Strange laws explained

Strange laws, also called weird laws, dumb laws, futile laws, unusual laws, unnecessary laws, legal oddities, or legal curiosities, are laws that are perceived to be useless, humorous or obsolete, or are no longer applicable (in regard to current culture or modern law). A number of books and websites purport to list dumb laws. These are in many cases based on misunderstandings, exaggerations or outright fabrications.^[1]

Veracity

Laws presented as "dumb laws", "strange laws", or "weird laws", are laws that are perceived by the speaker to be useless, no longer applicable (in regard to current culture or modern law), or humorous. A large number of hoax or exaggerated dumb laws are circulated on the internet and in the print media.^[2]

Several books have been written and numerous listicles exist on the internet purporting to list "dumb laws" in various jurisdictions. The "dumb laws" are also often circulated via e-mail chain letters.

Examples

Some purported strange laws do not exist, no longer exist, or were never passed, while others are actually in effect, although they are often exaggerated or misrepresented in popular culture. Sometimes similar laws, such as a prohibition of dying (typically in certain buildings and local areas), really exist in some places, but are mere urban legends in other places. Some compilers confuse the circumstances in which a defendant was convicted under a more general statute, such as a noise ordinance or disorderly conduct, as the text of the law itself. Others may fabricate a purported law as a copyright trap.

European Union

A lot of purportedly strange laws within European Union law do not actually exist, or are wildly exaggerated; these are referred to as Euromyths.

Misrepresented

• Commission Regulation (EC) No. 2257/94, sometimes referred to in the media as the 'bendy banana law': the alleged ban on curved bananas is a long-standing, famous, and stereotypical claim^{[3] [4] [5] [6]} that is used in headlines to typify the Euromyth.^{[7] [8]} Amongst other issues of acceptable quality and standards, the regulation does actually specify minimum dimensions. It also states that bananas shall be free from deformation or abnormal curvature.^[9] However, the provisions relating to shape apply fully only to bananas sold as Extra class; slight defects of shape (but not size) are permitted in Class I and Class II bananas. However, a proposal banning straight bananas and other misshapen fruits was brought before the European Parliament in 2008 and defeated.^[10]

United Kingdom

In March 2013, the Law Commission (England and Wales), which is tasked with abolishing obsolete and unnecessary laws to reform the legal system, published an informal document answering some frequently asked questions about the veracity of some alleged "legal oddities" or "legal curiosities".^[11]

False

• The Law Commission wrote that there is no law making it "legal to shoot a Welshman with a longbow on Sunday in the Cathedral Close in Hereford; or inside the city walls of Chester after midnight; or a Scotsman within the city walls of York, other than on a Sunday."^[11] These three related urban legends frequently show up in lists of strange laws, but there is no historical basis for them other than an alleged 1403 ordinance of the city of Chester, which supposedly imposed a curfew on Welshmen in the city in response to the Glyndŵr Rising. The Law Commission stated: "It is illegal to shoot a Welsh or Scottish (or any other) person regardless of the day, location or choice of weaponry".^[11] In 2016, BBC News claimed these three laws were "of course" and "obviously" not applicable in modern times (neither confirming nor denying whether such laws actually exist or have ever existed),^[12] although a 2006 BBC News article mentioned the two alleged anti-Welsh laws amongst a number of "strange-but-true laws" without giving any hint as to their modern non-applicability.^[13]

True

• On the other hand, the Commission confirmed it is illegal to wear a suit of armour in the Houses of Parliament according to the 1313 Statute forbidding Bearing of Armour.^{[11] [14]}
• Alfred the Great's law code really did contain the law, "If a man unintentionally kills another man by letting a tree fall on him, the tree shall be given to the kinsmen of the slain".^[15]
• Salmon Act 1986, Section 32: "Handling Salmon in Suspicious Circumstances".^{[16] [17]}

United States

Misrepresented

• Supposedly, there is a law stating that one cannot fish while riding on the back of a camel in Idaho. A 1917 legal provision in the "Fish and Game rules" did ban riding on any animal while fishing, whatever that animal might be; this restriction was later removed, so it is no longer true.^{[18] [19]}

False

• Supposedly, a law in Iowa limits the length of a kiss to five minutes. The law does not appear in the Iowa Legislature, but circulates online.^[20]
• That "sorority houses are illegal since more than a certain number of single females living together constitutes a brothel" has been debunked as fake.^[21]
• A myth that it is illegal to hunt camels in Arizona is loosely inspired by the true story of the United States Camel Corps, which tested the use of camels in the Southwest United States.^[22]

Never passed

• Indiana Pi Bill – in 1897 the Indiana General Assembly considered legislating mathematics.

True

• In Wisconsin, lutefisk is specifically exempted from being considered a "toxic substance" under an employees' right to know law.^[23]
• Silly String ban on Halloween in Los Angeles. The ban was put in place in 2004 due to cleanup costs exceeding .

Other countries

FalseSupposedly, it is illegal to be fat in Japan. That is untrue, but citizens between 45 and 74 must have their waists measured and might be given medical guidance it their waist exceeds a certain measure. ^{[24] [25]}

True

• In Jamaica,^[26] Saudi Arabia^[27] and Barbados^[28] it is illegal to dress in camouflage clothing.
• Chewing gum sales ban in Singapore.^{[29] [30]}

Notes and References

1. Web site: Owens . Kelly . 2018-04-24 . It's Illegal to Do What? Strange Laws and Why They Exist . 2022-07-03 . . en-US.
2. For example, Book: Reynolds. Patrick. Susan Dach. Donkeys Can't Sleep in Bathtubs and Other Crazy Laws. 1993. Watermill Press. [Mahwah, N.J.]. 0-89375-264-9. registration. among others.
3. News: Straight bananas and tea-bag consultations. 24 August 2007. The Economist. Some are entirely invented for excitable journalists—'Mumbai mix'—while others are tenuously connected to facts, such as the most famous Euromyth of them all, straight bananas..
4. News: Euromyths: Fact and fiction. 8 June 2004. CNN. Mother of all euromyths: Bananas must not be excessively curved ... 'Some wise cracker asked: "What does this mean for the curvature of bananas? recalled one EU official. The question stuck and a myth was born..
5. News: Guide to the best euromyths . 23 March 2007. BBC.
6. Web site: Euromyths – time to set the record straight . 23 August 2007. European Commission.
7. Web site: Food, drink and straight bananas . 2009-09-22 . Andrew Duff . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090522123256/http://andrewduff.eu/pages/myth-food.html . 22 May 2009.
8. Web site: COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 2257/94 of 16 September 1994 laying down quality standards for bananas. Commission of the European Communities . 2009-09-22. 16 September 1994.
9. Web site: Consolidated text of regulation (as amended).
10. News: Attempt at EU-wide 'wonky fruit and veg' ban fails. BBC. 25 March 2010 . BBC News.
11. Web site: Legal Curiosities: Fact or Fable? . . March 2013 . 13 June 2018.
12. News: Buried diggers and knighted meat: Stubborn urban legends . Bethan Bell . BBC News . 8 May 2016 . 13 June 2018.
13. News: Where mince pies break the law... . BBC News . 23 December 2006 . 13 June 2018.
14. News: UK chooses 'most ludicrous laws' . BBC . 7 November 2007.
15. King Alfred the Great and Shaftesbury Abbey'-Simon Keynes. Dorset County Council. 1999
16. Web site: 8 September 2016 . The UK's strangest laws that are still enforced . subscription . live . https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220525/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/uk-strangest-weird-laws-enforced-christopher-sargeant-sturgeon-armour-a7232586.html . 25 May 2022 . The Independent.
17. Web site: March 2013 . Legal Curiosities: Fact or Fable? . Law Commission.
18. Web site: I keep hearing that it's illegal to fish from the back of a camel in the state of Idaho. I suspect this is someone playing a joke, or perhaps it's illegal to fish while riding an animal, but it just sounds funny to talk about camels (I.e. Perhaps it's E . 5 April 2009 .
19. General Laws of the State of Idaho, Chapter 65 H.B., #214, Section 14
20. Web site: Evon . Dan . 12 April 2016 . FACT CHECK: Law Limits Kisses to Five Minutes in Iowa . 31 December 2018 . Snopes.
21. Web site: Mikkelson . Barbara . 23 June 2011 . Urban Legends Reference Pages: Brothel Laws Ban Sorority . 2012-09-03 . .
22. News: 10 Arizona "Dumb Laws" That Are Complete Horse S**t. Hendley. Matthew. Phoenix New Times. 2013-09-11. 2018-12-31.
23. Web site: Wis. Stat. §101.58(2)(j)(2)(f) (2005). 2021-11-19.
24. Web site: Mikkelson . Kim LaCapria, David . 2015-01-02 . FACT CHECK: Is It Illegal to Be Fat in Japan? . 2024-06-19 . Snopes . en.
25. Web site: Fader . Carole . Fact Check: Is it illegal for Japanese residents to be overweight? . 2024-06-19 . The Florida Times-Union . en-US.
26. Web site: Police warn against wearing of camouflage clothing - News. Jamaica Observer. 2016-01-06.
27. Web site: Unusual laws British travellers fall foul of. Telegraph.co.uk. 2016-01-06.
28. Web site: Barbados travel advice - GOV.UK. gov.uk. 2016-01-06.
29. Web site: 16 odd things that are illegal in Singapore . . 23 August 2019.
30. News: 2010-07-21 . The world's strangest laws . .