Laws are the basic existing elements of civilization that we know. Most American laws are based on fundamental beliefs and common sense. However, some of them seem just stupid, and many of them are absolutely stunning.
We've compiled a list of the strangest local and state laws. These are ridiculous US laws in force today. They are 100% legitimate, although they have never been used in this century.
Missouri: don't carry bears in the back of your car
The law says all bears must be caged when inside a moving car. I really want to carry a bear in the car, and it doesn’t matter if he is in a cage or just sitting in the back seat.
But the most interesting thing is that this law contradicts another law, which says that it is forbidden to drive a car while an unweighted bear is inside it. The real crime is that there seems to be no backstory to this "priceless" law.
So many questions left unanswered. As a result of reading, let's try to understand these ridiculous US laws and their history of origin:
- How many times has someone traveled with a bear in the back seat before officials decide to draft a bill about it?
- How was the governor able to explain the real importance of this road safety law when he announced it?
- Why is it still legal to have a bear inside a parked car?
Perhaps the adoption of this law refers to those distant times when people fought for the right to bear arms. Then people pointed out that in order to defend themselves from bears, it is necessary to carry hunting rifles around the city. As a result, this bill was passed, which prohibited bears from "riding" in the back seat of a car without cages.
Let's continue to look at the ridiculous US laws in different states. And next in line is the frog law.
California: Don't eat the frog that died on the run
This law says it's illegal to eat a frog that died during a jumping competition.
Believe it or not, California hosts an annual frog jumping championship. For more than eight decades, this kind of competition has been a national tradition.
Every year the frog jockeys compete to see whose frog can jump the farthest. This law was passed in 1950. One can imagine that when there was no law, then "crowds" of peoplethey waited for some frog to die during the competition, and pounced on it to eat it.
This law deserves first place in the "Most Ridiculous Laws in the USA" category.
Atheists banned
Mississippi, North Carolina, Texas, Maryland, Arkansas, South Carolina and Tennessee - where atheists are prohibited from working in government offices.
Federal law clearly states that no state or local government can require candidates to take a "religious test." The legislators of these seven states basically say that the recognition of high power is not a test. At the same time, they don't mind being supported by atheists (who may be eligible to vote).
The most interesting and incomprehensible thing is how you can come up with such ridiculous US state laws? It turns out that the administration of these seven states met specifically to pass this bill?
Because atheists don't represent any religion, southern government officials claim they don't "have" freedom of religion, a fundamental human right. They base all of these claims on the traditional oath taken by mayors, governors and senators when they take office. In fact, everyone knows that swearing on the Bible and "bringing to account" is a symbolic gesture.
You better believe in God if you want to run for public office or at leastclaim it. No religious test or church qualification is required, and you cannot be removed from office because of your religious feelings. But you need to "acknowledge the existence of a Supreme Being".
Georgia chickens don't go alone
And these are the most ridiculous laws in the USA, because it is not clear who will be fined as a result: the chickens or the owner of the chickens.
In Quitman, Georgia, it is illegal to let chickens roam the streets freely. Of course, it makes sense to introduce this law in a rural town. But why not include all livestock?
Arizona: cacti are people too
The maximum prison sentence for cutting a cactus that grows on the borders of Arizona is 25 years - the same as the punishment for murder.
Environmental protection is great, but it's probably not as important as protecting people's lives. Cacti are not endangered plants in Arizona.
Where this law came from is not known for certain, probably, a long time ago in Arizona there was a catastrophic decrease in the number of cacti, in connection with which this law was invented.
Georgia: Fried chicken with a fork is illegal
In 1961, the Gainesville City Council passed a bill stating that anyone caught eating chicken with a knife and fork would be detained and fined. According to official statements, fried chicken is a "delicacy" sacred to this municipality, county, state, Southland and the Republic.
Therefore, eating chicken should only be done with your hands, all cutlery should not be used for eating.
In 2009, 91-year-old Gini Dietrick was nearly arrested for cutting a "sacred delicacy" with a knife.
Colorado: Can't play with the weather
According to the laws of this state, in America you must get permission to change the weather. It is legal in some states to perform actions that create changes in the composition or behavior of the atmosphere.
Modifying the weather is not only possible, but actually a profitable business. Colorado ski resorts pay private companies to burn silver iodide on mountain slopes to encourage rainfall. The chemical material is transported into the clouds and stimulates snowfall, which creates good ground for skiers.
Requiring a permit should ensure minimal harm to the land and maximum benefit to people.
Florida: Don't Throw Midgets
People who own bars, restaurants, and other places that sell liquor can be fined up to $1,000 if they participate in or allow any midget throw contest.
Florida outlawed the throwing of little people (midgets) in 1989 after the activity in bars was discovered in the southern parts of the state. Florida legislator attempted to repeal the law in 2011 but failedsuccess.
There are other ridiculous US laws in various states that say the following.
Keep your Florida elephants at bay because if you tie one to a parking meter, you will have to pay the same fine as if the elephant were a vehicle. Elephants are also not allowed to plow cotton fields in North Carolina.
It is illegal in Kentucky to dye ducklings blue and offer them for sale. Only now I really want this.
This law is interpreted as follows:
- no one shall sell, trade, offer, display or possess live chicks, ducklings, other birds or rabbits that have been dyed;
- do not dye any chicks, ducklings, other birds or rabbits;
- not sell, barter, offer to sell or barter or give away chicks, ducklings, other birds or rabbits under two (2) months of age in any quantity less than six (6).
Camels are not allowed on highways in Nevada.
The other most hilarious US laws are about mustaches and eating.
- It's illegal in Alabama to wear fake mustaches that make church laugh.
- Mustache is illegal in Indiana if the wearer enjoys kissing other people.
- Wisconsin bans butter substitutes in prison.
- It is illegal in Utah to NOT drink milk.
- In South Dakota it is forbidden to sleep on cheesefactory.
A generous act in Louisiana can backfire: You could be fined $500 for sending a pizza order to someone's home without them knowing, even if you got the wrong address. They wanted, for example, to send a pizza to their beloved girlfriend or boyfriend, but they sent it to a neighbor's house by mistake.
It's illegal in Alaska to wake a hibernating bear to take a photo, while in Arizona it's illegal to keep a donkey next to you in the bathtub. It is still probably illegal to ride a horse while in Colorado under current conditions.
Louisiana: don't touch the crocodile
You could be sentenced to ten years behind bars for stealing an alligator.
Alligator theft is the misappropriation or taking of an alligator, alligator skin or part of an alligator, dead or alive, belonging to another, or without the other person's consent to the misappropriation or taking.
Whoever commits the crime of stealing an alligator, when its misappropriation or value is five hundred dollars or more, shall be imprisoned with or without hard labor for a term not exceeding ten years, or may be fined no more than three thousand dollars. Both cases are possible.
Only in this case, one thing comes to mind: who needed to steal an alligator? There can be only two versions of the reason for the adoption of such a law:
- an alligator was stolen from this state's attorney;
- in the past years there was a wholesalestealing alligators from the population.
Strange thing, all these ridiculous US laws are written in English, but many Americans are also incomprehensible and funny.
Michigan Against Adultery
Since 1929, Michigan residents can be sentenced to four years in prison plus a $5,000 fine for cheating on their spouse. In fact, the law continues to state that there should be no love flirting between a married woman and an unmarried man (strangely, the opposite is not stated).
It's also a felony in Wisconsin and in Illinois, Alabama, Minnesota and even New York. Cheating between unmarried people is a class 4 misdemeanor in Virginia. Of course, this is rarely prosecuted these days.
Most ridiculous US laws: top 14
- It is fitting that in the state of Colorado, where there are many craft breweries, it is illegal to ride a horse while intoxicated.
- Of course, one of the most popular "crazy laws" in Florida is that you can't sing while swimming.
- Colorado law states that a man cannot marry his wife's grandmother.
- A woman in a dressing gown is not allowed to drive in California.
- In Challis, Idaho, it is illegal to walk down the street with another man's wife.
- Flirting with the opposite sex in Little Rock, Arkansas can land anyone in jail for 30 days.
- It is forbidden for a man to kiss a woman while she sleeps in Logan County, Colorado.
- It is illegal in St. Louis, Missouri, for a firefighter to rescue a woman in a nightgown from a burning building. If she wants to be rescued, she must be fully clothed.
- Hartford, Connecticut banned men from kissing their wives on Sundays.
- According to Florida law, anyone taking a bath must wear clothing.
- In Arizona, a man can legally beat his wife once a month, but no more.
- In Massachusetts, a person can be fined up to $200 for denying the existence of God.
- Also in Massachusetts, state law prohibits blowing up golf balls, although this could make watching golf much more interesting and fun.
- In Ohio, police are allowed to bite a dog if they are sure it will calm it down.
Animal laws
In addition to all the above laws, there are ridiculous animal laws in the USA that in one way or another infringe on the rights of our smaller brothers:
- You can't tie your dog to the roof of a car in Anchorage, Alaska.
- In Little Rock, Arkansas, dogs are not allowed to bark after 6pm. But how can you explain to a dog that when he barks after 6 pm, then he is breaking the law?
- In Hartford, Connecticut, you are not allowed to educate dogs. That's why there dogs are left without education.
- In Halsburg, Illinois, no man can keep a stinky dog.
- And in North Brook, Illinois, it's illegal for dogs to barkover 15 minutes. Only the restriction is not clear: it is per day, per week or per year.
- In Minnesota, cats are not allowed to run from dogs over telephone poles.
- In Oklahoma, dogs are not allowed to gather in groups of three or more. In this case, they must have a special permit signed by the mayor of the city.
In Madison, Wisconsin, dogs are not allowed to disturb squirrels, which are located in a public park near the property.
Summing up
All these ridiculous US laws and their explanation, which is written in this article, should not influence the opinion of people living in this country, because in the United States there are both federal laws and state laws.
50 US states are permitted by the Federal Constitution to formulate and implement their own laws. Some of these laws are rarely enforced and are even considered weird, controversial, and ridiculous.
Many of them are not even violated, while others, even if they are violated, are not punished, as everyone understands the depth of their stupidity.
