Most Americans have a general understanding of what a crime is, and what actions can get them in trouble. However, there are a host of "strange but true" laws which exist in states, cities, and towns across America which may come as a shock to most people. While some of these laws have been taken off the books, and are therefore no longer considered a crime, in other cases, these laws remain in statutes or codes, but have laid dormant and have not been enforced for years. By all means, the following are intended to be only a representative sample of strange laws . . . there are plenty more of them out there, so be on your guard!
It's against the law . .
for boys to throw snowballs at trees in Mount Pulaski, Ill.
for restaurants to serve cherry pie with ice cream in Kansas
to bathe more than one time per week in Boston, Massachusetts.
to lasso a catfish in Tennessee.
to slurp your soup in a public eating place in New Jersey.
to serveBeer and pretzels at the same time in any restaurant or bar in North Dakota.
for women to stand closer than five feet from the bar while drinking in Wyoming.
for beauty shop patrons, as well as the shop owner, to fall asleep under a hair dryer n Florida.
to slap a man on the back in Georgia,
for a driver to be blindfolded while operating a vehicle in Alabama.
to holler “snake” within the city limits of Flowery Branch, Ga.
for frogs to croak after 11:00 P.M. in Memphis, Tenn.
to allow a rain puddle to remain in your yard for more than twelve hours in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
to read comics while riding in a car in Norman, Okla.
for mourners at a wake to eat more than three sandwiches apiece in Massachusetts.
to kiss longer than, five minutes, per kiss in Iowa.
to remove your shoes if your feet smell while you're in a theater in Winnetka, Ill.
to walk across a street on your hands in Connecticut.
to buy ice cream after 6:00 P.M. in Newark, N.J., unless you have a written note from a doctor.
to sell teddy bears or yo-yo's on Sundays in Memphis, Tennessee.
for any woman to sit on a man's lap on a bus unless they are married in King County, Washington.
to crawl in public sewers without a permit in South Carolina.
to sit in the middle of a street to read a newspaper in Detroit, Michigan.
for cars to drip on the pavement in Green Bay, Wis. There is a $1 fine for each drip.
to enter a public theater or a streetcar within four hours of eating garlic in Gary, Ind.
to make ugly faces at a dog in Oklahoma.
to use a mule while hunting for ducks in Kansas.
for dogs to get in the way of people walking in Pateros, Wash.
to ride a bike into a swimming pool in Baldwin Park, Calif.
to wipe dishes dry in Minneapolis, Minn. Dishes should be left to drip dry.
to hunt for camels in Arizona.
for kids to buy lollipops in Spokane, Wash.
to push dirt under a rug in Pittsburg, Pa.
for a barber to shave a customer's chest in Omaha, Nebr.
to use a bean-shooter in Arkansas.
to dance cheek-to-cheek is in Compton, California.
for boys to throw snowballs at trees in Mount Pulaski, Ill.
for men to be seen in public, in any type of strapless gown, in Florida.
