virginia
Some cities in Virginia restrict trick-or-treating. Once you’re past 14, you can’t do it anymore. This one really seems like an attempt to restrict fun more than anything else, but at least most 14 year olds aren’t bothered about trick and treating.
Don’t Harass Bigfoot in Washington
Washington takes the view that not only does Bigfoot exist, it’s illegal to bother him. The law came into being in 1969 and is really supposed to dissuade people from wandering into the forest and causing trouble. But if you do see Bigfoot… leave him alone.
You Can Eat Roadkill in West Virginia
Here’s a “do” law instead of a “don’t.” In West Virginia, it’s perfectly legal to eat roadkill, as unappetizing as that might sound. Some people make a habit of it, even! They think it’s better than letting good meat go to waste.
