The Strangest Laws in America: NJ's Weirdest Rule Revealed

The Strangest Laws in America and Why New Jersey’s Might Be the Weirdest of Them All!

Every state has a few rules that make you scratch your head and wonder, “How did that even become a law?”

Why America Has Some Truly Strange Laws

Across America, there are hundreds of outdated, strange, and downright hilarious laws still lingering on the books. Some of them were created for reasons that made perfect sense decades ago, others, not so much, thanks to pioneerwoman.com.

And while New Jersey is known for its beaches, boardwalks, and diners, the Garden State also happens to have one of the most unusual “etiquette” laws you’ll ever hear about.

But before we get to that, let’s take a quick trip around the country to see what kind of funny (and very real) rules other states are still holding onto, here are just a couple of weird ones.

In Alabama, it’s illegal to stroll down the street with an ice cream cone in your back pocket, what?, Weird!

In Connecticut, pickles have to earn their name. By state law, a pickle isn’t officially considered a pickle unless it bounces. (Ha! Ha!)

In Georgia, fried chicken is not just a favorite food, it’s practically sacred. In fact, a 1961 ordinance made it illegal to eat fried chicken with utensils. (This should be a law everywhere.)

New Jersey’s Soup Slurping Law: Polite Dining or Overkill?

And, finally New Jersey, because this one might take the cake (or should we say, the soup?). In the Garden State, it’s technically against the law to slurp your soup in public. Yep, soup etiquette is serious business here! I've never heard of this, ever. Did you?

The old rule was meant to encourage polite dining manners and discourage noisy or disruptive eating in public spaces. Ok, I get this. Will I go to jail if I slurp?

So next time you’re at a New Jersey diner enjoying a bowl of tomato soup, maybe sip quietly, just for tradition’s sake.