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The United States has accumulated centuries’ worth of laws, and not all of them have aged gracefully. While many were written to address very specific situations, their mere existence is still baffling to us. Surprisingly, quite a few have never been formally repealed, meaning they’re technically still part of the legal code even if they’re rarely, if ever, enforced.
These forgotten statutes offer a hilarious glimpse into the country’s legal history. Here are some of the strangest laws that somehow remain on the books, proving that lawmakers occasionally worried about some very unusual problems.
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No Giving Moose a Drink
In Fairbanks, Alaska, it’s illegal to give alcoholic beverages to a moose. The ordinance likely stemmed from incidents involving people treating wildlife as entertainment, making it one of America’s most oddly specific animal laws.
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No Camels on Nevada Highways
Nevada technically forbids riding a camel on the highway. The law dates back to the U.S. Army’s short-lived experiment using camels as pack animals in the American Southwest during the 19th century.
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Don’t Let Your Donkey Nap in the Tub
Arizona bans allowing a donkey to sleep in a bathtub after a famous flood carried away one such tub, donkey included. The strangely specific law remains a favorite example of legislation inspired by one bizarre incident.
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Hands Only for Fried Chicken
In Gainesville, Georgia, eating fried chicken with utensils is technically illegal. Originally created as a humorous publicity stunt celebrating the city’s poultry industry, the ordinance is still remembered and occasionally referenced in jest.
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Leave the Giraffe Somewhere Else
Atlanta has a law prohibiting people from tying a giraffe to a telephone pole or street lamp. It’s difficult to imagine the circumstances that inspired it, but the ordinance remains wonderfully specific.
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No Raw Onions While Walking
In Northfield, Connecticut, eating raw onions while walking down the street is technically prohibited. Whether it was inspired by etiquette or powerful breath, the law has become one of America’s most amusing legal relics.
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Don’t Honk Near Sandwiches
Arkansas makes it illegal to sound your car horn near places serving cold drinks or sandwiches after 9 p.m. The oddly worded rule appears intended to preserve the peace around late-night eateries.
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No Oranges in the Bathtub
California’s famous prohibition against eating an orange while taking a bath supposedly originated from outdated concerns about chemical reactions. Today, it’s remembered mainly as one of the state’s strangest surviving legal curiosities.
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Don’t Make Faces at Dogs
In Oklahoma, making ugly faces at dogs is technically against the law. Ohio has a similarly peculiar rule, proving that lawmakers in more than one state apparently felt canine dignity deserved legal protection.
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Don’t Push Moose Out of Airplanes
Another Alaska classic makes it illegal to push a moose from a moving airplane. Few laws raise more questions than answers, but this one has become legendary among lists of bizarre American statutes.
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No Cornflakes on Sunday
Ohio once prohibited stores from selling cornflakes on Sundays, likely as part of old “blue laws” restricting certain commercial activities. The cereal-specific wording makes the statute especially memorable today.
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Don’t Pawn Your Wheelchair
Delaware prohibits pawnbrokers from accepting artificial limbs or wheelchairs as collateral. Unlike many odd laws, this one had a practical purpose: protecting vulnerable people from desperate financial decisions.
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Leave the Rabbits Alone
Wyoming once made it illegal to photograph rabbits between January and April. The seasonal restriction sounds absurd today, but it was intended to protect wildlife during a particularly sensitive time of year.
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No Hoods in Public
Dublin, Georgia, has an ordinance banning hoods in public. While unusual at first glance, the rule was intended to discourage face coverings associated with intimidation rather than ordinary cold-weather clothing.
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Don’t Blindfold Yourself Behind the Wheel
Alabama explicitly makes it illegal to drive while blindfolded. It may sound laughably obvious, but lawmakers apparently decided common sense deserved a little legal reinforcement.
The post 15 Ridiculous Laws That Are Somehow Still on the Books appeared first on Den of Geek.
