A while back I did a blog about weird laws…the type that should have been taken off the books decades ago. This time I'm looking at wacky driving laws.
Basic driving laws are the same everywhere. Green lights mean go and red lights mean stop. Pedestrians in crosswalks have the right of way. You aren't allowed to drive faster than the posted speed limit. That's pretty straight forward and simple.
However, individual states have some peculiar driving laws of their own that don't make any sense. Perhaps there was a valid reason for them at the time the law was passed, but in today's society they're totally out of sync with reality.
Here are a selection of 10 such laws, in no particular order.
In Arkansas it's illegal to blast your car horn after 9pm where ice cold beverages or sandwiches are being served.
In Dublin, Georgia, it is illegal to drive through playgrounds.
In Connecticut and Tennessee hunting from cars is illegal, unless it's whale hunting. It does make you wonder just where in Connecticut and Tennessee you would go to hunt whales. Aquariums probably frown on the activity.
In Illinois all cars must be driven with the steering wheel. Hmm…I wonder how many other options are available.
In Almosa, Colorado, it's illegal to throw missiles at cars. It really makes you wonder what would have prompted that type of legislation.
In San Francisco it's illegal to wipe your car with used underwear. It's probably not best to dwell on that one.
In Florida if an elephant is tied to a parking meter, you must put money into the meter same as if you were parking your car. My guess is that this law is a hold over from the days when Ringling Brothers circus had their winter headquarters is Sarasota, Florida. I can't think of another reason for someone having an elephant tied to a parking meter. :)
In Alabama it is illegal for a person to be blindfolded while operating a vehicle. How strange…no blindfold driving allowed. What's next...needing to be licensed in order to drive a car?
In Tennessee it's illegal to drive while sleeping, but no mention of a blindfold. :) If for some reason you end up driving a car while asleep, my guess is getting a ticket for breaking that particular law will be the least of your worries.
And finally…
In Hilton Head, South Carolina it is illegal to store trash in your car. However, it seems to me that you shouldn't need a law for that.
Any weird driving laws where you live?
10 comments:
The sad part is the lawmakers that made these laws had way too much time on their hands and still do.
Great post...
Harlie Reader: It really does make you wonder what they were thinking about. :)
LOL. Samantha you find the most interesting subjects! I'm from SC, so I know that there is still an anti-dueling statute on the books.
Nightingale: Hmmm...does that also apply to dueling banjos? :)
Thanks for stopping by.
I don't know of any weird laws from where I live now (Wisconsin). But I remember one from California that states at night you must have someone with a lantern no more than ten feet in front of the automobile.
LOL Thank you for these! Made my day! You really have wonder what prompted these though. Now those we be some fun stories. :)
-Amber
Ilona: LOL...having lived most of my life in the Los Angeles area, the poor person with the latern would be road kill in the blink of an eye. :)
Amber: Yes...it's hard to imagine what would have prompted some of those laws. And those 10 are probably just the tip of the ice berg. Who knows how many hundreds more there are. :)
The lantern law was before autos had headlights, mostly trucks I believe.
The law about steering wheels, if old enough, could relate to when autos were steered with a joy stick.
As for sleeping, I went thru a period where that was a problem. I once drove from one highway turned to go down a ramp and then went about a mile and I woke up.
Bob J
Bob: Yes, that's definitely a logical reason for the lantern law. And on the steering wheel, the first thing I flashed on was an image of the first cars with the joy stick type of steering.
Thanks for your comments.
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