Unfortunately, these inconveniences in life–whatever they may be–will continue pestering us because they have every right to be there.
Ah, but what if there are legal consequences for the things that irk us the most?
Seeking to make our world a better place, Redditor mystic-savant asked:
"If you could make something illegal, what would it be?"
These continued interruptions are enough to make us erupt into fits of rage.
Our Common Hang-Up
"Spam calls."
– mettedraq
Ixnay To The Exnay
"Small 'X' buttons on mobile ads. I hate the kind where unless you have dainty fingers you get redirected to a website."
– Bridgtecmilen
Too Many Trees Die For This
"Junk mail. Think of all the 'You're pre qualified for a credit card!' mail people get and how much of that goes straight in the trash."
– TheSchoeMaker
Staring At The Void
"Reporting an ad to google for covering content and them removing the ad, only to leave a large empty gray box over the content where the ad used to be."
– spade13F
People could do without these sonic assaults.
So Alarming
"Police sirens in radio commercials."
– ilumewey
No Honking!
"And car horns. I’d like to get to work without having a heart attack on the way."
– perkiezombie
A Close Call
"This almost caused me to crash because it was timed as I went through an intersection that was at an angle so oncoming traffic aims at you for a time before they turn. I swore to the Nine Hells that I was about to be slammed into and nearly jerked by steering wheel to the right and into another car. Only reason it didn't happen was triage; I decided that if I'm being hit steering away wasn't changing that. Then nothing happened."
– NoobSabatical
Disturbing The Peace
"Listening loud music from phone without using earphone in public places, especially in public transport."
– SuvenPan
Corruption gets casually overlooked. It's time for some changes.
Shady Transactions
"Politicians buying/selling/trading stock while in office."
– Sudden-Cat5805
No More Advantageous Incentives
"Honestly, politicians receiving any kind of additional income or donations, monetary or otherwise, while in office."
"No stock trading, no second job, no donations to their campaign fund, no gifts from supporters, nothing. If you work in government, and have financial ties to other entities, then your loyalty is being bought, whether consciously or not as you will use your power to support your other forms of income in the name of self interest as to ensure to still receive those forms of additional income."
"A politician’s only form of income or compensation should be via taxpayers from the people they represent."
– Conchobhar23
There Ought To Be Consequences
"Politicians getting any pension , insurance , security , or anything after getting convicted of anything connected with their office ."
– crowman006
Thing About Per Diem
"Representatives/senators started out making a $6 per diem and were only paid for the days they actually showed up."
– Haunting-Ad-8619
Driven By Greed
"Price gouging on life-saving medicines."
– gaomeigeng
People just found these incredibly annoying.
Bad Template
"I would make it illegal for recruiters to not give some kind of response after applying for a job. At least say “yes” or “no” instead of _____."
– I-Care-for-all
Closed For Business
"Leaving your 'OPEN' sign on when you're not. I used to work midnights and I can't tell you the number of restaurant doors I've pulled on at 1am because their sign said they were open. If I were King of the world restaurants would be fined $1000 an hour for allowing this to happen. I'M LOOKIN' RIGHT AT YOU Steak-n-Shake!"
– Oph5pr1n6
Now, Scoot!
"Leaving e-scooters in the middle of the sidewalk."
– mossadspydolphin
I personally think there ought to be clear a distinction between factual news reporting and opinion.
The lines are so blurred these days, people will forgo doing the research to educate themselves on the facts and wind up disseminating propaganda and unsubstantiated information, which can mobilize a harmful movement.
The question is, which party should bear the consequences of their indiscretion? The reporting agency or the audience?
Goodwill Honor....
"In the UK, people often claim that if an item is listed for sale in a shop then the shop legally has to sell it to you at that price. This is not true at all as the shop doesn't have to sell you anything at any price."
"Often as a gesture of goodwill shops will honor erroneous prices, but they are under absolutely no obligation to do so." HereForTheTurnips_
implied endorsement....
Giphy"That commercial use of a photograph means selling the photograph."
"Commercial use means that there is an implied endorsement. You can take and sell photos of Eric Clapton all day long. Put that same photo in an advertisement for a certain guitar without a release and you can be sued." xaclewtunu
"reading of the will"
"Probate attorney here. I've had many people ask me when the "reading of the will" is going to take place. I explain to them that only happens in movies. But one of these days I am going to have one, and hire a mysterious blonde wearing a veil to sit in the corner quietly."
"Then I'll tell everyone that she inherits everything. Provided, of course, that she must adopt the decedent's cute but troublemaking six year old child no one knew about. Or she can spend the night in a haunted house. Her choice." SpaceFaceAce
Lie to Me.
"Re my father who is a lawyer: 'Policeman cannot lie to you.'"
"This is false. They can and they do."
Edit:
"There's so many replies that I cannot even find some of the ones I'd like to respond to so I want to leave a general note for those who have asked for a reference:"
"Frazier vs Cupp is the Supreme Court ruling that "affirmed the legality of deceptive interrogation tactics" in 1969. The ruling is still active." LoveOfficialxx
On Camera.
"People that think it's illegal to be video taped in a public space." RmeMSG
"I saw someone on next door complaining about 'my reasonable right to privacy in a public place,' when someone was shaming 20 people standing together waiting for take out. Sorry that's the opposite of how it works." khaominer
Citizens.
Giphy"Sovereign citizen stuff. I feel like enough folks have claimed to be sovereign citizens that it's become normal. But no, generally you can't declare yourself exempt from the laws in effect where you are." Alleline
Don't Sign....
"Not quite on point: A lot of people don't understand that co-signing a loan means that you are on the hook for the loan as much as the other person. The car gets repoed and then they are shocked that their wages are getting garnished."
"Co-signing is not you saying you think your friend is a cool dude who is good for it; you are saying you will pay for it if they don't. And they want you on the hook because they think there is a good chance the main applicant is a deadbeat. Basically, don't cosign anything for anybody." notrexhudler
'no pedestrians'
"As a former lawyer (UK), I lost count of the amount of people that thought jaywalking was a crime."
"Unless it's a road that specifically states 'no pedestrians' or a motorway, no such offense exists here."
"Edit: to clarify I'm talking about it not being a crime in the UK, it may well be elsewhere (Australia, USA, Germany and others)" brevity_is_hard
"fighting words"
Giphy"Fighting words is not a defense to battery. It just means that the government can prosecute face to face insults likely to lead to a breach of the peace."
"ETA: Not to say that provocation defenses don't exist dependent on jurisdiction, but "fighting words" in the US refers to an exception to the 1st Amendment."
+10....
"You can go 10 over the speed limit. My dad thought this was true as he was new to the country and quickly found out by a speeding ticket that it was not."
"Edit: I'm now realizing that this is may vary from state to state and county to county. For my case, South Florida generally tolerates 10 over but is still technically illegal." loopywalker
Cop TV.
Giphy"An arrest isn't magically invalidated if the police don't read you your rights on the spot."
"There could be a whole thread of just misconceptions people have from watching Cop TV." Auntie_Hero
"Miranda rights protect you from self incrimination when being questioned by the police for a crime."
"It doesn't mean they have to Miranda you the second you get arrested. If you aren't questioned then it doesn't apply."
"People also think it's illegal not to let them make a phone call after being arrested." candaceelise
It's just surveying....
"It's a law that exists but widely misunderstood is the concept of Entrapment. If the police put a Bait vehicle in a high crime area, that is NOT entrapment. If the police are watching a bar known to over-serve to see if there are impaired drivers at the end of the night that is NOT entrapment."
"Entrapment only occurs when a Gov agent suggests committing a crime that you were not otherwise going to commit." Dinothegreen
'press charges'
"In my country some people believe they can 'press charges' against someone."
"You can't. You report a crime and the police decide if they are taking it further. It's not up to you whether charges are brought, you may want charges brought but the police drop the case."
"Alternatively you can refuse to 'press charges' and the police can bring a case anyway. It's harder without the victim or witness cooperation but they still can."
"You do have a right to civil cases of course but when people say 'press charges' they believe they can do this via the police." Reddit
Parked.
"In the UK, it's not illegal to park on someone else's drive(way). It's classified as trespassing, a civil offense, not criminal, which means the police can't do anything."
"This particularly surprises people as many think that they have exclusive rights to the parking outside their house as well." TannedCroissant
Money Issues...
Giphy"It's actually not illegal anywhere in the United States to discuss wages or form/join a union, contrary to what many employers may claim. I also strongly recommend you do both to protect yourself and your colleagues from being taken advantage of." Ninjachibi117
Barefoot Life....
"No laws against driving barefoot." LaserBeamsCattleProd
"Mandatory addition: In the US. In Germany, while appropriate footwear is not directly required, you can be found at fault if your choice of footwear or lack thereof leads to your inability to avert an accident." TheReddective
16 & Up!
"In the UK that it is illegal to drink under the age of 18."
"You can buy alcohol with a meal at 16 (beer, wine, cider) and you are not breaking any laws if you give your child some alcohol in the privacy of your own home and they are over the age of 5."
"Edit: At 16 you have to be accompanied by an adult and it is paid for by the adult. Thanks u/kelusk" Hamsternoir
"watch out for that bus!"
"Paralegal: A lot of people think that the law requires you to be a good, decent person.
"If I'm sitting on a bench and see a blind person about to walk into the path of a bus, it's completely legal for me (in the United States) to remain silent, take my cell phone out, and take a video of his death. It's even legal for me to profit from the video. I'd be a monster for doing it, but there's no law imposing a duty on me to tell this stranger, 'watch out for that bus!'" NoBlueKoolAid
Obstructer.
Negligent motorcycle driver forced me to hit him from behind with my car.
I was young and naive at the time, never been in an accident until then, guy makes me sign a paper that says that the accident is my fault because i hit from behind and wanted compensation.
I explained the situation to my dad, and he concluded that the guy was obstructing normal traffic and i had no option but to hit him from behind in the particular circumstance.
"The guy ended up taking us to court, showed the judge the piece of paper that i signed, i explained that I signed it under duress and that he explained that ''by law whoever hits from behind is responsible for the accident."'
"Judge looked him in the eye and asked him if thats true, he said yes, then she asked him to point out which law states that, he just shut the hell up." Reddit
Say Whatever....
Giphy"It's federal law in the US that a plain clothes or undercover police officer HAS to identify themselves as law enforcement if asked. No, it's not the law, and they can tell you whatever the heck they want." doctor-rumack
When in doubt, be sure to consult a professional or at the very least Google it!
Cops sometimes have no choice but to arrest people who may not be the brightest. If the infraction is bad enough, lawyers will later on have to defend their clients and make sense of their bad choices.
Redditor u/BananaboiBAMF asked, "Lawyers and police officers, what is the dumbest reason you've seen someone get arrested?"Authority figures had some funny stories to share about crime gone wrong.
10. Impatience doesn't pay
"Someone in my town crashed into a telephone pole and took out the power. The road was closed off while things were sorted out. One lady decided she couldn't take the long way home and crashed into the same telephone pole. She was arrested for drunk driving."
9. Not a math wiz
Giphy"I was on a ride-along. Guy gets pulled over, hands his brother's ID to the officer. It is not a good match. Officer asks him when he was born. He gets that one right. Asks him how old he is. He's off by two years. He's being put in the car and the officer says 'You're the first guy I've arrested for bad math.'"
8. Lesson not learned
"Work for a smaller county. Last fall we got a group of people coming me down from a nearby city to rob a hemp farm, thinking it was weed growing along the highway. Several of the crack team of bandits where arrested and lodged. The kicker is it was explained explicitly how dumb it was, that you can't even get high of the stuff, but the very next weekend they came back down and tried to pull it off again. Only this time the farmer was home and ended up holding them all at gun point till we arrived."
7. This guy was long gone
"I arrested a guy who continually called 911 asking police to bring him weed and a cheeseburger. He then proceeded to eat the foam padding of my roll bars in the back seat. I've never seen someone trip so bad."
6. This proud defendant
"Not me, but my grandma was a lawyer. She had to defend someone who stole from a store in a city in Hungary around midnight. The only reason they got caught was because they used some matches to light up the place, and that set the fire alarm off. As if that wasn't enough, a few weeks later in court, my grandma tells the judge to look at the kid, how young he was and that he couldn't have been strong enough to break open the door or carry something outside and steal it. At this point the defendant stands up, points at his muscles and shouts 'hell yeah I could!'. That's basically when my grandma gave up. As far as I know he got a few months in prison."
5. The mistaken thief
"Underage 'kid' (he was 20, I think), who has been drinking and still has the beer on him, decides he's hungry. He goes into a mini mart and hides the beer in his pocket so that no one knows he's been drinking.
Goes to buy his snacks and the clerk notices that this kid has tucked extremely noticeable beers into his pocket. Clerk calls the cops and tells them that the kid was shoplifting beer.
The cops actually believed the kid's story but arrested him anyway for underage drinking. He spent the night in jail."
4. Hand sanitizer is a treasure
Giphy"There was a news story in Denmark recently. A guy had stolen the customer hand sanitizer from a pharmercy after he picked up his prescription drugs. Because of his prescription they easily identified him. Police called him and asked him to return it. He refused so they had to pay him a visit, seize the hand sanitizer and also arrest him."
3. Don't just slap people, cop or not
"My dad once got arrested because he didnt believe the cop in civies was a real cop. So he slapped him. Turns out he really was a real cop..."
2. Drove right up to a cell
"Not a police officer or a lawyer but someone I went to school with took MDMA and then decided to go for a drive and the police tried to pull him over and he tried to escape ran like 8 red lights and crashed into a prison of all places"
1. They start younger and younger...
"I used to work at a juvenile detention center. We had a local police department bring in a ten year old boy for hitting his house with a broomstick."
Do you have something to confess to George? Text "Secrets" or "" to +1 (310) 299-9390 to talk to him about it.