Anyone remember Blue Laws ?

[Mikey]

This was a reply on another thread, but I thought it deserves it's own talk

When growing up, did you have any "Blue Laws" in your area ?

Basically, a blue law is a nutty law that don't make sense.

The outstanding one that I remember from my childhood .....
Here in New Jersey, back in the 70's in Morris County ... It was illegal to sell any kind of clothing on a Sunday.

I still remember going to Two Guys department store on Sunday and seeing all the clothes roped off with blue movie theatre style velvet ropes.
There was a sign that said something like (Clothes Not For Sale on Sunday)

This was the ENTIRE county

Weird, huh ?

Anyone else remember some Blue Laws ?

[Adam West]

Yes. Where I live the shopping malls were closed on Sundays....I presume under the same premise of selling clothes.

Today, the only real one that I can think of is that you can't purchase alcohol on Sunday until noon....all other days it's whenever the store opens.

Also, Chik-Fil-A's are closed on Sundays but only because they choose to be closed and not because they have to be closed. There are also a lot of local restaurants and stores that choose to shut down on Sunday as well but not because of any law.

[palitoy]

We didn't have Sunday shopping here until 1990, I remember we'd go downtown and window shop.

I'm not sure when we could buy alcohol on a Sunday but it wasn't that long ago we couldn't.

The Sears in my hometown would close every Thursday at 6pm for some union meeting, it burned me every week as Thursday was grocery day and my mom let me run around the mall. I always wanted to get in their toy department but they'd be locking the store.

[Brue]

there are still some in affect here. no alcholhol sales on sunday before noon or one - no hard alchohol sundays- I was at Bob's Bar last sunday and they celebrate shot time at 12:01 am sunday.

[EmergencyIan]

Still in affect in Indiana.

- Ian

[Evel KMego]

Yep, no alcohol sales on Sunday here (unless at a restaurant with a food order). Most stores close around 5-6 on Sundays as well, except for like super Wal-marts etc.

Yeah, we're still a little backwards

[z3zep]

T1 -- here in Bergen county,NJ - the Blue Laws are still in effect. Costco ropes off the clothing just like the old days.

[monkey tennis]

I heard that Black Taxi Cabs in London have to by law have a piece of straw
in their cab...The law dates back to when there were Horse drawn carriages.

[monkey tennis]

Old English Laws:

In the UK a pregnant woman can legally relieve herself anywhere
she wants, including in a policeman's helmet

It is illegal to enter the Houses of Parliament wearing a suit of
armour

It is legal to murder a Scotsman within the ancient city walls
of York, but only if he is carrying a bow and arrow

[UnderdogDJLSW]

Yep, no alcohol sales on Sunday here (unless at a restaurant with a food order). Most stores close around 5-6 on Sundays as well, except for like super Wal-marts etc.

Yep, still like that in Prince George's County, Maryland, too.

[jwyblejr]

Cullman County(the next county over from where I am) use to be like that. No stores were allowed to open on Sunday until 1 in the afternoon. The only thing they would allow to open early was a flea market. It's all changed because of everyone shopping in the surrounding counties that didn't have the law and Super-Wal-Mart opening in the town of Cullman itself.

[ctc]

>In the UK a pregnant woman can legally relieve herself anywhere
she wants, including in a policeman's helmet

I am SOOOOO jealous!

>It is illegal to enter the Houses of Parliament wearing a suit of
armour

There goes MY vacartion plans....

>It is legal to murder a Scotsman within the ancient city walls
of York, but only if he is carrying a bow and arrow

Thank's for the heads-up!

>It's all changed because of everyone shopping in the surrounding counties that didn't have the law and Super-Wal-Mart opening in the town of Cullman itself.

Stores were closed Sundays here 'cos of "The Lord's Day Act;" which was repealed in the 90's 'cos it was determined to be predjudiced.

Don C.

[MegoSteve]

Technically, blue laws are laws designed to enforce moral or religious code, particularly when referring to banning Sunday shopping, because that's when you are supposed to go to church and rest. Pennsylvania had them through the 1980s, I believe.

The article I found on Wikipedia mentions Bergen County, NJ and their restrictive laws, and it explains that efforts to repeal them have met with resistance from people who just want one day of peace and quiet, which isn't a bad thought.

[batgirl]

In Queensland (Australia) Its illegal to practice witchcraft, and if you do you will be arrested. So no fortune tellers, tarot cards readers etc in the shops.
I think was left over from the 1800s.