This week on Weird and Wacky Wednesdays: Road Trip Edition
It’s summer, and that means it’s road trip season. And what’s a driving vacation without a few truly bizarre legal facts to ruin the vibe? This week, we’re taking a weird and wacky tour through some of the strangest laws you could run into on the open road.
PEI’s Honk-or-Be-Ticketed Rule
First stop: Prince Edward Island. Known for red sand beaches and Anne of Green Gables, it’s also home to a peculiar traffic requirement. Under section 154 of the PEI Highway Traffic Act, any driver overtaking another vehicle must sound their horn. This isn’t a suggestion. It’s not even a guideline. It’s mandatory. So if you’re quietly trying to pass someone on Route 1, you’re actually committing an offence unless you honk. Apparently, startling other drivers into swerving is the legislated path to road safety.
Denver’s Black Car Ban (Sundays Only)
From the quiet roads of PEI, we head west and south to Denver, Colorado, where you may want to be cautious with your colour choices. It remains illegal in Denver to drive a black car on Sundays. The law is not well enforced—if it ever was—but it’s still on the books. Reportedly originating from concerns around funeral processions, this law could theoretically land your Sunday drive in legal limbo if your ride is dressed in noir.
Alberta’s Slow Ride Mandate
Next, we cruise into Jasper Gates, Alberta, where modern vehicles are expected to yield—not just metaphorically, but legally—to the pace of horses. A rarely enforced but valid local ordinance requires drivers to keep their speed below that of a horse-drawn carriage when travelling on certain roads. So, if you’re in a hurry to enjoy the mountains, you might be legally obligated to clip-clop your way there instead.
Massachusetts’ Backseat Gorilla Ban
Finally, no list would be complete without Massachusetts, where the law has spoken: it is illegal to drive with a gorilla in the backseat. Not in the passenger seat, not on the roof rack—just the backseat. The reasoning for this is unclear. One can only assume the front seat is somehow gorilla-legal. It’s unknown how many convictions have arisen under this statute, but it’s still valid.
So if you’re planning a driving vacation this summer, take a moment to check the local laws. Otherwise, you might find your car too black, your horn too silent, your speed too horse-like, or your gorilla in entirely the wrong place.
