7. Throwing salt can lead to execution

There’s an old wives tale that dictates you throw spilled salt over your left shoulder or else you’ll have bad luck. You’ll have a worse fate if you try that in Alabama near a railroad track. The law once had a practical purpose. At one time, Alabama was an open range state which meant that livestock had free range to go wherever they pleased. The powers that be wanted to make sure everyone was accountable for their safety, including railroad companies. The state felt that throwing salt on the tracks would encourage animals to cross onto the tracks, leaving them vulnerable to being hit. To help with the problem, they made the practice of throwing salt on tracks not only illegal but punishable by death.

8. You can’t cat-call a woman

TLC wrote a great song about Scrubs in the late 90s. One of the best lines was, “a scrub is a guy who can’t get no love from me, hanging out the side of his best friend’s ride trying to holla at me.” If the group lived in Alabama, the song might not exist. Mobile, Alabama prohibits anyone from cat-calling a woman on its streets. At one time, many people in the city were military. Mobile wanted to protect the reputation of its female citizens and banned the behavior since they felt it embarrassed women.

9. You can be prosecuted for self-mutilation to get someone’s attention

Let’s face it; sometimes, we feel like no one is listening. Inside, you may be screaming, will you just understand what I’m going through. Yet, even if you want to take extreme measures to get someone’s attention, there’s one you’ll need to steer clear of if you live in Alabama. The state doesn’t like to see anyone unnecessarily injured and goes to great lengths to protect its citizens. So, if you decide to inflict bodily harm on yourself to get someone to feel sorry for you, chances are you’ll need some bail money.

10. Confetti is illegal in Mobile

Confetti is one of those things that’s fun for approximately thirty seconds. Like glitter, it seems like a good idea and then gets stuck on everything, and you find it days later in the most inopportune locations. Those who want a good excuse never to use it and enjoy a good reason to forbid people around you from using it as well may want to move to Mobile. The city is strict with the product and doesn’t allow possession, manufacture, or sale of tiny pieces of paper.

11. Don’t hold hands in a public restaurant

Many people love public displays of affection. Others think it’s not polite to show how much you care about someone in public and keep quieter moments between couples. Those who wish to keep their relationship with their partner subtle might not mind this Alabama law. According to Stupid Laws, it’s illegal for dating couples to hold hands while eating in a restaurant. Unfortunately, this probably means one milkshake and two straws won’t be on the menu either.

12. Loving a porcupine will get you jail time

Even though it may sound like a southern stereotype to Yankees up north, Alabama has laws that prevent persecution for anyone who wants to marry a cousin. However, there is one animal in Alabama you’ll want to stay away from, the porcupine. Most people would shy away from the idea that these creatures would make an excellent life partner. However, Alabama wants to make sure, so they wrote a law that explicitly forbids getting involved with one.

13. You can’t drive blindfolded

How often have you wondered if the driver in front of you is paying attention to the road? Moreover, do you sometimes think they are blind because their driving skills are subpar? Perhaps they might be wearing a blindfold, even though I hope not. However, if they decide to try and drive with one on, an Alabama police officer can arrest them. After all, there is a law on the books that strictly forbids this behavior. Even though it seems like this should be common sense.

14. Playing Dominoes on Sunday is illegal

After getting back from church and eating Sunday supper, you may want to have a game night with your family. That’s fine as long as you’re playing Uno, Life, Monopoly, or Scrabble. But don’t get caught playing dominoes because Alabama has made that game illegal on Sundays. If caught, you may even spend three months in jail.