By Ann Doerr
Laws are meant to maintain peace and order in a particular territory. We know them as firm, formal, and just. But sometimes they are not as serious and formal as they look. Other laws seem weird and pretty surprising. To back that up, here are some crazy, bizarre, and unexpected state laws that exist in the United States that will surely make you think twice.
1. Smoking is not banned in the United States.
The United States Congress has no action yet regarding any type of nationwide federal smoking ban in workplaces and public places. Surprisingly, other countries already have a law that bans smoking in public places nationwide, while the US still has no action regarding this one.
However, people gravitate to control smoking through nicotine therapy or by using e-cigarettes like vape and Juul. Some resort to vaping as an act to stop themselves from smoking. Since the process and feel are still the same, they only differ in terms of health conditions. There are online vaping shops available within the US. My favorite one to visit is blackoutvapors.com.
2. Swearing in public is illegal.
If you swear in public, especially in Maryland, you are considered a law offender. Swearing, cursing, or even singing “obscene language” near any street, highway, or sidewalk are illegal. It’s because when people hear these words, they feel like they are being harassed and offended. To maintain peace and order, the government decided to create this law.
3. It is illegal to keep a couch on your porch.
In the state of Colorado, it is illegal to keep a couch on your porch. The government officials caught some students from the University of Colorado setting couches on fire, and they needed to be stopped. This law is currently active and implemented to avoid another burned-couch incident. However, the verdict is still out as to whether it actually prevented any couch bonfires.
4. Living on a boat for more than 30 days is illegal.
In the state of Georgia, it’s illegal to live on a boat for more than 30 days. If you have plans to retire and live on a boat, you should probably look for other ways to spend your retirement. The government will only give you approximately one month to live in the middle of the ocean. Floating houses are typical in the Altamaha River, which was the main reason they implemented this law. The residents found these houseboats not appealing in the eyes. They were concerned with the possible effects these houseboats might bring to the environment.
5. Tire screeching is banned.
In the state of Kansas, tire screeching is not allowed. So, if you’re planning to go on a trip to Kansas, you should probably make sure that your gears are greased, and your tires are checked. If you make even a little screech from your car, you are automatically considered a law offender. Tire screeching can cause a public disturbance, and people might assume an accident had happened.
6. It is illegal to park in front of Dunkin’ Donuts.
In the state of Maine, it’s illegal to park in front of Dunkin’ Donuts. People in Maine flock to Dunkin Donuts, and it would cause a massive traffic jam. To resolve this problem, the government decided to prohibit anyone from parking in front of Dunkin Donuts.
7. The US allows citizens to own a gun.
We all know that guns are dangerous, and other people think that only police officers or the military can own a gun. Almost every adult can own or carry one. It is considered a person’s basic right to do this since the right to buy and carry a gun was written into the constitution. Since they cannot stop this, the US government opted to pass gun control laws to avoid any other gun accidents.
The most recent gun control law in the US was the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019. This and many more gun control laws were made to maintain peace and order, such as checking the guns before selling, licensed gun owners, etc. The US allows citizens to own guns that are not high-powered or is not a military rifle. Many guns are approved for ownership, especially handguns. Lunde Studio can provide you more information on pistols, rifles, ammunition, everything related to shooting.
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