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

[W2R]

In New Orleans,

Horses may not be tied to a tree on a public highway.

I'll be sure not to do that, should I ever be riding a horse in New Orleans.

Offhand, during retirement I can't remember breaking any law that I knew about and I can't think of any I should break.

I might have tried to use someone else's ID to order a drink when I was 18. Well actually I did do that, but they wouldn't serve me because they saw through my subterfuge. Just my luck. The drinking age was 21 in Hawaii at that time. I guess I don't regret the attempt, because it was the one time I wasn't a full fledged Goodie Two Shoes and it gives me a story to tell. In retrospect, I was lucky that all they did was refuse to serve me.

 

[ls99]

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.

Since I do not know all the laws, I have no idea how many I break. So no I can't give any specific ones. Some day I will make an effort to discover my guilt. " Frequent Reference Question: How Many Federal Laws Are There? March 12, 2013 by Jeanine Cali The following is a guest post by Shameema Rahman, Senior Legal Research Specialist in our Public Services Division. Shameema is a frequent contributor to In Custodia Legis; her most recent post was entitled Presidential Signing Statements. "At the reference desk, we are frequently asked to estimate the number of federal laws in force. However, trying to tally this number is nearly impossible. If you think the answer to this question can be found in the volumes of the Statutes at Large, you are partially correct. The Statutes at Large is a compendium that includes all the federal laws passed by the U.S. Congress. However, a total count of laws passed does not account for the fact that some laws are completely new; some are passed to amend existing laws; and others completely repeal old laws. Moreover, this set does not include any case law or regulatory provisions that have the force of law." Frequent Reference Question: How Many Federal Laws Are There? | In Custodia Legis: Law Librarians of Congress For some weird ones see link: Weird Laws in the USA

Ah I just remembered one: In Ohio it illegal to have a secret compartment in one's car. My car has one and I've driven it in Ohio.

 

[Rick_Head]

Some of these I've done recently, some in the past:

1) having a toke
2) my speed is my business on an empty highway
3) My talking on a cell phone is my business on an empty road
4) If I ride a motorcycle without a helmet I'm hurting no one.
5) Entering a "licensed premise" (bar) while under the age of 21

Local anomalies:
6) publicly using "The Lord's name" in vain
7) parking my car such that I block my own driveway
8) doing the "nasty" at 16 with my 17 YO GF.
9) doing the "nasty" with someone else's "lawful" wife (separated or not)

I'm sure there are many others but I may not even know that such laws exist. I'm sure there are others I know about but just don't care and can't remember. I should probably be looked up forever as a "long term offender".

 

[RunningBum]

The law of gravity. It ain't right to hold me down like that.

 

[Sue J]

I was at the self check out at the grocery store and used a coupon that clearly stated "Do Not Double" and the check out register doubled the coupon anyway. Ka-ching!

I made sure to do it again on my next shopping trip.

Also coupon related.... I've been known to use a coupon that's for a specific version of the item but I know from experience that it will work on all the versions.

Yep, that's the level of my lawbreaking.

 

[Walt34]

Yep, that's the level of my lawbreaking.

You.. you.. you scoundrel, you!

 

[ArkTinkerer]

The law of gravity. It ain't right to hold me down like that.

The law of gravity ain't bad but the penalties are much too harsh...

 

[ArkTinkerer]

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!

Not quite same, but you are subject to federal regulation for feeding your own grain to your own cattle. Famous case made it all the way to the Supreme Court about the ability to regulate interstate trade. Court ruled it affected interstate trade because you would then not need to buy grain that might come across state lines. This is one I am very tempted to break in a very public way.

 

[Ginny]

Laws I have broken, regret doing so--- DUI

And my DH is designated driver forever more.

 

[Lucantes]

The law of gravity. It ain't right to hold me down like that.

I repeatedly try and break The Laws of Nature!

 

[cooch96]

if you take the final clause of the tenth amendment to its logical extreme, nearly every law is unconstitutional. Therefore, one could argue it is everyone's patriotic duty to peaceably disregard most laws, as long as you remain cordial, neighborly, or at least tolerable.

 

[clifp]

I have not once paid sales tax on any of my online purchases. Every once in while I end up having to pay a sale tax on an online purchase, and I get annoyed and then I remember I'm suppose to do this for every purchase.

I also participate in illegal poker games.

 

[Meadbh]

Some of these I've done recently, some in the past:

1) having a toke
2) my speed is my business on an empty highway
3) My talking on a cell phone is my business on an empty road
4) If I ride a motorcycle without a helmet I'm hurting no one.
5) Entering a "licensed premise" (bar) while under the age of 21

Local anomalies:
6) publicly using "The Lord's name" in vain
7) parking my car such that I block my own driveway
8) doing the "nasty" at 16 with my 17 YO GF.
9) doing the "nasty" with someone else's "lawful" wife (separated or not)

I'm sure there are many others but I may not even know that such laws exist. I'm sure there are others I know about but just don't care and can't remember. I should probably be looked up forever as a "long term offender".

You may think it is nobody's business but your own, but what if you crash and end up with severe brain damage? Who is going to pay for the helicopter that flies you to the hospital, the months of ICU and rehabilitation, and the years of 24 hour care, special housing, nursing and physiotherapy you will require? The taxpayer, that's who. And I pay plenty taxes already, thank you very much. Your family will be out of pocket too, because Medicare doesn't cover everything. Of course, if you get killed, it's a lot cheaper.

 

[Totoro]

This may not make me popular:

• I violate and frustrate airport security rules if I can get away with it. Makes no sense I cannot carry my shampoo in carry-on luggage while in business class people get steel knives (!). So much wasted resources to fight a minor problem: criminals trying to sabotage air traffic. Well, they won. Air traffic is permanently broken now.
• Going faster than the speed limit when the speed limit makes no sense. In Germany for example on alot of highways you can as fast as you want, and people actually do drive 120+ miles an hour. I cannot do that in most other countries (usually 75 is the limit). Meanwhile, highway accidents in Germany are lower there than in those other countries. Why: because people pay attention instead of following silly signs.
• Conversely, going slower than the speed limit (yes, it is a violation if you drive too slow sometimes) when conditions are not good.
• Jaywalking and walking across red lights as a pedestrian. It's 2 meters and my own life on the line, I'll take responsibility.
• Don't participate in mandatory surveys if I think the questions are irrelevant or badly worded, or worse biased from the beginning (in the style of "when did you start beating your wife")
• In the last year I sometimes overcharged clients who have a horrible attitude towards me, their clients or employees. I undercharge clients I like. Both are illegal.
• I lie on some official forms if the expected effect of a truthful answer will create a needless fuss, and the lie doesn't create harm. Example would be some labor laws trying to protect exploitation require every contractor to give a statement so the state can judge on that. One criterion is the number of hours you spend on working, another is how many different clients you have. I lie on both so I don't show up on the "suspect" radar for being exploited. I'm not, just semi-FIRE and lazy.
• I used to buy and use illegal drugs (marihuana). Again, it's my life and body.
• I don't report every instance of tax evasion I see. I don't evade tax myself but failing to report is a crime. I usually don't report if it's a hobbyist financing his hobby a little bit. For example taking my niece on a first flight with a small airplane. The cost barely breaks even for the guys organizing it, never mind their labor.
• Walking around without ID - yes it's against the law here.

In my view nothing serious. Basically when a law (or likewise, social norm) is unjust, ineffective or unfair I simply tend to not respect it. Unless punishment and odds in getting caught outweigh the act, which would be very high fines and jailtime. So I'm still a good boy.


The airport thing gets me into marginal trouble though. Wouldn't be surprised if I end up on a watchlist at some point.

 

[Ronstar]

There are no laws that I think I should break. It happens by accident. Usually speeding - probably speed every day. I also have a problem with seat/safety belts. In the last few years, I have been given citations for not wearing the seatbelt in my car and not wearing a life vest in my kayak. (wearing a personal flotation device in a "boat" is a law in Illinois). I don't regret breaking the seat belt laws since they only affect me, but I do regret having to pay the fines.

 

[MichaelB]

Over the years I have made many attempts tp break Murphy's law, Hofstadter's law, Sturgeon's law and Finagle's Law. So far my efforts have been entirely unsuccessful, but I'll keep trying.

 

[Fermion]

As mentioned, the seat belt and helmet laws affect everyone, not just the person not wearing them. In the case of a crash you will likely be more injured than someone who was wearing the protection. This will divert medical resources from other areas even if you totally pay for the medical from your own pocket. If someone else was at fault in the accident, they will have to pay much more in an insurance claim because of your increased injuries (and sometimes an accident is just an accident and not because of texting or drunk driving).

 

[ArkTinkerer]

As mentioned, the seat belt and helmet laws affect everyone, not just the person not wearing them. In the case of a crash you will likely be more injured than someone who was wearing the protection. This will divert medical resources from other areas even if you totally pay for the medical from your own pocket. If someone else was at fault in the accident, they will have to pay much more in an insurance claim because of your increased injuries (and sometimes an accident is just an accident and not because of texting or drunk driving).

While there is some argument that seat belts help by keeping the driver in the seat and in control in a multiple hit accident I reject the rest of this argument. We make laws that say we will pay for all the medical care and then feel that we are justified in making demands about other peoples behaviour because of that. By the same reasoning, the government should regulate diet and exercise and even your sex life. Oh my, this is likely to drag this thread down political paths and get it shut down!

Still no one weighing in with stories of the 60s? No protesters and civil rights marchers in the house?

 

[MRG]

Thought the title was 'any laws broken,' not 'laws broken the group approves of.'

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Early Retirement Forum mobile app

 

[timo2]

In Colorado, it is against the law to collect rainwater that falls on your property for re-use (unless you have a well and meet other conditions). Lots of people violate this, some get busted if their rainwater barrels are too visible.

 

[2017ish]

As mentioned, the seat belt and helmet laws affect everyone, not just the person not wearing them. .....

OTOH, there is a societal benefit from young, healthy people breaking these laws--especially if they've signed the donor/harvesting consent cards and adequately discussed same with next-of-kin.

 

[CoolChange]

My views on nudity are much more northern European than American. And, I have not regretted breaking any related laws.

I am not a fan of most recreational drugs for myself (excepting alcohol and caffeine); but, I think Portugal is the world leader in drug policy at the moment. I probably won't be breaking the related laws; but, in some ways, I think I should be.

 

[HFWR]

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.

There's a law against that?

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

I've been bitten twice, and the last thing I heard both times was "Oh, he doesn't bite..."

 

[HFWR]

...lion, tiger, or leopard...

Oh my...

 

[Nodak]

I suspect that there are now so many obscure laws that most people break at least one several times per year.