Traffic laws exist to keep order on the streets, especially for motorists on the road every day. But there are certainly some traffic laws in the U.S. that make us scratch our heads. Two of these laws are found in the state of California.
Women Are Not Allowed to Wear Bathrobes While Driving
Bathrobe driving isn’t prevalent in the U.S., but they do happen. There are various reasons for this. One of them is the rush of commute, especially in the state of California.
Waking up late in the morning can lead to massive traffic jams, especially in Los Angeles. This is why many moms are in a rush to do their makeup and other necessities while driving their children to school. Unfortunately, it’s even more common now. Sadly, wearing bathrobes while driving is illegal in California and can result in an expensive fine.
No one knows why such a traffic law exists, but it has been around for some time, and people attribute it to an antiquated law that no one ever updated. Although most officers are likely just to let you go with a warning if they spot you wearing a bathrobe while driving, the next law we’re going to talk about is a potential hazard and can get you a couple of hours in jail.
You Can Get Pulled Over for Driving Too Slowly
We have speed limits for a reason, and the main reason is to avoid car accidents. But did you know that some places in California pull over motorists for driving too slow? These areas are usually found on the roads leading to tourist spots, where slow vehicles can be a potential hazard for motorists. Furthermore, you’re going to need a good car accident lawyer if you ever get into an accident for driving too slow within these areas. It’s considered a serious crime, as driving too slow is considered reckless driving within these places. So make sure you keep an eye out when you’re entering these vacation spots, and make sure you’re driving at a reasonable pace.
Driving on the Same Streets in Colorado
It’s quite often that we end up driving in circles when we’re lost, but you should avoid it when you’re in the state of Colorado. The traffic law specifically states that you cannot drive on the same roads three times within a three-hour period between 9:00 pm to 4:00 am.
Much like the law we’ve mentioned earlier, this law is primarily done to avoid traffic hazards. It’s also implemented to avoid rascals from waking up an entire neighborhood. Some people even attribute it to unruly behavior like stalking. These things all make sense, but what makes it weird is how oddly specific it is. Regardless of its weirdness, you should avoid getting lost in the state of Colorado during that time, or you’ll end up spending some time in jail.
Driving Without a Steering Wheel in Illinois
This law is quite weird, but it awfully makes a lot of sense because of the potential hazards you might cause when you drive your car without a steering wheel in the state of Illinois. What makes this weird is that other states don’t have this in their traffic laws. So sure, it might be common sense, but you can actually drive without a steering wheel in most states and get away with it as long as you don’t get in an accident.
Burnout in Kansas
Spinning wheels and rubber look so cool in movies. The smoke and the adrenaline show that you’re ready for the race of your life unless you’re in Kansas.
It’s only quite recently that the state of Kansas passed a law against the spinning of wheels while in the stationary or neutral position. Not a lot of people do this, but some people do to show off. The thing is that the state has already forbidden risky road exhibitions, but they didn’t include this kind of road exhibition. So now it has its own law on top of it, and people caught doing it have to pay a $100 fine.
You Can’t Park Near Dunkin’ Donuts in Maine
Lastly, and considered to be one of the most absurd and weirdest traffic laws out there: it’s illegal to park near a Dunkin’ Donuts shop in the state of Maine. Yeah, you’ve read that right, and you can spend some time in jail if you get caught doing it. But there is a real reason for this: to prevent people from causing traffic jams in the morning.
You see, the Dunkin’ Donuts shops in the streets of Maine are favored spots for many motorists to get their caffeine fix early in the morning. But these shops are small, and this incentivizes people to go for drive-thru instead. Unfortunately, this creates a long line of cars in the drive-thru area, so some people opted to park their vehicles right in front of the shop and order take-out instead. Doing this eventually caused traffic jams right in the middle of Dunkin’ Donuts shops.
So if you look into these weird laws and the reasoning behind them, they all actually make sense. They promote healthy motorist behavior. They can also reduce traffic jams and accidents. So if you ever find yourself in these states, respect their traffic laws regardless of how weird they are because you never know it might save you time or maybe even your life.