The Po-Po in Pocatello have NO sense of humor

Well, that was $14 worth of gas I'm not going to get back.

Pocatello is about 50 miles from Idaho Falls, so I used the drive time to scheme and decide which shots I want to get.  And where.  Idaho State University has a campus there, so that was going to be one of the main spots.

I also planned on going to a fairly populous area, to get reaction shots of people as I scowl and sneer at them.

Driving into town, we passed the police station.  I HAD to pull over.  This was the perfect spot to start!  Talk about a 'thumb your nose to authority' spot...

...but that was the mistake.

My photographer and I start taking pictures, laughing the entire time.  After a minute or two, there is a tap on my shoulder.

It's a cop.

"Excuse me son, what are you doing?"

I stammer... "We're taking pictures of the police department..."

"Well why are you making all those funny faces?  I don't get it."

I explain to him the law, and how I was here taking pictures as kind of a mockery to the law.  I end by saying "I'm sure that's an old law, and probably off the books by now.  So, heh, no harm no foul, right?"

"Heh, sure.  I don't see the big deal.  But hold on a second, ok?  I'm going to be right back.  Stay right there."

He takes a few steps away, and starts talking into his walkie talkie.

2 minutes later, he's back, with a stern look on his face.  "Apparently it's still a valid law.  And I'm afraid I need to write you a ticket for this violation."

It's a $50 fine.  I argue and try to wiggle out of the ticket, but he's serious.  FINALLY, he relents a little bit.  "Ok, ok... I won't give you this ticket, on one condition."

So I met his condition.

I deleted all the pictures of my trip as he watched.  All offending pictures were removed from my camera's memory card, and then he sent me on may way.  He initially wanted to confiscate my camera altogether, but I was able to talk him down to just destroying the evidence.

So, yeah.  2 1/2 hours, and all to show from the trip is some sweaty palms, a lower gas gauge on my car, and this lone picture of Poky.

...have a nice day.

Funny Idaho Laws: THE RESULTS

And the results are in, peoples...

The most popular law to break is:

Pocatello, ID:  A person may not be seen in public without a smile on their face.  (“It is prohibited for pedestrians and motorists to display frowns, grimaces, scowls, threatening and glowering looks, gloomy and depressed facial appearances, generally all of which reflect unfavorably upon the city’s reputation.”)

So I will be driving to Pocatello tomorrow to made sad, angry, and other various faces at the locals.

Some of the poses will include (but are not limited to):

The "Sad Keanu" face

The Cheney sneer

The 'FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF' Tobey Maguire

And the Pauly D

Have any more ideas?  Let me know!  Expect the results sometime tomorrow afternoon/evening.  Ciao!

Funny Idaho Laws (and I'm gonna break some)

I have seen other bloggers making posts of funny laws in their state, but I'm going to up the ante a little.

I'm going to break one of these laws this weekend.  And you're going to help me choose which one.

Here are a list of absurd laws found in Idaho:

- You may not fish on a camel’s back.

- Boise, ID:  Residents may not fish from a giraffe’s back.

- If a police officer approaches a vehicle and suspects that the occupants are engaging in sex, he must either honk, or flash his lights and wait for three minutes before approaching the car.

- Bicycles are not allowed in the tennis courts.

- Pocatello, ID:  A person may not be seen in public without a smile on their face.  (“It is prohibited for pedestrians and motorists to display frowns, grimaces, scowls, threatening and glowering looks, gloomy and depressed facial appearances, generally all of which reflect unfavorably upon the city’s reputation.”)

- Riding a merry-go-round on Sundays is considered a crime.

- A boy may only court a girl after obtaining written permission from her father.

- Children up to the age of 14 must have a certificate signed by their parents to testify that they regularly brush their teeth.

- Idaho Falls: It is illegal for anyone over the age of eighty-eight to ride a motorcycle. 

- You are not allowed to sleep in a dog kennel. (unless you are a dog)

- You can't buy or sell chickens after sundown without the sheriff's permission.

- Non-married couples in Idaho who engage in sexual intercourse can be jailed for up to six months.

- It is Illegal for a man to give his sweetheart a box of candy weighing less than fifty pounds.

To vote, leave a comment telling me which law you want to see me break.  I'm not over 88, so I can't do the motorcycle one.  And I'm not a police officer, so I can't do the sex one.  But you get the idea.  Vote for your favorite, and I'll post the results on Sunday.