Turns out we have some pretty weird laws in Southern California. Since these laws are so outrageous and wacky, we have a feeling it’s safe to say you’ve never heard of them before. Just to make sure you’re not doing anything illegal, you’d better check out these weird laws that exist in SoCal. Do any of these things sound familiar? We really hope not!

1. Yield for birds:
Tracie Hall/Flickr
If you live in Arcadia, turns out you better be on the lookout for peacocks (like this beauty found in Los Angeles Arboretum). Turns out peacocks have the right of way when crossing a street or a driveway in Arcadia. Who knew?!
2. Name that tune:
Randy Heinitz/Flickr
Trying to lure someone into a store in Indian Wells by playing the trumpet is illegal. I guess you'll have to go to another town in SoCal if you want to do that.
3. No skates allowed!
Rongem Boyo/Flickr
Turns out it's illegal in Los Angeles to roller-skate or skateboard through the library or courthouse. So how do they think people will get around?

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4. Safety first!
Dawn/Flickr
No vehicle may exceed 60 MPH if there is no driver in the car. Yes, you read that correctly.
5. Keep your bike out of the water:
Derek K. Miller (1969-2011)/Flickr
It's illegal to for anyone in Southern California to ride a bike in a public swimming pool. I guess I won't do that one again!
6. Frisbee anyone?
Bernard Wee/Flickr
Did you know you could get fined up to a thousand dollars for throwing a Frisbee at the beach in Los Angeles without the permission of a lifeguard? I guess I've been breaking the law this entire time!
7. Be careful where you go bowling:
Photos By Clark/Flickr
Bowling on the sidewalk is illegal in Southern California. But lawn bowling is perfectly fine, so at least you have that.

Have you ever heard of these crazy SoCal laws before? If there are other weird and wacky Southern California laws you’ve heard about, please let us know so we can add them to the list.

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More to Explore

Weird Laws in Southern California

Tori Jane | August 19, 2021

What are some notably strange things in Southern California? 

Like the rest of the state, Southern California is home to some straight-up weird places and things. There’s a celebrity/Hollywood elite cemetery called the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, which definitely doesn’t sound like the setting of a zombie movie or anything. In Los Angeles, you can find the Museum of Death, which is equal parts fascinating and horrifying. Speaking of unique museums, SoCal is home to the banana museum. We don’t know about you, but honestly, that sounds awesome. For more of our favorite strange things and places in Southern California, visit this article. Oh, and the coroner’s office in Los Angeles has a gift shop. There’s also that. 

What are some fun facts about Southern California?  

A region as enormous as Southern California is bound to be home to some fun facts, right? For example, did you know there’s an island off the coast of SoCal that’s home to a huge herd of bison? Legend has it that they were brought there for a film in the early 1900s and simply left to stay. The population has done fine ever since. San Bernardino County is the single largest county in the United States, coming in at an impressive 20,000 square miles in size. Talk about a lot of roads to patrol! Oh, and did you know that Southern California is the avocado capital of the world? Yum!  

What are the weirdest illegal things in Southern California? 

Every state has its wild and crazy laws that don’t seem to make sense in any context, and of course, California is no different. Did you know, ladies, that it is illegal to drive a car while wearing a housecoat? So... remember that next time, we guess. It’s also illegal for driverless vehicles to travel faster than 60 miles per hour, but this law was written decades before driverless vehicles were a thing, so we don’t understand what on earth the intent was there. In LA, you’re not allowed to wash your neighbor’s car without their permission, so no surprise carwash parties, ya hear? And, in Long Beach, garages are for automobiles ONLY. Nothing else. Okay then.  

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