9 Bizarre Laws From History That Actually Existed That Will Blow Your Mind

You’d think laws are always serious and make sense, right? Well, history definitely proves otherwise. People have come up with some truly odd and surprising rules that shaped daily life in the past.

Some of these old laws just make you laugh or scratch your head. Still, they reveal a lot about the times and places where folks thought up such rules.

These bizarre laws really existed, and they show how societies used rules in ways you’d never expect. They’re honestly a fun way to see how people tried to control behavior—sometimes in pretty creative or just plain weird ways.

Let’s take a look at some of the wildest legal rules people actually had to follow!

1) It was illegal to die in the Houses of Parliament in medieval England!

Picture this: you couldn’t legally die inside the Houses of Parliament. Sounds wild, but that was the rule in medieval England.

Parliament counted as royal property, so if someone died there, the family could demand an expensive state funeral.

No one really knows if anyone got in trouble for breaking this law. It’s hard to imagine how they’d even enforce it.

People still talk about this old rule, but now it’s more of a quirky story than anything serious.

2) Crossing the street on your hands was banned in some American cities!

Believe it or not, some places made it illegal to cross the street on your hands. Hartford, Connecticut, had this law at one point.

City officials wanted to stop people from pulling stunts or acting too weird in public.

If you tried to impress your friends with a handstand, the police might’ve stopped you. The law tried to keep things “normal” on the streets.

It feels silly now, but back then, towns cared a lot about public decency. So, no showing off your acrobatics while crossing the road.

3) Eating fried chicken with a fork was illegal in Gainesville, Georgia!

Imagine sitting down to eat fried chicken and getting told you can’t use a fork. In Gainesville, Georgia, you really had to use your fingers.

Since 1961, Gainesville called itself the “Poultry Capital of the World,” so they took chicken traditions seriously.

The law was more of a fun way to keep things traditional and celebrate their chicken pride.

Even today, the rule technically exists. If you visit, maybe just skip the fork and dig right in.

4) Dominoes were banned in Arizona at one point!

At one point, Arizona actually banned playing dominoes on Sundays. The idea was to keep people focused on church and rest, not games.

If you got caught, you could face fines or worse. It sounds wild now, but folks took it seriously back then.

Dominoes are just a fun game these days. Kinda strange to think you once had to hide your tiles on a Sunday afternoon!

5) Honking after 9 PM was forbidden near a sandwich shop in Texas!

Picture this: you’re driving late at night and want to honk, but if you’re near a certain sandwich shop in Texas after 9 PM, you’d better not.

The law aimed to keep things quiet for people enjoying their evenings.

It’s a bit odd, but I guess some people really valued their peace and quiet. So, next time you’re out late for a sandwich, maybe just wave instead of honking.

6) Salmon had strict handling laws in medieval England!

Back in medieval England, authorities watched how you handled salmon very closely. They wanted to stop illegal fishing and protect valuable fish.

One law even banned “handling salmon in suspicious circumstances.” If you looked like you were selling stolen fish, you could get in trouble.

These rules tried to control fishing and keep resources safe. If you were a fisherman back then, you had to be extra careful.

7) It was illegal to shake hands in certain American towns to stop the spread of disease!

In some American towns during disease outbreaks, officials banned handshakes. The idea was to stop germs from spreading.

You couldn’t greet friends or neighbors with a handshake. People had to come up with new ways to say hello.

This law shows how determined folks were to protect public health—even if it meant changing simple habits.

8) Women needed their husband’s permission to wear false teeth in Victorian England!

Can you imagine needing your husband’s permission just to get false teeth? In Victorian England, women really had to ask.

The law reflected how much control husbands had over their wives’ lives—even down to dental choices.

A similar rule even showed up in Vermont. It’s a strange bit of history, honestly. Next time you worry about a weird rule, just remember: some people needed approval just to smile.

9) Public displays of affection were once banned in parts of the U.S.!

It sounds wild, but at one point, you could actually get in trouble for showing affection in public—just for holding hands or sneaking a quick kiss. Some places, like Oklahoma, even passed laws way back in 1900 that banned public kissing, all in the name of “public morality.”

Can you picture not being able to hug someone or give them a peck on the lips outside? That would’ve made dates pretty awkward.

People in power really wanted to control how everyone acted in public spaces. These days, nobody really enforces those rules, but wow, society used to be a lot more uptight.

So if you ever feel a little shy about holding hands in public, just remember—it was actually illegal not that long ago.