Oh, Those Strange Indiana Laws

If you want to put on a puppet show, a show with wire dancing, or a tumbling act, make sure you take your act to somewhere other than Indiana. Under the Act to Prevent Certain Immoral Practices, you can be fined $3 if you do so. Welcome to the strange world of Indiana law.

Another strange Indiana law is that hotel sheets must be exactly 81 inches wide and 99 inches long.

It is illegal for waitresses to carry drinks into a restaurant or bar. The law makes such an act by anyone a misdomeanor. It does not specify waitresses, but makes such an act by anyone illegal, and does not specifically allow waitresses to do so either.

According to one strange Indiana law, one can be fined $3 per day can be imposed on anyone playing cards in the state. The law is under the Act for the Prevention of Gambling.

It is illegal in Indiana, for one to sniff glue. Breaking the law is a Class B misdomeanor.

One law requires one to get a referral from a licensed physician, if he wants to see a hypnotist. The exception is unless one wants to see the hypnotists to lose weight, or quit smoking.

One strange proposed Indiana law that never actually became a law was a statement that the value of Pi is 3.

A man 18 or older may be arrested for statutory rape, if a passenger in his car is 17 or younger and is not wearing her socks and shoes.

One may not pass a horse on the street.

A liquor store may not sell cold soft drinks or milk. The law does allow the sale of charged water, mineral water, ginger ale, flavoring extracts, and grenadine.

Grocery stores may not sell cold liquor.

It is illegal to back into a parking space, because a police officer will not be able to see your license plate.

It is illegal to smoke in the state legislature building, unless the legislature is in session.

One can be punished with up to 100 stripes by flogging, if he has committed check forgery.

If you are a pedestrian, and if you cross a highway at night, you are not allowed to wear a tail light.

It is illegal to catch a fish with one's bare hands.

A mustache is illegal, it the one having it is a person who habitually kisses other human beings.

If you are a male and are between 18 and 50, you must work six days a year on public roads.

If you are a public official, and if you engage in a private duel, you may be dismissed from your post.

Men are not allowed to stand in a bar.

Many cities in Indiana have their own strange laws.

It is against the law in Auburn to roller skate, skateboard, use a bicycle, or inline skate in an area that has been commercially zoned. One may be fined $5 for violating the law, or have his bicycle impounded for up to 30 days.

One may not eat watermelon in the park in Beech Grove.

Barbers in Elkhart may not threaten to cut the ears of children off.

Maybe some strange laws have a reason. One may not enter a movie house or theater, nor ride on a streetcar within four hours of eating garlic in Gary.

One may not make a monkey smoke a cigarette in South Bend.

One may not spit on the sidewalk in Terra Haute.

Citations: Dumb Laws in Indiana, no author listed, Dumblaws.com

Stupid Laws from Indiana, no author listed, Bitoffun.com