California Is Home to Some of the Weirdest Driving Laws in the Country
Alex Healey
Updated on Apr 27, 2022 · 3 min read
Ahhh
California
, home to the stars, the place where dreams come true...unless you’re a woman and that dream happens to be driving in a bathrobe (insert record scratch sound effect). That’s right. It is illegal for women to drive while wearing a bathrobe in California. "Why?" you ask. We don’t know. Nobody does. California’s legislative system is one of the largest and most complicated in the country, and there are dozens of weird laws which presumably made sense once upon a time. Fortunately, while never repealed, these laws are almost never enforced and are largely forgotten outside of articles like this one.
Read on to learn more about California’s weirdest driving laws and how to find
cheap California car insurance
.
The weirdest driving laws in California
While banning women (specifically women) from driving in a housecoat is probably the weirdest of them all, California has plenty of other antiquated driving laws.
As explained by
Car Throttle
, it is a misdemeanor to shoot at animals from a moving vehicle, unless your target is a whale. Commercial whaling has been under a federal ban for 50 years, can’t they just "Wite-Out" the whale bit?It is also illegal to play music that can be heard 50 feet from your car. While nobody likes hearing other peoples’ music, 50 feet is only the width of a basketball court. In fact, if you’ve ever driven with the windows down and the radio on, you’ve likely broken this law.
Local legislation is just as bizarre
If you move away from the statewide laws and begin looking at local legislation, things get even stranger:
In Glendale, CA, it is illegal to jump out of a car driving faster than 65mph (64mph is apparently fine though). In Eureka, it is illegal to sleep on the road. In Arcadia, peacocks have the right of way, but has anyone even told them?
When it comes to weird laws, few places can rival Chico in northern California. While not related to driving, Chico has outlawed bowling on the sidewalk. They have also ruled that detonating a nuclear device will result in a $500 fine. I’m sure this news comes as a huge relief to residents.
Know the driving laws where you live
While these laws have been cherry-picked for their ridiculousness, most rules of the road are logical and easy to understand.
It is important to note that driving laws, including those that govern
car insurance
, differ from state to state. These differences can be confusing when trying to establish the minimum coverage that you need.The good news is
Jerry
is here to help. Wherever you live, Jerry compares car insurance rates from multiple providers, finding you the best coverage for the cheapest price.
