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6 Unusual Laws In California
California. If you have never been there, you probably have thought about it at one time or another. Thanks to the Beach Boys, the Golden State has become that iconic place where the sun shines forever and it is virtually summer all year-’round. Naturally, for residents of the state, California Dreaming takes on a different light when you look at some of the unusual laws that still exist there today.
They will not only cause you to scratch your head, but some will make you wonder if those dreams at the state level were the result of nightmares or too many late-night meetings hammering out rules to abide by. In this article, we will take a look at several of these strange laws.
Frisbee Throwing Not Allowed
Well, up until 2012, which is not so long ago when you think about it, Los Angeles County had a crazy law in the books. Beachgoers there were not permitted to throw frisbees or footballs at any of the local beaches until they had permission from the lifeguard on duty. It had nothing to do with whether or not the lifeguard was a fan of playing catch or watching sunbathers do so.
The reason for the “do not throw” law was that it was determined that throwing items at people was considered dangerous. That included sports equipment. The kicker? Anyone found guilty of enjoying themselves on the beach with a casual game of catch was subject to a $1,000 fine. Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed and the stupid law got erased from the record and Frisbees once again rule the skies.
You Can’t Cool Off On The Sidewalk With Ice Cream
In Carmel, it gets pretty hot. So, it stands to reason that there is the possibility that you may want to enjoy some ice cream while strolling down one of the main streets in the city. However, that happens to be against the law. The idea is that eating ice cream on a scorching hot day in downtown Carmel can create a mess.
The community isn’t interested in projecting an image that you can eat whatever you want and litter. As if dripping ice cream is litter, but anyway, that was the law. Well, until Dirty Harry came to town. That’s right, none other than Clint Eastwood repealed that dumb law during his term as Mayor of Carmel. You could say that taking that law out of the picture made a lot of people’s day.
Only Real Ranches Are Allowed To Boot Up
Here’s a strange one from Blythe. If you have any cowboy boots in your wardrobe and are considering wearing them on a trip into town, there is something you need before you can do that and avoid getting a fine. You require ownership of two cows. That’s right, not one, but two. But why cows, and what is the connection to your Western fashion accessory?
Apparently, cowboy boots are viewed as the appropriate footwear for a real cowboy. This means that if you are just wearing the boots to be part of some silly fashion trend, or happen to be one of those wanna-be cowboys, you are breaking the law. It doesn’t make sense to us, either but don’t say we didn’t warn you.
Bah Humbug
Residents in San Diego typically go all out decorating their homes and yards for the holiday season. However, lawmakers in that city have put a time limit in place where they will allow you time to take all of your hard work down and box it up in storage. The deadline to have all Christmas decorations out of sight is February 2 – Groundhog Day.
That may seem reasonable to most, but there is always someone in the neighborhood who just leaves their tree lights up just because of the work it took to put them up and the hassle of taking them down. We get that. Sometimes it’s nice to see festive lights wrapped around a house in August. But not in San Diego. Try to get around this law and you could get slapped with a maximum $250 file.
This Is A Really Crappy Law
San Francisco is quite the place. It is home to the Golden Gate Bridge, the 49ers, and a lot of other iconic features. One thing you probably won’t see there are large piles of manure. That is because there is a law that prohibits the dumping of manure anywhere within the city limits. Oh, but it gets better. The law is also very specific as to how much manure is considered too much manure.
Piles that measure six feet high or more will earn you a fine. We’re guessing that piles that are just under that limit are okay, but that doesn’t seem right, either. Either way, if you have a truckload you are planning on dumping somewhere, it is obvious that San Francisco is not your destination.
The Bright Idea For A Guarantee
Finally, in an undisclosed community in the Golden State, sunshine is guaranteed. This comes from the promise to provide every tax-paying landowner access to air, water, and light. What this means is that building developers are not permitted to build structures where they may block the sunshine from other nearby structures.
This is controlled through building codes that dictate the height of buildings, property setbacks, and other details that are quite restrictive when you think about it. But if you have a home with a stunning view and someone building in front of your property and obstructs part of or all of that view, it makes sense. In California, it is also a law.
Final Thoughts
Laws are meant to control certain things and provide us protection in many different ways. However, sometimes a law that made sense at the time either gets outdated or becomes silly in the future. Because some of the laws created get buried deeper and deeper in the books as newer laws are added, many of the now silly ones remain until someone points them out. That’s what we have done with just a short sample of the nutty laws in California.
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About the Author:
Marina Turea works as content manager at Digital Authority Partners, a San Diego-based digital marketing and website development agency.
