When people think about laws, they typically think of carefully crafted rules meant to keep people safe or in line. While most laws could safely fit into that category, not all of them do. Lawmakers are people just like everyone else, which means they are prone to bad ideas just as much as everyone else is. This is how crazy and weird laws end up in existence.
It is no secret that the state of California has its fair share of odd laws. After all, who would think guaranteeing sunshine to the masses or forbidding wild animals from mating in certain areas would be a good idea. Still, the state of California is not the only one with strange laws. Every single state in the Union has its own odd laws that make people scratch their heads.
States and Their Odd Laws
No matter which state a person decides to look at, they will be sure to find at least a few strange laws here and there. In fact, there are entire websites out there that are dedicated finding the oddest laws in the country. These websites are often fun to scroll through for a good laugh. Some of the gems that can be found include:
- In Alaska, it is an offense to push a live moose out of a moving aircraft.
- Also from Alaska, waking a sleeping bear for the sole purpose of taking its picture is prohibited.
- In Texas, it is illegal to take more than 3 sips of beer at a time while standing.
- It is illegal to milk another person’s cow in Texas.
- In Arizona, a person is only allowed to defend themselves from an attacker with the same kind of weapon that the attacker has.
- Any misdemeanor committed in Arizona while wearing a red mask will be considered a felony.
- Idiots may not vote in New Mexico.
- In Las Cruces, New Mexico, it is against the law to walk down Main Street while carrying a lunchbox.
- In Michigan, a woman may not cut her own hair without her husband’s permission.
- Also from Michigan, it is legal for a robber to file a lawsuit against the owner of the house they robbed if they got hurt during the act.
- It is against the law to pronounce Arkansas incorrectly in Arkansas.
- The Arkansas River is prohibited from rising higher than the Main Street Bridge in Little Rock.
- In New York, it is illegal for women on the street to wear “body hugging clothing” while on the street, however, women may go topless in public provided it is not being used as a business.
- A fine of $25 can be levied for flirting in New York.
- Also from New York, the penalty for jumping off of a building is death.
These Laws Can’t Be Taken Seriously
As one can see, there are strange laws all over the country. No state is perfect with all of their laws. Some of the odd laws are clearly products of their time, while others just leave a person scratching their head. After all, how can some of the above laws ever be enforced? Who is going to tell a river that it has too much water flowing through it, and who expects the river to care?
Regardless of how these laws came into being, they do exist. Luckily, no one is ever really going to get fined or arrested for most of these acts.