- Take a gun to church, they said.
Today is National Maine Day! Let’s celebrate with a whole bunch of weird Maine laws.
Don’t Step off the Plane
This weird Maine law is probably a law everywhere else too, and for good reason. The entirety of the law is , it’s illegal to step out of an airplane once it’s in flight. If you feel like breaking the law or changing your mind, be sure to pack a parachute before you step out of the moving plane, as it were.
Take Down Your Lights
Some people put up their Christmas lights on Black Friday or that weekend, while others start far before Thanksgiving. But what about those who leave their lights up? After all, they’re beautiful and it does help to get through the cold, grey days of the winter. The thing is, if you live in Maine and you leave your lights up (or turned on) past January 14th, you will be fined. Maybe just don’t turn them on? You know, if you don’t want to have to fully take them down just to fully put them back up, every single year. Does your state share the craziest of all weird Maine laws?
No Marching Band Allowed
More specifically, no Orchestra instruments, especially the violin. If you’re in Augusta, it’s illegal to walk down the street playing the violin. So if you still want to play, make sure to confine yourself in a house, or at least a building. This is one of the strangest and most weird Maine laws.
Guns at Church?
Yes and not only are there guns at church but you are encouraged to bring your shotguns to church. During the 17th and 18th centuries, French, English, and Native Abenaki fought over land once considered Maine territory. There were raids taken out on each other, taking captives for ransom or in some cases, adoption by Native American tribes. Because of this, English settlers were required by law to carry a gun at all times including during church services, just in case there was a strike by the Abenaki.
No Expectorating
Also known as “no spitting.” If you do it out of a second-floor window in Freeport, it’s illegal, so don’t. (But if you feel the need to expectorate out the window, try the first, third or fourth floors, and cite this as your reason why you shouldn’t be given a ticket. You know, if you’re caught and all.)
No Biting
We are all taught not to bite growing up and especially don’t bite strangers. Or are we taught that, or just know not to? Anyhow, if you live in Rumford Maine, it’s illegal to bite your landlord. Though not a stranger, it’s not someone that you want to bite. Even if your air conditioner went out in the middle of August.
No Ads with the Dead People
This weird Maine law isn’t something I’ve ever seen before. When it comes to advertisements, you cannot place them in the cemetery. Have you seen advertisements in the cemetery before?
Pets
When it comes to pets and Maine, there are some you cannot own. This stands for most states, there are illegal animals all over the place but they aren’t supposed to be there. In Maine, it’s illegal to have an armadillo as a pet.
Watch Your Snot
Whether you’re sick or it’s just allergies, you need to watch where you blow your nose in Maine. As crazy as it sounds, it’s illegal to blow your nose in public. That would mean absolutely no farmer blows. If you don’t know what that is, it’s when you hold one nostril and blow all the air out the other nostril, as if you’re bowing your nose. However, you need to do it outside because you don’t have tissue, you’re just blowing in the air. Personal hygiene turned private.
No Fish Cleaning
If you’re fishing for salmon or just happen to catch it and want to keep it, you should know that you cannot clean it if you’re on the upper Kennebec River. These days, this isn’t a hard law not to break this albeit weird Maine law. The construction of a dam means there are virtually *no* salmon on the upper Kennebec River these days.
What’s your favorite weird Maine law? If you are a Maine resident, Happy Maine Day!
Hits: 0
