Top 10 Laws That Were Created Because of MORONS
#10: No Silly String on Halloween
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Depending on where you fall on the age spectrum, your means of celebrating Halloween may vary. Adults who choose to celebrate the holiday often do so with large parties that can often lead to a messy cleanup afterward. A staple of many celebrations is the use of “silly string” which shoots a long line of a plastic-like substance from a can. But if you’re caught using such a thing on Halloween in Hollywood, California, you might find yourself fined upwards of $1,000. Seems the law was put in place due to party-goers littering cans and the string along city streets, causing accidents among pedestrians and police on horseback.
#9: Don't Share Your Password
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Until recently, sharing your Netflix password with friends and family was commonplace. However, even before the recent policy changes, there was at least one place where sharing the password could get you as much as a year in jail. Effective July 1st, 2011, anyone in Tennessee who shared a password for streaming services such as Netflix, Rhapsody, and Napster, was technically breaking the law. Legislators argue that anyone who isn’t paying for such services is stealing them and should be punished. Admittedly, however, the real target of the legislation is aimed at hackers who steal and sell batches of credentials online. Either way, always be careful of who you give your passwords to.
#8: Go Easy on the Coins
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Known for having both a $1 and $2 coin, you might be surprised to learn even Canada has its limits. According to the legal tender section of the Canadian Currency Act, excessive use of coins to pay for goods and services is considered illegal. The law actually breaks down the maximum you can pay in certain coins, with an ultimate high point of $40 being allowed. Little information exists on an inciting incident for the law, but given the excessive overhead to count all the coins, we can see why this limitation was put in place. So if you plan on paying your taxes in loonies and toonies, you may be in for a surprise.
#7: No Explosive Golf Balls
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All ready to make that perfect tee and just as the club makes contact, a giant puff of smoke appears. For those who may not take too kindly to this kind of gaff, it might bring you some comfort to know that this type of golf ball is actually illegal in Massachusetts. The verbiage of the law makes any type of golf ball that could “inflict bodily injury” illegal and the owner subject to a $500 fine. An unconfirmed story says a young man received a severe eye injury after being exposed to the contents of the ball prematurely, triggering the ban. Given how modern balls are made vastly different, it might be time to revisit this archaic law.
#6: No Cow Riding
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It’s a nice night out and you’ve had one too many. Unsure of how you’re going to get home, you walk into a farmer's field, straddle yourself up onto a cow, and try to ride your way home. As entertaining as that might sound, it’s actually illegal in Scotland. The “Licensing Act of 1872” made it illegal to ride a cow, horse, or even a train while under the influence of alcohol. Just the sheer idea of trying to ride a cow unhindered is a sobering thought, much less while having had one too many. The same law has since been updated over the years as methods of transport have changed, including a recent debate about its applicability to mobility scooters.
#5: No Drunk Horse Riding
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Ahhhh, the things people do when they’ve had one too many. Similar to our previous entry, this one can also be chalked up to poor decision-making while under the influence. A quick Google search will yield far more results than you’d expect regarding the laws around equestrian use while intoxicated. The biggest misconception tends to be around the fact that a horse is not technically considered a “vehicle” and therefore not subject to DUI laws. As a result, either specific laws have been put in place to address the loophole, or officers have charged the offender under traffic violation statutes. Either way, if you’re over the limit, don’t get up on your high horse; literally.
#4: No Sleeping Donkeys in Bathtubs
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Okay, seriously, exactly how specific of a law can you really get? Well, the story goes that a man’s donkey fell asleep in a bathtub. The home was flooded when a dam broke, carrying both the tub and its occupant into troubled waters. Thankfully, the animal was rescued by a large group of onlookers. The entire ordeal subsequently triggered a new law in 1924, specifically outlawing donkeys from sleeping in bathtubs. Aside from perhaps Shrek’s best friend, we can’t imagine this very specific scenario ever happening again and question as to whether it ever made sense for the law to be passed.
#3: Skip the Naked Hiking
So apparently naked hiking is a thing. In fact, there’s even an annual event that takes place in Europe known as the “Naked European Walking Tour” or NEWT. With the rise in popularity of these outdoor excursions, Switzerland imposed a law banning the activity altogether. In fact, it was challenged in court by a man who was fined 100 Swiss Francs for the indecent act. His appeal was thrown out when the federal court ruled in favor of the state, upholding the offender’s original charge. The law seems to be restricted to the Swiss area of Appennzell so be mindful of where you drop trow.
#2: No Bear Wrestling
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As unbelievable as it may seem, there was a time when bear wrestling was a real thing. Reports as far back as the 1930s tell stories of professional wrestlers getting into a ring with a live bear. One famous one by the name of “Terrible Ted” wrestled for 25 years and even appeared in several WWE (known as WWF at the time) matches. Sadly, however, the bears were often declawed and had their fangs removed, and often kept as trophies by the owners. In 1996, the state of Missouri officially made the practice of bear wrestling illegal due to its inherent cruelty to animals.
#1: Two Trains, One Track
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What happens when two trains, traveling in opposite directions, meet face-to-face on the same track? In the state of Missouri, neither is permitted to continue until the opposing train passes them. But how exactly can two trains pass each other on the same track? Some versions of the story refer to the trains meeting at a crossing, while others are more ambiguous. Details are hard to find, but legend has it that this law was proposed as a joke to prove that lawmakers often don’t read the finer details before passing legislation. Regardless of the specifics, this story proves that even the silliest of laws can still slip through the tracks… we mean, cracks.
