DYK that Lancaster, S.C. once outlawed dancing in public? Yep, Footloose-style.
Turns out the Carolinas have a laundry list of quirky laws. But don’t start sweating – someone came to their senses, and most of these laws have already been repealed.
In S.C., the legal age to play pinball used to be 18 years old. But aren’t arcade games meant for kids? Things get tricky when gambling is involved, and pinball was considered close enough to be illegal for minors. Just imagine the horror of 12-year-olds duking it out over $5 lost in a high stakes game. The law has now been repealed, and minors can now spend their days on The Machine Bride of Pinbot without the threat of fines.
N.C. takes gambling seriously, too – so they outlawed playing bingo for more than five hours at a time (and playing more than twice within a week). Prizes can’t be higher than $500, and bingo is only legal in the state if it’s hosted by an organization with a Charitable Bingo License. Any violation is considered illegal gambling.
Tandem or multiple bungee jumping is prohibited in S.C. That’s right, no hand holding – even 100 feet above the ground. This law was passed in 1994 and has yet to be repealed. We imagine this law was passed due to safety concerns, and bungee jumping still makes for a pretty cool date or proposal idea. The consequence for breaking this rule would mostly affect the operator, who could face fines and other penalties (like license suspension or revocation).
In N.C., “disturbing the peace” once meant singing off key. The story supposedly stems from a late-1800s court case where a man named William Linkhaw was fined a penny for constantly irritating his fellow church-goers by singing out of tune in the choir. Luckily, the Supreme Court of North Carolina overturned the court’s decision soon after. We can’t all be Ariana Grande, okay?
Remember sneaking into R-rated movies by buying a PG-rated ticket? Turns out misrepresentation of age for admission to a theater is illegal in S.C. (This seems to be common in other states, too.) The minor will receive no more than a $50 fine, but breaking this law typically comes with a misdemeanor charge, too. Think twice before using your Small Foot movie ticket in exchange for watching Halloween.
Don’t go breaking any of these weird laws… but if you decide to have a night of bingo + pinball, off-key karaoke, sneaking into the movies, and bungee jumping, make sure to invite us.
