Stupid, Useless Laws....

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Jeff White

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Sometimes I can't believe that we actually elect the people who come up with this stuff and not only that we pay them for it.

While looking for a law to cover a unique parking problem a citizen is having, I discovered these two gems in the Illinois Vehicle Code:
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilc...&SeqEnd=116000&ActName=Illinois+Vehicle+Code.
(625 ILCS 5/11‑1409) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 11‑1409)
Sec. 11‑1409. Driving on mountain highways.

The driver of a motor vehicle traveling through defiles or canyons or on mountain highways shall hold such motor vehicle under control and as near the right‑hand edge of the roadway as reasonably possible and, except when driving entirely to the right of the center of the roadway, shall give audible warning with the horn of such motor vehicle upon approaching any curve where the view is obstructed within a distance of 200 feet along the highway.
(Source: P.A. 79‑1069.)

The last time I checked, there were no mountains or mountain highways in Illinois. I'm not sure if the legislature wanted to be prepared in case one suddenly sprang up from the ground and someone built a highway on it, or if it's a Daley sponsored law because he wants to build a mountain next to Navy Pier :banghead:

The next is a speed limit on power chairs. You know the kind you see advertised on late night TV where they say if medicare denies it you get the chair free....

(625 ILCS 5/11‑1412.2)
Sec. 11‑1412.2. Operating an electric personal assistive mobility device on a public sidewalk.


A person may not operate an electric personal assistive mobility device upon a public sidewalk at a speed greater than 8 miles per hour. Nothing in this Section shall be deemed to limit or preempt the authority of any home rule or non‑home rule unit of local government from regulating or prohibiting the use of electric personal assistive mobility devices.
(Source: P.A. 92‑868, eff. 6‑1‑03.)


I'm sure that somewhere they had a problem with drag racing outside of a retirement home....Do any of those chairs even do 8 miles an hour down hill?

Look up the laws from your own state. I bet you find some real winners. Post em here: :evil:
 
*quickly hides plans to nitro powered mobility chair*

Damn you Daley! Foiled again! Oh wait, I live in Florida.

edit: you have our sympathies, but what do you expect for living in Illinois? Seriously.
 
getting rid of stupid laws is what our politicians need to do instead of making more, as for the power chair, a friend of mine built a gas powered one that would do about 35...
 
My state is too messed up as is, actually I would prefer to poke fun at yours Mr. White if you don't mind? I could use the comic relief.

I think you should get a petition up to require the legal audible horns on power chairs.

That mountain "might just pop up" between two retirement homes and "drivers" are "supposed to" give audible warning and all before taking that curve...

Ethyl was in the lead doing 6.5 mph on two wheels going around the Beano Bend when she was not warned of the oncoming Jackalope when she James Deaned...

Act PCA 101
Your tax dollars at waste

Regards,

Steve
 
I'm sure that somewhere they had a problem with drag racing outside of a retirement home....Do any of those chairs even do 8 miles an hour down hill?

Oh, I'm sure that if the hill is steep enough, they'll do a lot more than 8 mph... :evil:
 
hey I have one in my garage left from my grandfather and I can make it do doughnuts :neener:

I can see it now though.

Gramps is out in the middle of the road, that old west gunfight is about to start musicstarts playing.

The ugly old geezer down the street that has been fueding with gramps for the past fifty years rolls up next to him, neither could even remmeber what they were fighting about when they were young let alone senile.

The music gets louder, gramps pulls his riding gloves on tighter, neighbor lowers his cool 80's riding goggles.

They look back and fouth at each other, gramps revs his super scooter 2000, neighbors responds in kind with the high electic engin whine from his Mr. Mobility nascar series racer.

The grasshopper finished his way across the road and they're off! Gramps takes the early lead, the neighbor manages halfway down the street to bring it neck and neck and take the lead.

But theres good old gramps scootin along at five miles per hour of pure drag racin action.

They cross Ms. Johnsons drive and declare it yet another tie, since neither can see good enough to tell who won anyway. The music fades away and with one last dirty look turn away to go home and take a nap. All that is alot of excitment for gramps you know. Tomorrow, tomorrow gramps will win.
 
It is mandatory for a motorist with criminal intentions to stop at the city limits and telephone the chief of police as he is entering the town.


They must have written this one too :scrutiny:
 
One of the local suburbs here just made it a misdemeanor to "possess spray paint of the type that can be used for graffiti." :rolleyes:

There is a law that won't be applied selectively....:rolleyes:
 
Spitting on sidewalks.

Yes this law is still on the books here, and many other places.

Not a stupid law.

Do you know why "No Spitting on Sidewalks"?

TB

Put on the books back when TB was prevalent. One spits, the spittle dries, then someones steps, thus "kicking up" aiborne the TB which someone else breaths, contracts TB.

WE thought we had TB beaten in the US...and for the most part we did- with international travel allowing anyone to be anywhere in such short time, folks from places where TB is still a concern, can bring it to airplanes,boats, whatever conveyance. If a traveler spits - which can be spittle on our sidewalks again, which can kick up airborne again...

Notice the TB lights in more and more stores and businesses today?

I'll let the Micro-Bio folks give the better information.

Steve
 
Tennessee:

# Skunks may not be carried into the state.

# Hollow logs may not be sold.

# More than 8 women may not live in the same house because that would constitute a brothel.

# It is illegal to use a lasso to catch a fish.

# Ministers are to be dedicated to God and therefore are not eligible to hold a seat in either House of the Legislature.

# Any person who participates in a duel may not hold any public office in the state.

# Giving and receiving oral sex is still prohibited by law.

# Stealing a horse is punishable by hanging.

# No Christian parent may require their children to pick up trash from the highway on Easter day.

# Driving is not to be done while asleep.

# It is legal to gather and consume road-kill.

# It is illegal for a woman to call a man for a date. (Dyersburg)

# You may not have more than five inoperable vehicles on a piece of property. (Fayette County)

# In front of their buildings, all businesses must have a "hitching post." (Knoxville)

# It's illegal for frogs to croak after 11 PM. (Memphis)

# Panhandlers must first obtain a $10 permit before begging on the streets of downtown Memphis. (Memphis)

# It is illegal to give any pie to fellow diners. It is also illegal to take unfinished pie home. All pie must be eaten on the premises. (Memphis)

# No person may keep a cheetah as a pet. (Nashville)

# Males may not be sexually aroused in public. (Nashville)

# Anyone rollerblading may not tie his or herself to a moving vehicle on a highway. (Nashville)

# No person may roller skate and listen to a personal cd player at the same time. (Nashville)

# Throwing stones is prohibited as it might break a window. (Nashville)

# To play pinball, one must be 18 years old. (Nashville)

# All persons riding scooters must ride in single file. (Nashville)
 
Statewide:
We can legally open-carry spears and machettes!

More specifically in Pensacola:
"Citizens may not be caught downtown without at least 10 dollars on their person."

And much to the shagrin of Colonel Sanders in Key West:
"Chickens are considered a 'protected species'."
 
SUNDAY! SUNDAY! SUNDAY!

At SMOKIN' US 30 Dragstrip!

SUNDAY! SUNDAY! SUNDAY!

Geezer Williams in his NITRO-POWERED funny chair!

SUNDAY! SUNDAY! SUNDAY!

Don't you DARE miss it!


I still remember those commercials!


:)

--Travis--
 
An adjacent city once had a law against driving into the downtown area with insufficient gasoline to drive out again....

I think the mountain material probably was copied from somewhere else.... When the laws were codified it's possible that the legislators had insufficient familiarity with traffic law and decided to simply use stuff from a neighboring state. Or some kind of "model" law was used. Same efffect....

I wouldn't get too upset with that one.... However the "phone the Chief of Police" thing might be a real "what were they thinking?"....

We also see many current instances where the legislators don't read the stuff they're voting on. Some of those bills are rather thick.... We probably could outlaw apple pie and motherhood in the right appropriations bill....

Regards,
 
Y'know, some of the laws listed on that dumblaws.com page are only dumb if the reader is dumb. For instance:

In Bartlesville, OK "It is illegal to cause 'annoying vibrations' in the city limits."
The text of the statute reads: "All loud or unusual noises and annoying vibrations which offend the peace and quiet of persons of ordinary sensibilities;"

Perhaps one might inquire as to the definition of "jake brakes" or "jackhammers."

But I will admit that some of them are really funny.
 
Crazy Idaho State Laws
Illegal for a man to give his sweetheart a box of candy weighing less than fifty pounds.
(I feel sorry for both they Guy's Wallet & His Girfriend having to carry that)
You may not fish on a camel's back. (???:scrutiny: )
Riding a merry-go-round on Sundays is considered a crime. (huh?:scrutiny: )

Crazy Idaho Local Laws
Boise
Residents may not fish from a giraffe's back. (???:scrutiny: )

Coeur d Alene
If a police officer approaches a vehicle and suspects that the occupants are engaging in sex, he must either honk, or flash his lights and wait for three minutes before approaching the car.

Eagle
Dirt may not be swept from one's house into the street.
Bicycles are not allowed in the tennis courts.
Persons may not camp out on sidewalks in the city. (Damn, there goes my Camping trip:neener: )

Pocatello
A law passed in 1912 provided that "The carrying of concealed weapons is forbidden, unless some are exhibited to public view. (pardon?:scrutiny: )
A person may not be seen in public without a smile on their face. (o~k:scrutiny: )
 
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