Not Only in Arizona

After hearing that in Arizona a 160-year-old law is still on the books that bans abortion in just about every case I started thinking about weird laws that are still on the books in California. As an aside, it was decided that the Arizona abortion law is enforceable and, according to AP, “Arizona’s highest court suggested doctors can be prosecuted under the 1864 law, though the opinion written by the court’s majority didn’t explicitly say that.”

Hmmm.

Moving along, here are some weird California laws that are still on the books (according to www.bakersfielddefenseattorney.com):

No Housecoats for Women Drivers Women who are planning to drive in California should be sure to first change out of their housecoat. According to state law, it is against the law for a woman to drive a vehicle if she is wearing a housecoat. Men, however, can wear whatever the heck they want when behind the wheel.

No Autonomous Vehicles Over 60 MPH Anyone who owns a self-driving car in California may want to keep their eyes on their speedometer. A recent law prohibits autonomous vehicles from driving over 60 miles per hour anywhere in the state. This law may seem reasonable for safety reasons, but it also limits the potential benefits of autonomous technology.

No Kites Higher Than 10 Feet Those who enjoy flying kites in California may want to keep them low. In Walnut, California, a city law forbids anyone from flying a kite higher than 10 feet off the ground. This law may be intended to prevent kites from interfering with power lines or airplanes, but it also takes away some of the fun of kite flying.

No Moth Hunting Under Street Lamps People looking for a hobby in Los Angeles may want to avoid moth hunting. A city ordinance makes it illegal to hunt moths under street lamps. The reason for this law is unclear, but it may have something to do with protecting the moths or preventing vandalism.

No Cursing on Mini Golf Courses Mini golf can be a fun and relaxing activity, but not if you have a foul mouth. In Long Beach, a city law prohibits cursing on mini golf courses. This law may be aimed at maintaining a family-friendly atmosphere, but it also limits the freedom of expression of frustrated golfers.

No Camels on Palm Canyon Drive Those who have a pet camel in Palm Springs may want to avoid taking it for a walk on Palm Canyon Drive. A city law bans walking camels on this street between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. This law may have been enacted to prevent traffic jams or accidents caused by camels, but it also discriminates against camel owners.

I could go on but this is a pretty good representation of the cuckoo laws that California (like Arizona) still has on its books.

The question of course is: will they be enforced? If so, I better put away my housecoats if I intend to drive.