stupid laws and lawmakers

[sammyg2]

I've always felt that lawmakers make laws just for the sake of looking like they are doing something. I think they should have to eliminate a law before introducing a new one. here are some examples of stupid old laws that are still on the books:

In Oregon and Minneapolis it is illegal to use a dish towel to dry dishes. Letting china air-dry is allowable.

In Florida, it's illegal to shatter more than three dishes per day, or chip the edges of more than four cups and/or saucers.

In Kansas, you can't stack plates more than eight high.

In San Francisco it's illegal to beat a rug except between the hours of midnight and 8 am.

In Port Jervis, New York, it's illegal to "spread a carpet or rug on any city street," at any time.

In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, it's illegal to sweep dirt under a rug.

California requires "housewives" to boil their dust rags.

It's also illegal in California to hang women's lingerie on a closes line in public in Winter.

Donkeys may not sleep in bathtubs in Brooklyn, New York.

In Arkansas, it's alligators that aren't allowed in the tub, while in South Carolina, it's horses.

Don't try giving the twins a bath in Los Angeles, where it's illegal to wash two babies at once.

It'll illegal to take a bath before 10 p.m. in Piqua, Ohio.

Indoor bath tubs are against the law in the state of Virginia and in Canton, Ohio.

In Portland, Oregon, it's illegal to take a bath unless you are wearing "suitable clothing…that which reaches from the bather's neck to his knees and completely covers the body."

You can be cited for "dozing or snoozing" in the tub in Detroit.

You may not sleep in, or on top of, a refrigerator in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

You can't sleep with your shoes on in North Dakota.

You can't snore with the windows open in Massachusetts.

Spite fences—anything "unnecessarily higher than six feet" and put up just to annoy your neighbor—are considered a "private nuisance" in Rhode Island.

Pointed fence pickets are not allowed in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

On Sunday it's illegal to paint your house in Passaic, New Jersey, to fill nail holes with putty in Schenectady, New York, to mow your lawn in Santa Fe, New Mexico; or use a leaf blower in Hawaii.

it's illegal to let thistles grow in your backyard in Maryland.

In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, it's illegal to water your lawn when it's dark out.

[RWebb]

where is this from?

I'm curious about the Oregon stuff...

Maybe "In Portland, Oregon, it's illegal to take a bath unless you are wearing "suitable clothing…that which reaches from the bather's neck to his knees and completely covers the body."
BUT
In Eugene, Oregon it is completely legal for women to go topless.

and a few do in the summer.

[tcar]

Hmmmm...

"Bathing Suit".

[cab83_750]

Originally Posted by RWebb

where is this from?

........In Eugene, Oregon it is completely legal for women to go topless.

and a few do in the summer.

How is the job- and housing markets in Eugene? Time for me to move...

But then again, I will only move if the law states "you must be between 18 and 30 (and in proportion) to go topless. Anything over 30 and you go straight to jail."

[sammyg2]

The original article was on CNN.com but it's no longer posted on the website. here's a few similar ones in regards to orygun:
http://www.dumblaws.com/laws/united-states/oregon?page=20
http://www.totallyuselessknowledge.com/laws.php
http://doncasterhaikupoet.blog.co.uk/2006/08/22/strange_laws_in_oregon~1060328
http://www.stuffinlife.com/Oregon_Strange_Laws.html
http://www.dxpnet.com/opinion/messages.asp?id=202451&p=1&sort=asc

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by RWebb

where is this from?

I'm curious about the Oregon stuff...

Maybe "In Portland, Oregon, it's illegal to take a bath unless you are wearing "suitable clothing…that which reaches from the bather's neck to his knees and completely covers the body."
BUT
In Eugene, Oregon it is completely legal for women to go topless.

and a few do in the summer.

Dunno about topless, but I've seen enough braless ones down there who may have looked good when they were in their 20s'...back in '69.

[MRM]

The article doesn't make sense. Laws are state statutes passed by the state legislature or federal laws passed by congress. Cities like Minneapolis have ordinances. So according to the article, there must be a state statute in Oregon and a city ordinance (not a law, but that's a small point) in Minneapolis banning dish towel drying. I am unable to locate any such Oregon statute. I have an unfortunate familiarity with the Minneapolis City Code and am unaware of any dish towel regulatings. There used to be a statute banning dancing in the street, but that was repealed. There used to be an ordinance barring women from wearing hats to theaters that were large enough to block the view of other patrons. That one was repealed too. It's dangerous to form deeply held beliefs based on articles like this without checking to see if they're true.

Every state has a revisor of statutes, which is the office responsible for putting the laws that were passed into published form for the public. They are also responsible for reviewing the existing statutes and recommending obsolete ones to be taken off the books. Obsolete laws are funny, but really not a problem, even when you can show actual research of obsolete laws.