Every state seems to have peculiar laws that ban or regulate specific aspects of life, which most other states do not have. Indiana also has its fair share of strange laws. Although legislators may have had safety or injury concerns when passing them, these weird Indiana laws can seem odd or outdated today.
Table of Contents
- 1 Why Are These Out-of-Date Laws Still on the Books?
- 2 It Is Illegal to Fish with Your Hands
- 3 It Is Technically Illegal for Children to Operate Lemonade Stands in Indiana
- 4 Happy Hour Is Illegal in Indiana — Retailers Must Sell Drinks at the Same Price Throughout the Day
- 5 It Is Illegal to Sell Cold Soda and Cold Water in a Liquor Store
- 6 It Is Unlawful to Carry Alcohol into a Restaurant or ‘Place of Public Entertainment’ for the Purpose of Consuming It or Giving It Away
- 7 It Is Illegal to Coast Down a Hill in Neutral
- 8 Contact an Indiana Personal Injury Lawyer
Why Are These Out-of-Date Laws Still on the Books?
Weird and outdated laws can remain on the books for years or decades after authorities stop enforcing them, either due to shifting law enforcement priorities or changes in societal norms that destigmatize once-banned practices, causing people to forget that the law has banned or regulated those practices.
However, a government official’s decision to enforce a long-forgotten rule or people uncovering an outdated law when reading state statutes or local ordinances may eventually lead legislators to remove these laws from the books.
It Is Illegal to Fish with Your Hands
Some people choose to fish with no equipment, using only their hands and arms. People primarily engage in this activity, commonly known as “noodling,” to catch fish such as catfish. However, Indiana law prohibits people from catching fish in any waters within Indiana’s boundaries by using only their hands. The law also prohibits catching fish using:
- Wires
- Electric current
- Explosives
- Nets
- Seines
- Traps
- Any substance that sedates or poisons fish
- Firearms.
It Is Technically Illegal for Children to Operate Lemonade Stands in Indiana
Many children set up lemonade stands during the warmer months as a way to earn a little money and interact with their neighbors. Parents may encourage their kids to run lemonade stands to help them learn the basics of finance and business.
However, Indiana law currently requires any party wishing to sell products to obtain a vendor’s permit from their local municipality. Thus, a child who does not get a license technically violates the law if they run a lemonade stand. Fortunately, Indiana legislators have made efforts to change the law to preclude municipalities or homeowners’ associations from prohibiting or regulating any retail stand selling nonalcoholic beverages operated by a minor.
Happy Hour Is Illegal in Indiana — Retailers Must Sell Drinks at the Same Price Throughout the Day
Bars and restaurants in many states offer happy hours in the mid-to-late afternoon, during which establishments may sell alcoholic beverages at a discount or provide two or more drinks for the price of one to encourage more customers during traditionally slower periods of the day.
Indiana had a blanket prohibition on happy hours for nearly 40 years, but recently changed the law to allow discounted drinks under specific circumstances. Establishments cannot have a happy hour lasting more than four hours a day, nor more than 15 hours in total per week. Happy hours cannot occur between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m.
Indiana law continues to prohibit some happy hour practices. Specifically, bars and restaurants may not:
- Furnish two or more servings of alcoholic beverages for an order for one serving to one person for that person’s consumption.
- Charge a single price for the purchase of two or more servings of an alcoholic beverage.
- Conduct, sponsor, or participate in any game or contest determined by the quantity of alcoholic beverages consumed or that awards alcoholic beverages or reduced-price alcoholic beverages as prizes.
Bar and restaurant owners who conduct happy hours in this manner could face prosecution for a Class B misdemeanor.
It Is Illegal to Sell Cold Soda and Cold Water in a Liquor Store
Although you might not see any harm in allowing a liquor store to sell pop or water from their refrigerated displays, Indiana law restricts what types of goods liquor stores may sell. Chilled soft drinks and water are not included on the list. Instead, liquor stores may sell only:
- Liquor in original packaging
- Beer in permissible containers
- Wine in original packaging
- Bar supplies used to prepare and consume alcoholic beverages
- Tobacco products
- Uncooled and un-iced charged water, carbonated soda, ginger ale, mineral water, grenadine, and flavoring extracts
- Printed materials
- Lottery tickets
- Cooled or uncooled nonalcoholic malt beverages
- Flavored malt beverages in original packaging.
It Is Unlawful to Carry Alcohol into a Restaurant or ‘Place of Public Entertainment’ for the Purpose of Consuming It or Giving It Away
You might save a nice bottle of wine for a special occasion, such as a birthday or wedding anniversary, and later decide to go out to a restaurant to celebrate the occasion. Although you might want to consume your special bottle of wine with dinner, Indiana law prohibits restaurants or “places of public entertainment” from allowing BYOB (bring your own bottle/booze).
The law makes it a Class C misdemeanor for a person to knowingly carry liquor into a restaurant or place of public entertainment with the intent to consume it, display it, or sell or give it away to another person on the premises. However, the law does not apply to an outdoor place of public entertainment:
- That has an area of at least 4 acres but not more than 6 acres
- Located within 1 mile of the White River
- Owned and operated by a 501(c)(3) nonprofit
- Used primarily for live music concerts.
The law also does not apply to events conducted by qualified nonprofit organizations, such as charity auctions, or to craft manufacturers holding events on other licensed premises.
It Is Illegal to Coast Down a Hill in Neutral
You may have read tips for saving fuel that suggest coasting downhill while the vehicle is in neutral. However, Indiana law prohibits this practice, possibly to avoid accidents by ensuring that drivers’ vehicles remain powered by their engines. The law states that a driver may not coast with their vehicle in neutral gear while traveling upon a downgrade, nor may commercial drivers coast on a downgrade with the clutch disengaged.
Contact an Indiana Personal Injury Lawyer
After you have suffered an injury in an accident in Indiana, get experienced legal help from a knowledgeable personal injury attorney at Truitt Law Offices. Our firm has over 40 years of experience and a proven track record of success in previous clients’ cases. Our focus on personal injury and our insider perspective on insurance company strategies enable us to vigorously protect our clients’ rights and interests.
Contact our firm today for a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your legal options for pursuing financial recovery and justice in your case.
