Any laws you don't regret or think you should break?

[ArkTinkerer]

One of the freedoms that comes with retirement is your "give a damn" gets busted to some extent. Having hewed the line for so much of my life doing the right thing, I realized that going forward into retirement, getting arrested for violating society's laws is actually less damaging. Mainly, not making it to work the next day will not result in financial ruin and an arrest record will not matter if one does not wish to be hired.

So, I'm reading in the papers about people getting arrested for feeding the homeless, growing food in their own front yard, breast feeding in public (don't have the equipment for that one but you get the idea!), etc. There have been any number of stupid laws that deserve to be broken on general principle.

What laws have you broken without regret? Which ones do you think need breaking? Any stories and hints for how to handle yourself if arrested? Surely we have a few children of the '60s here to give advice!

 

[Revlefty]

I walk the dogs "off-leash" at the city park every morning. I'm there before anyone else is awake. The dogs are well-behaved and bother no one. The police who patrol the park know about me; the police chief and mayor were laughing about it once; the city manager asked me to help design a dog park for the city; the parks director told me to let my dogs scare the geese back into the lake a few years ago (they were damaging the shoreline). There are a couple of other dog owners who do the same thing. One owner has the dog leash attached, but doesn't hang onto it!

 

[Goonie]

.....So, I'm reading in the papers about people getting arrested for feeding the homeless, growing food in their own front yard, breast feeding in public (don't have the equipment for that one but you get the idea!), etc. There have been any number of stupid laws that deserve to be broken on general principle.....

If our local officials outlaw feeding the homeless and less fortunate, or offering them a hand up, I'll be headin' to jail for certain! If they outlaw growing food on MY homestead, I'll most definitely be headin' to jail! And if they make it illegal to give my home-grown food to the homeless and the less fortunate, I'll be going to the slammer for so long that I'll never see the light of day again! And gladly so!

I walk the dogs "off-leash" at the city park every morning. I'm there before anyone else is awake. The dogs are well-behaved and bother no one..........There are a couple of other dog owners who do the same thing. One owner has the dog leash attached, but doesn't hang onto it!

There's a fellow and his lab that I see at the grocery store quite regularly. He always has a leash on the pooch, just as the law requires, and ties it to the bike rack while he goes into to shop. When he comes out, he unties the leash and drops it on the ground. The lab picks it up in it's mouth, and they head merrily on back home, exactly the same way they arrived, with the leash on the dog.....just as the law requires!

 

[rodi]

If CA had had the breast feeding in public restriction, I absolutely would have broken that... I was always discreet though. No one got flashes of my ta-tas... they just saw a blanket covering a blob with baby feet sticking out. But that was a long time ago.

I also take my dog off leash at the beach - but only when I'm well north of the parking area so beyond the range of the busybodies. And it's usually before 7am.

I've been known to loiter. But never litter.

 

[FUEGO]

Along the lines of off-leash dog (which I wouldn't like if I were in the park FYI) is my off-leash cat.

She sleeps outside on our porch roughly 95% of the time, and occasionally goes into one neighbor's yard. I don't think she roams further than that and I've never heard any complaints from my neighbors (who are all on good terms). She never crosses the road or even gets near it (she's smart and lazy). The only downside is she loves murdering the occasional bluebird (they are delicious). The upside of being murderous is she controls the mouse and mole population. And squirrels and I think egrets (we found large white feathers and didn't see egrets for a while).

 

[FUEGO]

I routinely drive 5 to 9 mph over the limit when it isn't dangerous to do so.

 

[razztazz]

The lab picks it up in it's mouth, and they head merrily on back home, exactly the same way they arrived, with the leash on the dog.....just as the law requires!

One law I regret not breaking is the one against shooting scofflaws like that. That is a very criminal mentality. Petty crooks resort to it. use it. The mafia uses it , bankers use it, lawyers use it. "Loopholes". "Pounding the law". And other things as well apparently

 

[brewer12345]

I am not crazy about off-leash dogs in parks. Frequently they are not as well-behaved as their owners believe. OTOH, if an off-leash dog becomes aggressive or bothersome the owners cannot exactly complain if I hose it down with pepper spray.


As for stupid laws, well, where would you start? Dodd-Frank? Whatever gave us the CFPB? Whatever keeps Fannie and Freddie alive?


Things I would break personally? Very few, if any.

 

[Sunset]

Getting arrested will cost you quite a few dollars if you don't want to spend time in jail/prison.
On the other hand if you didn't save for retirement, then this will be a way to get a warm bed, companionship, and 3 meals a day at zero cost, other than dignity.

 

[2017ish]

Not retired yet, but taking a toke, for sure, when the situation presents itself. (and yeah, in some places, it isn't against state law, but neither of us would want to discuss it with the pertinent licensing boards)

Edit in red.

 

[travelover]

I am not crazy about off-leash dogs in parks. Frequently they are not as well-behaved as their owners believe. OTOH, if an off-leash dog becomes aggressive or bothersome the owners cannot exactly complain if I hose it down with pepper spray.............

I agree. I live next to a state park and walk there with my dog, on leash, nearly everyday. The problem with people with well behaved dogs off leash is that when the idiots with aggressive and untrained dogs see the other dogs off leash, they decide that it must be OK for them to do it, too. That's when the Halt comes out and the shouting starts.

I'm generally law abiding, even drive the speed limit.

 

[ls99]

Uncountable nuber of laws. Chances are I break dozen or so every day.

 

[FUEGO]

I am not crazy about off-leash dogs in parks. Frequently they are not as well-behaved as their owners believe. OTOH, if an off-leash dog becomes aggressive or bothersome the owners cannot exactly complain if I hose it down with pepper spray.

"It's okay, he's just really friendly and really likes you."

Me: "I can tell. He's really really friendly. He's still jumping on me and dry humping my now-deflowered leg."

Some dog people don't get that not everyone else is a dog person. And that almost zero 2 year olds love aggressive dogs jumping in their faces. And nearly as many grown men enjoy doggy loving on their legs.

 

[FUEGO]

Not retired yet, but taking a toke, for sure, when the situation presents itself. (and yeah, in some places, it isn't against state law, but neither of us would want to discuss it with the pertinent licensing boards)

Edit in red.

+1

It's been a looong time but I hope to break that law before I die.

 

[aaronc879]

Uncountable nuber of laws. Chances are I break dozen or so every day.

Can you give some examples? I can't think of any laws i've broken in years other than minor traffic laws. Certainly no where near a dozen every day.

 

[brewer12345]

"It's okay, he's just really friendly and really likes you."

Me: "I can tell. He's really really friendly. He's still jumping on me and dry humping my now-deflowered leg."

Some dog people don't get that not everyone else is a dog person. And that almost zero 2 year olds love aggressive dogs jumping in their faces. And nearly as many grown men enjoy doggy loving on their legs.

I am generally more concerned with off-leash dogs potentially attacking my dogs (who are ALWAYS on leash). If that would happen, pepper spray would be first, followed by a really good kicking for the dog, owner, or both.

 

[Fermion]

As soon as I retire I am pulling the tags off of every mattress we own!

 

[rodi]

As soon as I retire I am pulling the tags off of every mattress we own!

Love it!

 

[FireBug]

As soon as I retire I am pulling the tags off of every mattress we own!

I'm a Whistle Blower, big money coming my way.

 

[heeyy_joe]

In Kentucky, it is against the law to hang a man with a wooden leg.

You have to use a rope.

 

[Walt34]

City laws in West Virginia:

One may not walk a lion, tiger or leopard, even on a leash.

Firemen may not whistle or flirt at any woman passing a firehouse.

It is legal to beat your wife so long as it is done in public on Sunday, on the courthouse steps.

No member of the clergy is allowed to tell jokes or humorous stories from the pulpit during a church service.

 

[MBAustin]

So, walt34, have you broken all of those?


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[Walt34]

So, walt34, have you broken all of those?

No. I haven't been able to find or borrow a lion, tiger, or leopard.

 

[pjm-7]

When I bought my house five years ago I read in the HOA rules that the homeowner is limited to TWO dogs or cats. Well, I had three cats and never got busted. There was no mention in the rules about a limit on the number of children one could have. I think my three felines are better behaved than most children.

 

[razztazz]

No member of the clergy is allowed to tell jokes or humorous stories from the pulpit during a church service.

Not to bring in politics but this seems a clear violation of separation of Church and State. I mean how would it go over if the law required the telling of jokes and humorous stories?