During Mayor Eric Adams’s time leading the government in New York City, he has signed a bill that would provide the city necessary time to support their residents in the housing issue. He has also made some initiatives with the sanitation department and the police department in clearing out homeless encampments in the subway station. New York City may be the greatest city in the world, but like any other city, it can have some oddball laws in the mix.
- It is illegal to wear slippers in public after 10:00 P.M.
People are rarely cited for this crime. The police got better things to worry about than giving tickets to slipper criminals. Who doesn’t love slippers? The comfiness and coziness are irresistable, especially during the wintertime. The law exists because it was once believed that smelly feet would attract rats and other unwanted small animals running along the streets. This could also be a good thing so we fellow New Yorkers don’t have to smell stinky feet either.
- It is illegal to walk with an ice cream cone in your pocket on Sundays.
It is quite unsanitary to store an ice cream cone in your pocket. Aren’t you worried about melting ice cream and ruining your nice clothes? Either way, legend says that people cannot have an ice cream cone in their pocket because there were horse thieves who would lure horses with sweet treats. Why is this not illegal in the other six days? That is still in question for many New Yorkers here. An ice cream is still a delicious treat no matter what.
- A license is required to hang clothes on the clothesline.
There is an economic and visual reason why a license is needed to have clothes on the clothesline. Seeing clotheslines can bring down the value of housing, but at the same time, environmental activists encourage people to dry their clothes on the line to save electricity and resources. New York City is filled with beautiful architecture. There’s no other way to ruin it than having clothes fly all over the place. We still see clotheslines in specific neighborhoods of New York City, but no one has been arrested for this crime…yet.
- It is illegal to release more than 25 helium balloons in the sky.
Mass balloon releases are not just restrictive in New York City; it also accounts for other places and countries too. When balloons fly in the air, they eventually need to drop somewhere. Sometimes, they end in ponds and wildlife areas. This can be damaging to the environment and a terrible meal for wildlife animals looking for food. Celebrations can be quite consequential.
- It is against the law to sell cat or dog hair.
This law is actually illegal in multiple states. Etsy and other websites have shown artists making a living by crafting plushes and other items with animal hair. The sales must have gotten out of hand in the past. Even cat and dog hair are used to clean industrial oil spills.
Have you ever broken these laws in New York City? It’s quite absurd with the restrictions there! What are some weird laws from your city or hometown?
