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You May Not Tie an Alligator to a Fire Hydrant: 101 Real Dumb Laws [Hardcover]

Jeff Koon , Andy Powell , Ward Schumaker
2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)

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Book Description

June 4, 2002
You May Not Tie an Alligator to a Fire Hydrant is a collection of the 101 dumbest real federal, city, and state laws in America, compiled by Jeff Koon and Andy Powell, a couple of high school seniors with a Web site visited by hundreds of thousands of browsers every month. These laws will astonish, possibly outrage, and certainly amuse citizens everywhere.

Here you will learn that forgetting to close a gate is against the law in Nevada; that flying a kite is illegal in Schaumburg, Illinois; and that shaking carpets in the street in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is strictly forbidden. You probably haven't tried cutting off your arm to make people feel sorry for you -- but if you live in Alabama, it is against the law. Many Texans will be surprised to learn that their hoes must be no less than four feet long. Perhaps more disturbingly, Indianans will be forced to recognize that being sexually aroused in public could get them arrested. With so many potential legal pitfalls around us all, it is comforting, finally, to learn in these pages that, in Alaska, the people who make laws have sagely concluded that emergencies are "held to a minimum and are rarely found to exist."

This hilarious compilation features forty-six original illustrations by award-winning artist Ward Schumaker that brilliantly capture the absurdity of so many of our laws with a light and elegant touch.

WARNING

These laws, all verified by the authors and presented along with a reference to the corresponding federal, state, or city statute, may cause readers to lose any desire to pursue a career in law.


Frequently Bought Together

You May Not Tie an Alligator to a Fire Hydrant: 101 Real Dumb Laws + The Book of Strange and Curious Legal Oddities: Pizza Police, Illicit Fishbowls, and Other Anomalies of the Law That Make Us All Unsuspecting Criminals
Price for both: $24.26

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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In Utah, first cousins can marry, but only after they're 65 years old. Training a bear to wrestle is a felony in Alabama. In Delaware it's illegal to sell perfume as a drink. Seventeen-year-olds Jeff Koon and Andy Powell collect these and other wacky laws in You May Not Tie an Alligator to a Fire Hydrant: 101 Real Dumb Laws. Some of the laws show compassion (in Florida's Jupiter Colony Inlet, you can't launch missiles at birds), while others are just plain bizarre (in Oklahoma, hamburgers purchased on Sunday can only be eaten in the restaurant).
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Andy Powell will graduate from high school in 2002. So far his grades in mathematics have been pretty good. After starting his first Web site with Jeff in primary school, their site listing stupid laws made Yahoo!'s site-of-the-year list in 1998. Jeff Koon will graduate from high school in 2002. His favorite subject is history. Appearing on the Montel Williams Show with Andy in summer 2001 crowned his dot.com career.

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 160 pages
  • Publisher: Free Press; 1ST edition (June 4, 2002)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0743230655
  • ISBN-13: 978-0743230650
  • Product Dimensions: 5 x 0.8 x 7.8 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #921,862 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

2.8 out of 5 stars
(11)
2.8 out of 5 stars
Also, it isn't funny enough to the point where you can keep rereading it. "plattypus"  |  4 reviewers made a similar statement
Many, if not most of the laws listed are actually not stupid. MICHAEL M. de Freitas  |  3 reviewers made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 18 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars Only Amusing July 9, 2002
Format:Hardcover
This collection of dumb laws does provide entertainment. Each page is one dumb law, followed by an explanation of it, and the majority of them are funny. However, there are only 101 laws in this book, and in total it takes about 10 minutes to read. Also, it isn't funny enough to the point where you can keep rereading it.

The question, then, is whether the book is worth buying. Unless you plan on putting it on your coffee table for party amusement, it really doesn't provide the amount of humor you pay for.

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7 of 9 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing February 28, 2005
Format:Hardcover
The authors have found a couple of really dumb laws, but most of the book features unusual scenarios that the authors create that are technically illegal. The title is an example of this. The law actually states that the fire hydrant should not be blocked by anything- so yes, it would be illegal to tie the alligator to the fire hydrant. But is that really a dumb law? Each page features one law and the authors comments. Not much substance to this book.
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16 of 23 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 stars Don't waste your time July 5, 2003
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
Sorry guys, but this is the dumbest book I have read in a long time. I bought it thinking it would be good beach reading and, boy, was I wrong. Being eaten by seagulls would have been less painful than enduring this drivel. A little thought into this project would have proved helpful as many of the laws quoted were instituted for very good reasons such as the law regarding ice cubes in El Paso. Do you want to buy ice cubes that were produced across the border with their stellar health regulations. Most books of this type are quite entertaining, but not this one. It's just plain stupid.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars I Never Knew Such Wierd Laws Existed
You May Not Tie An Alligator to a Fire Hydrant is an amazing book that includes 101 really odd laws that can be found state to state within our beautiful country. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Michael Jr.
1.0 out of 5 stars A fine manifestation of bad, misleading journalism...
This book is actually pretty bad. Many, if not most of the laws listed are actually not stupid. Not to mention that many of the section titles are pretty misleading. Read more
Published 20 months ago by MICHAEL M. de Freitas
3.0 out of 5 stars dumb, dumber laws
This book is hilarious! Even funnier is that dumb laws still exist, and in the USA of all places. Talk about "rational ignorance"! Read more
Published on September 21, 2010 by H. V. Amavilah
1.0 out of 5 stars These kids have good initiative, but little experience
The book was written by high school seniors that wanted to focus on strange laws that are on the books. Read more
Published on August 25, 2008 by Lee A. Charpentier
1.0 out of 5 stars A Good Idea That Needs More Work
This is a book by two kids. It started off as a school project. The idea is to list laws that seem very strange, dumb or just plain off-the-wall. Read more
Published on September 15, 2003 by Joshua Koppel
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Advice! Words to live by!
I thought I was doing the nice folks a favor when I tied my dog Snuckles to the fire hydrant while I went into the 7-ll for a slushy and a ding-dong. Read more
Published on January 24, 2003 by C. Walker
5.0 out of 5 stars Wow
hilarious... worth buying and reading over and over again. see down for mirinda's review. it sums up my thoughts exactly.
Published on July 28, 2002 by B. Kersey
5.0 out of 5 stars Can't wait for the sequel!
I would not only recommend that these two young men write another equally witty book, but I would love some pointers on how to become so famous at such a young age! Read more
Published on July 11, 2002 by mirinda floyd
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