15 Strange Laws On New York State Books
New York State has literally thousands of laws on the books and many are no longer being enforced. We found a list of some of these laws and thought we should let you know about them, you may be breaking the law and not even know it.
- 1
A license must be purchased before hanging clothes on a clothesline.
This law should be enforced, I'm tired of seeing my neighbors unmentionables flapping in the breeze. LOL
- 2
Women may go topless in public, providing it is not being used as a business
That's funny, can't say that I've ever seen a woman do this.
- 3
A man can’t go outside while wearing a jacket and pants that do not match.
Most men would not know they are breaking this law.
- 4
Donkeys are not allowed to sleep in bathtubs
Not a lot of donkeys around these days so this law could probably come off the books now.
- 5
Every business must have spitoons and clean them every 24 hours
When is the last time you saw a spitoon in any business? This law is probably not needed any more.
- 6
You may not smoke within 100 feet of the entrance to a public building.
Walk down any street in downtown Buffalo and you'll see this law being broken in plain view of police. Bet those people don't even know they're breaking the law.
- 7
It is illegal for a woman to be on the street wearing “body hugging clothing”.
No way this law could ever be enforced. Who's to say what is "body hugging" and what isn't?
- 8
Citizens may not greet each other by “putting one’s thumb to the nose and wiggling the fingers”.
This is just plain dumb. The state legislator who proposed this should have been removed from office.
- 9
A fine of $25 can be levied for flirting.
If this law was enforced how many of us would have never been born?
- 10
It is against the law to throw a ball at someone’s head for fun.
I guess it's perfectly OK to throw a ball at someone as long as you are not having fun.
- 11
The penalty for jumping off a building is death.
Isn't this obvious? If you jump off a building you most likely would not survive to be prosecuted.
- 12
New Yorkers cannot dissolve a marriage for irreconcilable differences, unless they both agree to it.
Again, very obvious, both parties would need to agree that they cannot resolve their differences.
- 13
A person may not walk around on Sundays with an ice cream cone in his/her pocket.
What??? Who goes around putting ice cream cones in their pockets?
- 14
While riding in an elevator, one must talk to no one, and fold his hands while looking toward the door.
We all do this anyway...don't we?
- 15
Slippers are not to be worn after 10:00 PM.
Really??? a state law telling me I cannot wear my slippers past 10:00 PM?