In Indiana, "trucks" are exempt from the mandatory seatbelt law. This exemption was put in place for farmers (that's the reason given by the legislature, don't ask me). The legislature failed, however, to define what they mean by "truck." An Indiana truck plate goes for an extra $9 at registration. SUVs, El Caminos, pickup trucks, and so on are all being registered as "trucks" specifically to avoid the belt requirement that's imposed on occupants of other vehicles.
In Florida it is illegal to have a dog riding in the bed of a pickup truck. It is, however, legal to have children riding back there.
My examples are from traffic safety. I'm sure you probably have examples you like too. So add to the list...
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Bob, this is way too easy for me, so it wouldn't be fair. I live in Massachusetts. All I have to do is link to the blue laws.
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For the benefit of farmers like heck. The police can't ticket someone for driving on truly private property: ie private property which is not viewed as a public accommodation, such as a supermarket parking lot. And there ain't no reason for the exemption on public roadways. It's not like a farmer's gotta hop in-and-outta his truck every few minutes while driving down a highway.
Nope, the Indiana legislature got exactly the result it wanted -- thumbing its nose at the Feds while still sucking on the federal HighwayFunding teat -- even if they hafta kill their own citizens to do so.
I MA it is illegal to have sex in anything but the missionary position, even if married.
You can't buy liquor on Sundays, but completely nude dancing, in a bar, is allowed 365 days a year....the only limit is that you can't open before noon on Christmas...
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Well, it's probably not fair to mention since the state HAS changed it now, but a little over a decade ago, in WA. State, husbands still had the right to enforce their sexual desires on their wives.
Just a little oopsie that somehow escaped lawmakers' notice, d'oncha know . . . Posts: 5609 | Registered: Jan 2003
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quote:In Florida it is illegal to have a dog riding in the bed of a pickup truck. It is, however, legal to have children riding back there.
This may go against the grain Bob, but some of my fondest childhood memories involve riding in the back of a pickup truck.
There's an innocence lost when legislation is passed to protect people from themselves. I suspect that the increase in extreme sports may be a reaction to that.
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Kwea, you have just revealed yur nondrinking ways! We have been able to buy liquor on Sundays for over a year, but not until after twelve on Sundays.
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human, the blue laws were some Puritan laws that stayed on the books. I am looking for a link for you.
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quote: Puritan church members in the Massachusetts Bay colony, and later, Congregationalists elsewhere in New England, believed that their contractual relationship with God required them to enforce proper behavior in their communities. This perceived requirement resulted in the enactment of a variety of laws designed to regulate the conduct of all members of society.
In its strictest sense, “blue law”* refers to an edict designed to regulate public activities on the Sabbath, which meant Sunday to the Congregationalists of that day. In common parlance, the term blue law was expanded to include several different areas of behavior:
quote:This may go against the grain Bob, but some of my fondest childhood memories involve riding in the back of a pickup truck.
There's an innocence lost when legislation is passed to protect people from themselves. I suspect that the increase in extreme sports may be a reaction to that.
Yeah, I know. I mean, riding in the back of a pickup used to be sort of a right of passage. It meant you were old enough and trusted by your parents not to do something stupid. And you weren't the baby who had to ride with the folks anymore.
And it was way more fun.
The problem is, of course, that even relatively minor crashes become fatal in this situation and legislatures end up doing exactly what you said: passing laws to protect people from themselves. Or to protect children from their parents' decisions. And, of course, society from the costs of people's decisions.
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In Lawrence, Kansas, it's against the law to carry bees around in your hat on city streets.
You really have to wonder, with that law and the Georgia law about giraffes, what one idiot did to incite the legislature to enact a whole law about it.
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WA state only recently passed a bit of legislation that makes it illegal for a customer to be within FOUR FEET of a stripper that is performing.
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It's illegal to do any whaling in Utah. Apparently someone stocked the Great Salt Lake with some whales a loooooong time ago and got the law passed so they wouldn't be hunted. Too bad the lake was too salty and they died anyway. . . . . .
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The problem is, of course, that even relatively minor crashes become fatal in this situation and legislatures end up doing exactly what you said: passing laws to protect people from themselves. Or to protect children from their parents' decisions. And, of course, society from the costs of people's decisions.
So which states do have laws against riding children around in the bed of a pickup?
Posts: 3735 | Registered: Mar 2002
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quote:So which states do have laws against riding children around in the bed of a pickup?
I don't know.
Dan, that kind of story really makes me sad. We had a kid who died on his 16th birtday joy-riding in the jeep his dad bought him. He loaded it up with all his friends, went to a dirt area and starting doing tight turns. They rolled and he was pinned under it. Everyone else survived, but this kid died.
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In Massachusetts it is illegal to have sex with anyone unless you are married to them... and then only in the missionary position.
Dumblaws has some interesting ones like " it is illegal to have sexual relations with a porcupine"
Who would even try to have sex with a porcupine? ( apparently someone at sometime did try it because they decided they had to have a law against it!)
Mass Blue Laws are a trip to read... and yes Elizabeth... Kwea does not really drink much. He is out now as the designated driver with "Velour Man" (his best friend) and his housemate "chick hunting boy" (aka Chris). They are at the Alehouse in LBV Florida. I had to give Kwea directions so I hope he doesnt get lost!
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Humans riding in the back of a pickup truck is illegal in CA unless the bed is equipped with safety belts. People still do it, though.
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In Kentucky, law requires that you take a bath at least once a year (As a teenager, I always hoped that showering counted).
Also, in Lexington, Kentucky it is illegal to walk down the street with an ice cream cone in your pocket (again, you have to wonder what idiot that law was made for).
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Next time I'm in Lexington (which is at least once a year for a horse show), I'm going to put an ice cream cone, with no ice cream, in my pocket.
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I live in New Jersey, where it is illegal to sell turtles. You can own a pet turtle, but not sell them. No one is allowed more than three pet turtles, however, because that is considered to be "possession with intent to distribute".
I found this out when I went to a pet store to buy my son a pet turtle. We landed up having to cross state lines and go to New York for the turtle. We went to a pet store that was just over the state line, and that did a brisk business in turtle sales, to be carried across state lines.
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Laws that have not be repealed in the UK (although they have been superceeded)
1. All boys under the age of 12 must do 1 hour of archery practice every Sunday
2. Scotsmen must be killed with a crossbow within the city walls of York
3. Welshmen must not enter Cheltenham on weekdays (if they do they can be shot with a long bow)however, they are free to enter on Sundays. Unless they fart, if they fart then they are allowed to be shot.
4. Eating mince pies before the 24th December is illegal
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quote: I live in New Jersey, where it is illegal to sell turtles. You can own a pet turtle, but not sell them. No one is allowed more than three pet turtles, however, because that is considered to be "possession with intent to distribute".
I found this out when I went to a pet store to buy my son a pet turtle. We landed up having to cross state lines and go to New York for the turtle. We went to a pet store that was just over the state line, and that did a brisk business in turtle sales, to be carried across state lines.
I am not kidding.
Did they specify a size limit on the turtles? I believe it is a federal law that you are not allowed to sell turtles with a shell measuring under 4". This is because back in the 70's, baby turtles the size of a quarter became incredibly popular and were bred in huge numbers to be kept in little fishbowls. Then, of course, they grew up to be big not-so-cute turtles, and people dumped them in ditches and lakes, which caused a population boom in wild turtles and disrupted the ecosystem. At least, this is what I've been told to tell customers when they complain that they can't find little turtles for sale anywhere (I work at a pet store.) I don't know if it's actually a federal law or peculiar to Louisiana, but I understand why it was put into effect.
Posts: 1225 | Registered: Feb 2002
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Bob, your initial examples remind me of a darkly amusing thought I have had, since I learned that at least some Japanses SUV's are imported as 'trucks' in order to bypass import quotas on cars (I actually don't know if this is still the case).
What if American drivers of those SUV's had to obey all the 'truck' laws and signs?
- No travel in left lane of interstates - No travel on parkways, only freeways - Must stop at weigh stations - Lower speed limits - Separate parking area at rest stops - Prohibited from some streets and neighborhoods - etc.
Then again, nit-picking at the internal inconsistencies of public law and behavior will get me as far as, say, pointing out that speed limits are (within about a 25% margin) meaningless in this country.
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quote: A law to reduce crime states: "It is mandatory for a motorist with criminal intentions to stop at the city limits and telephone the chief of police as he is entering the town.
quote: It is illegal to pretend that one's parents are rich.
quote: When two trains come to a crossing, neither shall go until the other has passed.
This one, though, is no longer true:
quote:You are not allowed to breastfeed in public.
Some funny ones from Pennsylvania:
quote:You cannot walk backwards eating peanuts in front of the Barnstormers Auditorium during a performance.
quote: All fire hydrants must be checked one hour before all fires.
quote: Persons convicted of felonies may not operate Bingo games.
quote: Ministers are forbidden from performing marriages when either the bride or groom is drunk.
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At one point, it was illegal for a smoker to exhale within the city limits of Tremonton UT. No mention of smoking, however.
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They can't ever exhale? Or just can't exhale cigarette smoke? I would think that not breathing would tend to kill all the smokers in town.
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quote:In utah its illigal to walk down state street carring a violin case
Hmmm, maybe that's why my friend (who ended up the youngest-ever member of the L.A. Philharmonic) took up the viola. Not a violin, you see.
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