An old, bizarre Denver ordinance allegedly forbids neighbors from sharing vacuum cleaners. This likely stems from mid-century door-to-door sales regulations or an attempt to prevent noise complaints between rowhouses. Either way, you will have to find another way to clean up your neighbor's mess.
A legendary Denver law allegedly required animal control officers to notify roaming dogs of their impoundment by nailing a written notice to a tree in a public park for three consecutive days. The law humorously assumed that the stray dogs could read their own arrest warrants before being sent to the pound.
According to a wildly absurd piece of local lore, any feline wandering the streets after dark must be equipped with a red taillight. This rumor likely started as a joke about pedestrian and traffic safety in the early days of automobiles, though good luck getting a cat to wear a battery-operated reflector.
Back during the Gold Rush, miners frequently brought their pack animals into saloons and hotels to prevent theft. Unsurprisingly, a panicked mule crashing through a second-story floorboard led the town to quickly ban hooved animals from climbing stairs.
In this college town, placing upholstered furniture on exterior porches is strictly prohibited. The law was enacted due to the rampant tradition of university students setting couches on fire after big football games. While it ruins the laid-back vibe, it definitely saves the fire department some headaches.
Aspen strictly forbids the throwing of 'missiles,' which explicitly includes snowballs. While it sounds incredibly Grinch-like for a famous ski town, the ordinance aims to prevent injuries and property damage from packed ice balls. Fortunately, it is rarely enforced unless you are pelting a police officer.
In Colorado, a horse is legally considered a vehicle when ridden on a public roadway. Therefore, saddling up after a few too many at the saloon can land you a horseback DUI. This frontier-era law remains on the books to prevent runaway steeds and drunken cowboys from causing traffic accidents.
In an effort to curb animal cruelty and prevent humans from being inevitably mauled, Colorado banned the bizarre spectacle of bear wrestling. Traveling carnivals in the early 1900s used to feature bears fighting men for money, prompting the legislature to put an end to the ridiculous bloodsport.
Hitting the slopes after hitting the bottle is a crime in Colorado. The Ski Safety Act explicitly forbids skiing or riding a ski lift while intoxicated. Given the high speeds, steep drops, and presence of children, this law exists to keep the mountains safe from reckless, wobbly vacationers.
If you want to engage in cloud seeding to bring rain or snow to your crops, you must first get permission from the state. Because water rights are fiercely contested in the arid West, stealing moisture from a cloud before it reaches someone else's property is taken very seriously.
An old, peculiar statute supposedly forbids a man from kissing a woman while she is asleep. Originating from early 20th-century modesty and consent laws, this rule was meant to protect women's virtues in frontier towns, though today it is simply a strange footnote in legal history.
During the great dairy wars of the 20th century, the dairy lobby pushed hard to criminalize serving oleomargarine under the guise of butter. If a Colorado eatery serves a butter substitute, they must clearly display a sign or print a notice on the menu, lest they deceive the public's tastebuds.
While chipping away at rocks might seem like harmless fun, Colorado law strictly forbids defacing, altering, or removing rocks from state parks. The statute is designed to preserve the state's natural geological beauty and prevent amateur geologists from dismantling the Rocky Mountains one pebble at a time.
For decades, it was entirely illegal to collect rainwater in rain barrels because that water legally belonged to downstream users with senior water rights. While the law was slightly relaxed in 2016 to allow a maximum of two barrels, collecting any more is strictly considered water theft.
Dandelions are considered a menace to society in Pueblo, where strict weed control ordinances dictate how tall your weeds can get. The law was drafted to keep the city looking pristine and to prevent the rapid spread of allergens and invasive seeds across manicured lawns.
A highly outdated morality law in Durango prohibited individuals from walking the streets in clothing that did not conform to their biological sex. Originating in the Victorian era to stop 'cross-dressing,' this archaic ordinance has long been overridden by modern civil rights laws but remains buried in historical texts.
In the early days of motor vehicles, drivers were required to honk their horns before overtaking a horse and buggy. Paradoxically, this law was meant to warn the carriage driver, but it usually ended up spooking the horses, making the road even more dangerous.
Under a classic 'blue law' designed to enforce a day of rest, auto dealerships are forbidden from opening on Sundays. Originally rooted in religious traditions, the law is heavily supported by modern auto dealers who appreciate a mandatory day off for their staff without losing out to competitors.
In Colorado, it is a misdemeanor for anyone who is not completely or partially blind to carry a white cane with a red tip on public streets. This law is strictly enforced to protect the right-of-way that blind pedestrians rely upon, preventing scammers or pranksters from abusing the privilege.
You cannot throw 'missiles' at cars in Colorado. Before you picture a rocket launcher, know that in legal terminology, a missile is any object thrown by hand, such as a rock or a bottle. This state law exists purely for traffic safety to prevent dangerous pranks on highways.