Evil Week: 8 Things People Only Think Illegal

Welcome to Evil Week , our annual dive into all the slightly sketchy life hacks that we usually refrain from recommending. Want to snag free drinks, play challenging mind games, or launder some money? We have all the information we need to successfully engage in questionable behavior.

My college friends and I have a saying: “Fun is not forbidden.” Now, in my old age (I will live forever), I realized that this is not necessarily true. Many funny things are actually illegal. But not always.

Owning a pet tiger, counting cards in a casino, writing erotic fiction about your favorite cartoon characters… these are just a few of my favorite ways to start the day. They may not be practical, but are they really illegal? Of course, there are social taboos, personal safety and ethical quandaries to consider. For better or usually for worse, the law does not always correspond to public opinion. And what a tragedy it would be for you to refrain from living your damn life, all out of fear of legal consequences that don’t actually apply. Read on to learn about your rights regarding activities that are generally considered illegal, but which you can get away with.

Riding in the back of a pickup truck

I’ve always heard that riding in the back of a pickup truck is illegal due to seat belt laws, but it turns out that’s only true in some states. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety , the following states have no laws at all regarding riding in the back of a pickup truck:

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arizona
• Delaware
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kentucky
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Montana
• New Hampshire
• North Dakota
• Oklahoma
• North Dakota
• Vermont
• Washington
• West Virginia
• Wyoming

Of course, what is legal and what is desirable are two completely different things. Pickup truck bodies are not designed for occupancy and do not provide any crash protection. Other states, such as Colorado, Georgia, have light restrictions, such as requiring everyone in the car to be over a certain age, the car to be completely enclosed, or to be work-related. So, check your state’s specific laws; after all, you might be able to happily ride in the back.

Card counting

Whether the casino likes it or not, card counting is technically legal . However, there is a formality: casinos are private companies that set their own rules. Card counting is prohibited in most casinos because it reduces the house’s advantage over players. So, if you get caught counting cards, you will most likely be kicked out and blacklisted, but not thrown into jail.

Removing a Tag from a Mattress

The confusion arises because the mattress manufacturer has the right not to remove the tag. If you are a consumer or purchaser of a mattress, you can remove the tag after purchasing it without any consequences. Freedom! Liberation! USA!

Using US Currency

Here’s what you need to know about money manipulation: Writing, drawing, or stamping paper dollar bills isn’t necessarily illegal. It’s still legal tender, baby. What you cannot do is fraudulently deface, alter or mutilate American currency. Think of it this way: if you draw paper money and try to pass off its value as something else, you’re in trouble. If you’re trying to preserve the memory of your trip to Mount Rushmore with one of these stretched coins, that’s okay.

Recording a conversation

In one-party consent states like New York, you can legally record a conversation with someone who has no idea you’re recording the conversation. For the most part, all states are one-party consensus states with the exception of ten: California, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Washington. Connecticut and Nevada are “mixed” consent states where consent laws vary depending on the situation.

Driving barefoot… or completely naked

You can drive naked in any US state as long as you don’t violate any other laws regarding public nudity—for example, if you expose yourself to a child, the charge of public indecency becomes a sex crime. Drive naked if you want, but do it where no one can see you.

Draw or possess obscene caricatures of fictional characters.

Hey, it’s none of my business what you make Bugs Bunny do to Scooby-Doo in the privacy of their own bedroom. In most places, your… creative freedom… isn’t illegal . But some regions may have stricter obscenity laws. And of course, this assumes that your drawings are not related to and will never be shared with minors.

Owning a pet tiger

You could be next in line to the throne of the Tiger King. Although there is no federal law prohibiting the ownership of wildlife in the United States , exotic animal laws vary by state. For example, Nevada, Wisconsin, Alabama and North Carolina have virtually no state regulations on wildlife ownership. Again, this is a perfect example of the difference between legality and ethics . In many cases, private ownership of tigers threatens public safety and undermines conservation efforts.

Bottom line: Know your rights. Ride naked. Stretch pennies. And create all the freaky AI porn you want .