Strange Laws of Long Island and New York State

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Living on Long Island is not only a priviledge, but Long Islanders need to follow the rules if they want to enjoy our Island. We are, of course, part of New York State and with that are many laws to follow.

We all understand many basic laws we must follow to make our community a safe place, but then again, there are some pretty strange and unique laws that we must follow, as well as some pretty strange road names in the course of driving.

So, if you think that your last traffic ticket was unfair and unwarranted, check out some unknown laws that you can be ticketed or arrested for in New York State.

New York State Laws

  • When one is in a elevator, one is not permitted to talk to anyone and must look straight ahead at the door with one's arms crossed.
  • You are not allowed to divorce for irreconcilable difference unless the parties agree to it.
  • It is illegal for people to stand in public with two or more other people with their faces covered by masks or disguising their identity.
  • Slippers are not to be worn after 10pm
  • It is legal for women to be topless in public, as long as it is not for business purposes.
  • People cannot greet each other with their thumb up against their nose while wiggling their fingers.
  • It is against the law to throw a ball at someone's face for fun.
  • A license must be purchased before hanging clothes on a clothesline. 
  • A person is not allowed to walk around Sundays with an ice cream cone in his or her pocket.
  • $25 fine will be levied for flirting.
  • It is illegal for women to wear body hugging clothing.
  • Jumping off a building is illegal and punishable by death.

Nassau County Laws

  • It is illegal to be naked or fondle yourself in public unless you are breastfeeding or under 10 years old. (Town of Hempstead)
  • It is unlawful to operate a mechanical bull. (Town of Hempstead)
  • It is illegal to sell trading cards to minors depicting a heinous crime, an element of a heinous crime or a heinous criminal.
  • It is illegal to feed migratory waterfowl.
  • It is illegal to sell broad tipped markers to minors in fear of vandalism.
  • It is illegal to possess a deceptively colored handgun.
  • An employee is allowed seven days paid leave to donate bone marrow or 30 days paid leave as an organ donor. They can do this only if they provide their supervisor with written notice no less than 14 days before the surgery unless it is an emergency.

Suffolk County Laws

  • Anyone under the age of 16 cannot play commercial video games during school hours on any weekday that school is in session. (Town of Babylon)
  • It is illegal to shoot a bow and arrow. (Town of Babylon)
  • Residents must remove snow, ice, dirt or any other object or material from the sidewalk between the property line and curb line within four hours that snow, ice, dirt, object, or material on the sidewalk, except from 9 pm to 7 am. (Town of Babylon)
  • You cannot disrobe in your car. (Sag Harbor)
  • It is illegal to hold a picnic in public. (Village of Head of the Harbor)
  • One cannot release 25 or more helium balloons within a 24- hour period.
  • It is illegal to perform a concert under another band's name.
  • You cannot sell marijuana-flavored candy.
  • It is illegal to sell alcohol to a habitual drunkard.

Do you know any other strange or unique laws local to Long Island and New York?
Let us know and we'll add them to this page!

[Sources: Dumb Laws, LawGuru,and ThirdAge]