Ridiculous Laws

[Thermal]

Whilst some of these are funny, I'm most inquiring to see if any of these are true. I know some aren't but wonder on others, for example:

Is it illegal to drive barefooted in Arizona?

Is it illegal to take more than 3 sips of beer whilst standing, in Texas?





http://www.dumblaws.com/

[Sasaki Kojiro]

I think it's harder to hit the brakes in an emergency if you're barefoot. That's the justification used anyway.

[Thermal]

I think it's harder to hit the brakes in an emergency if you're barefoot. That's the justification used anyway.

But don't you have less chance of slipping off the brake barefooted?


There are a few that made me laugh (well semi-laugh)

'When two trains come to a crossing, neither shall go until the other has passed.' - washington

'While prostitution is legal, it is illegal to use the services of a prostitute.' - sweden

'Picking up abandoned baggage is an act of terrorism.' - UK

'You must pay a fine of $600 in Thailand if you’re caught throwing away chewed bubble gum on the sidewalk.' - Thailand

[Crazed Rabbit]

I don't know, I think I've seen better dumb law websites.

This one from Washington, for instance:

X-rays may not be used to fit shoes.

There's a good reason for that; it gave people cancer back when X-rays first came out and shoe stores used them all the time for fitting shoes (IIRC).

CR

[Megas Methuselah]

There's a good reason for that; it gave people cancer back when X-rays first came out and shoe stores used them all the time for fitting shoes (IIRC).

Yeah, I remember hearing about that one.

[Aemilius Paulus]

There's a good reason for that; it gave people cancer back when X-rays first came out and shoe stores used them all the time for fitting shoes (IIRC).

Hmm, really? Seems like a tad of an overkill. Like using a supercomputer to determine the best glasses for a person... Unecessarily complex too - how could such a procedure work efficiently?

[Megas Methuselah]

Hmm, really? Seems like a tad of an overkill. Like using a supercomputer to determine the best glasses for a person... Unecessarily complex too - how could such a procedure work efficiently?

Dunno. I've heard it was used mostly for hesitant children who didn't know which size of shoes fit best.

[Yaropolk]

You put a shoe, on, stick your foot under the XRray screen and see how nicely it fits you.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

'Picking up abandoned baggage is an act of terrorism.' - UK

You can thank the IRA for this one.

[The Wizard]

It is legal to smoke pot, buy it, or have less than 5 grams with you.

How is this dumb?

It's also technically not legal, but is tolerated and not prosecuted by authorities.

It is forbidden to bring bears to the beach.

Damn!

[Subotan]

The PATRIOT Act.

[Hax]

There is no age of consent.

Guess what country, lol.

[The Wizard]

Japan

Alternatively, something in the Arabian peninsula

[Husar]

'While prostitution is legal, it is illegal to use the services of a prostitute.' - sweden

I think this makes a lot of sense because they want prostitution to be gone or low but they do not want to punish the poor girls for it, some/many of whom may be actually poor or forced to do it.

[Crazed Rabbit]

Went to get new tabs today (basically another yearly tax for each car you drive).

I saw a sign saying it's illegal to buy and sell more than four vehicles per year, and you get fined $1000 for each one over the limit. And it's also illegal to salvage car parts from a wreck and reuse/sell them.

CR

[Sasaki Kojiro]

Went to get new tabs today (basically another yearly tax for each car you drive).

I saw a sign saying it's illegal to buy and sell more than four vehicles per year, and you get fined $1000 for each one over the limit. And it's also illegal to salvage car parts from a wreck and reuse/sell them.

CR

The 2nd bit is so people don't steal parts of other peoples cars and sell them, I imagine.

I have a feeling that with a lot of these "ridiculous" laws the reason just isn't obvious.

[Crazed Rabbit]

The 2nd bit is so people don't steal parts of other peoples cars and sell them, I imagine.

I have a feeling that with a lot of these "ridiculous" laws the reason just isn't obvious.

I remember one story about drunk ourists in Florida who heard about their law prohibiting...relations... with porcupines and wanted to test it out. And then they got the point of the law.

CR

[Ironside]

I think this makes a lot of sense because they want prostitution to be gone or low but they do not want to punish the poor girls for it, some/many of whom may be actually poor or forced to do it.

It's designed against prostitution trafficking. The old laws had pimping as forbidden, but it was harder to prove.

[bobbin]

'While prostitution is legal, it is illegal to use the services of a prostitute.' - sweden

Pretty bloody good law in my opinion I wish we had it in the UK, the less prostitution that goes on the better.
I recently read a research paper on the subject which interviewed hundreds of men who used them and I can say it made for some grim reading, some of the quite terrifing views expressed included that prositiutes weren't "proper" or "real" women, that they had no rights once the money had been payed and most distubingly that if a man couldn't go to a prostitue he might "need" to rape somone instead. It made me feel depressed that I even shared the gender with these people let alone the same nationality.

[Thermal]

Pretty bloody good law in my opinion I wish we had it in the UK, the less prostitution that goes on the better.

Which is why Prostitution should be made illegal to, you can't necessarily stop it but if the government want services of a prostitute to be illegal then so should prostitution itself and find ways to reduce it. Any program that can be enforced will also save the dangers of prostitution on the first place.

I'm sure this sounds so terribly ignorant, so sorry for that.

[bobbin]

Your point makes perfect sense but the problem is that if you make prostitution itself illegal the police then have to spend a lot of thier time going around arresting the women, who will usually end up doing the same thing a few days later (and maybe having to work more if they get fined), its much more effective to target the men who use them, who would be more worried by a conviction the prostitiutes themselves or their customers?

Dont worry you don't sound ignorant it's just that there isn't enough resources around to enforce a blanket ban properly so targeting the customers is the next best thing.

[Thermal]

Your point makes perfect sense but the problem is that if you make prostitution itself illegal the police then have to spend a lot of thier time going around arresting the women, who will usually end up doing the same thing a few days later (and maybe having to work more if they get fined), its much more effective to target the men who use them, who would be more worried by a conviction the prostitiutes themselves or their customers?

Dont worry you don't sound ignorant it's just that there isn't enough resources around to enforce a blanket ban properly so targeting the customers is the next best thing.

I think a conviction for customers and prostitutes could work, given that they choose and are not forced to have sex with strangers, with that logic (though you have good logic) all money prostitutes make is from an outlaw, which is as good as investing in a crack dealer (strange and bad comparison, but still).

And I was at least ignorant initially, posting something as a ridiculous law before even thinking why that law may be in place.

[Csargo]

Obnoxious odors may not be emitted while in an elevator.

haha

[ajaxfetish]

given that they choose and are not forced to have sex with strangers

I think that may be too strong of an assumption, there. Also, the people who turn to prostitution tend to be poor, miserable, frequently victimized, often without viable alternatives. Punishing them further doesn't help the situation.

Ajax

[Fragony]

Not sure if I have this right, but an officer from the british navy demanded his rum ration he had the right to by law, case was rejected because he didn't wear his sabre in court. Things like that bring a smile to my face.

[The Wizard]