Bizarre Traffic Laws in the US

By Diane Tait

Image courtesy Pixabay

You’d think since the automobile has been around for more than 100 years that most people would know the law.  At least they should be fairly fluent in what not to do behind the wheel, right?  So why is it that people still get killed while driving the wrong way down the interstate or they get arrested for failing to pay their tickets.  (I recently read a story of a New Mexico woman who was jailed after receiving 69 tickets for running red lights, as well as 23 other motor vehicle infractions totaling more than $10,000 in fines.)  What’s even stranger than that are a number of bizarre traffic laws that are still on the books from coast to coast.  This week, I’ll share some of these with you.

      1.       Shedding a light on Alabama – If you wish to drive the wrong way down a one-way street in Alabama, no problem.  Just mount a lantern on the hood of your car and you’re good to go, according to dumblaws.com

   

Image courtesy flickr

 2.      The proof is on the roof in Alaska – While you may strap skis, snowboards and snowshoes on your roof rack, it is against the law to tether your dog to the roof of a car in Alaska.     

      3.      Midnight snack attack – Should you get the late-night munchies in Little Rock, Arkansas, make sure you don’t honk your horn as you depart any all-night convenience stores or you could be fined since it’s illegal to honk your horn at any establishment that sells cold beer or sandwiches there after 9 pm.   

Image courtesy Picryl

      4.      Best bet for bedding down in Eureka, California – No matter how weary you may get as you drive along or how comfy the asphalt may seem, it’s against the law to sleep on the road in this town of 45,000 souls some 270 miles north of San Francisco. 

      5.      Connecticut gives roadkill a whole new meaning – While it’s illegal to sleep on the street in northern California, in Connecticut it’s illegal to hunt from your car, even during deer season.

      6.      Are kiddy cars included? – Sensing that swing sets and SUVs don’t mix, the Georgia town of Dublin made it illegal to drive through children’s playgrounds.

      7.      The misery in Missouri – No matter how mad you may get at another driver you may NOT honk their horn in University City unless you want to have a citation issued.  While there you should also avoid climbing upon, into or swinging from someone else’s trailer without the owner’s express permission.

      8.      Florida fine is anything but fine – Did you know that the fine for hitting a pedestrian in Sarasota with your motor vehicle is only $78?

Image courtesy flickr

      9.      Let’s hope you’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto – At least not if you want to screech your tires in Derby.  Peel out there and you risk being jailed for 30-days.

      10.  Bourbon isn’t the only thing they make in Kentucky – They also make it illegal for your pet to molest a vehicle in Ft. Thomas.  If your dog likes to chase cars, better keep it on a short leash.

      11.  Mass insanity in Massachusetts – Why else would there be a law on the books making it illegal to operate a car with a gorilla in the backseat? I guess it’s okay if the gorilla sits up front with the driver.  (I’m not making this up.)

      12.  While you can walk a mile for a camel in Nevada– it is illegal to drive your camel on the highway there.

      13.  If you get ticketed in New Jersey you’re advised to pack up your troubles and smile – That’s because it’s illegal to frown at a police officer in the Garden State.

Image courtesy flickr

      14.  Nuttiness is the norm in North Carolina – It must be since they had to enact laws there to keep people from doing everything from playing in traffic to driving on the sidewalks.  It’s also a finable offense to drive through a cemetery if you aren’t there to visit the grave of a loved one or bury somebody.  (I guess that means picnics in the graveyard are out.)

      15.  When is Oklahoma not OK? – It’s not okay to read a comic book while driving there.

      16.  You’d better not horse around in Pennsylvania – That’s because any motorist who sights a team of horses headed their way is required to pull off the road and cover their car with a blanket until the horses pass.

      17.  Fear of beer here – Did you know that in Rhode Island it’s illegal for you to drive with an open or unopened beer in your vehicle? 

      18.  Trailer trash beware – In Hilton Head, South Carolina, it’s illegal to store trash in your vehicle or trailer. 

      19.  What vegans have to fear in West Virginia – If you’re a vegetarian, you’d better let someone else drive since its legal for motorists to scavenge roadkill there. Yum!

Diane Tait owns and operates A&B Insurance.  To find out more about how you can save money on auto insurance, go to her site or fill out the form at right.