ZU News Editor-in-Chief | Jamie Roebuck-Joseph
We live in one of the freest nations in the world; however, with these freedoms, there is also a list of things citizens can’t do. Take a look at a list we’ve comprised for you. Some may come as a surprise!
1. Cannot bet on sports (except in Nevada, Oregon, Delaware and Montana)
2. Cannot have a garage/yard sale unless obtaining a local permit
3. Cannot jaywalk (Although you can in the U.K and most of Europe)
4. Cannot hang wet clothes on clotheslines in 19 states
5. Cannot walk dogs on the beach, unless it is a dog beach!
6. Cannot operate a lottery (Only the state and nonprofit organizations can)
7. Cannot have police lights on civilian cars (anyone can buy them, but not everyone can use them)
8. Cannot get married without signing a marriage license (required in all 50 states)
9. Cannot have completely tinted windows on your vehicle (each state has specific regulations for tinting)
10. Cannot eat deadly fish, such as a blowfish (but it is popular in Japan!)
11. Cannot skip paying taxes (but, move to the South Pacific Island of Vanuatu and enjoy a tax-free life)
12. Cannot eat “Haggis”––a popular Scottish dish made out of minced sheep organs (however, cows and pigs are legal foods)
13. Cannot sell children’s books printed before 1985 in any state (books printed before this date contained lead in the ink)
14. Cannot collect rainwater in California, Illinois, Hawaii and Colorado
15. Cannot sing after dark in Honolulu
Some things on this list may be a bit funny, but others are put in place for practical reasons. Whatever the laws may be in each state, many are put into place for our safety. Whether it’s for the safety of our pets on the beach or for our health (i.e. not eating deadly fish), some lawmaker thought these taboo precautions necessary.