How does your state work?

scotchandcigar

All I wanted was some steak
Feb 13, 2009
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Vacationland
This seemed like an interesting thread idea. Every state (or province) has their own way of doing things, like selling alcohol, or registering cars. Some of these are fairly routine; but some are effed-up or otherwise weird. To start things off, here are how some state controlled things are done in the states I've lived in.

New Jersey:

Pumping gas: As previously mentioned, the state with the 2-pack-a-day air quality doesn't feel it's safe for citizens to fill-up their own vehicles; so they leave that to the high-school dropouts with the criminal records, who work for the gas station. The last time I was there, they still had this law.

Car inspection: For the entire time I owned a car in NJ, they only allowed one DMV facility PER COUNTY to perform inspections. So it became an all-day thing; you'd take the day off work, to wait in-line (or on-line in Jersey) for your turn. You'd get out of your car, and the inspector would actually get in and drive it. This would include an emergency braking test: they'd gun the gas for about 50 ft, and then slam on the brakes over a square section marked on the pavement.

So here's a funny story. My first car was a 1970 Plymouth Duster with a 3-on-the-floor. What's that? It looks just like a 4-on-the-floor, but where you'd normally have 1st gear - up and to the left - was actually reverse. So the inspection guy gets into my car, puts it in (what he thinks is) 1st gear, and guns it. Only thing is that it's actually reverse, and he nearly runs over several people while almost backing into the next car in line. Good times.

Car registration: It is illegal to own a car that is unregistered. So if you have 4 non-running cars on your lawn, they still need to be registered. And if you don't turn your plates in, that's also against the law.

Liquor: Growing up, only dedicated liquor stores sold beer, wine, and hard liquor. None of that was sold at supermarkets or convenience stores. They may have changed that.

Massachusetts:

Liquor: Mass is the home of the "Packy", short for package store. That's where all alcoholic beverages are sold. "Hey, you goin' to the pehhhky? Yeah? Wicked pissah!". But be aware of the "blue laws". No liquor sales on Sunday, or no sales before noon on Sunday (it varied over time). The Wegman's goes so far as to put a moveable wall around the "liquor" area within the store, so they can open on Sunday while preventing liquor sales.

Car registration: Here's the most effed-up thing about Mass. In order to register your car at one of the few DMVs in the region, you first need to contact your insurance company, provide them with all of the info, including title, or temporary title, financing, purchase documents, sale documents, your driver's license etc., and they will eventually draft an official document called an RMV-1. The first 2 or 3 times they do this, it will have several things wrong with it. But eventually, they'll get it right. However, that doesn't get you anywhere. The RMV-1 has to somehow get received directly by the registry. To do this, you have to call them approximately 100 times, and if they answer, they may give you a fax number that someone will be attending for 5 seconds, or an email that won't work.

Don't think of going to the DMV if they haven't received that form. You also need an ORIGINAL title for your car, even if it's leased or financed and you don't have the title. And you must have already transferred your driver's license (with all that entails) to Mass. Good luck.

New Hampshire:

Liquor: The "Live free or die" state controls the sale of all hard liquor. You can only get hard liquor from a NH state liquor store, but they're conveniently located right on the major highways; easy-on, easy-off. NH is proud to have no sales taxes, so people flock there to buy liquor, cigarettes, and fireworks. Oddly, you can't buy beer in a NH state liquor store. You can buy beer and wine almost anywhere else, but no beer at the liquor store, and no hard liquor at other places that sell beer and wine.

Car registration: Since you don't technically need to have insurance on a car in NH, registration is pretty easy. You also don't need to wear a helmet on a motorcycle.

Maine:

Liquor: In Maine, you can get all liquor everywhere. You can buy scotch and beer in Walgreens, or any supermarket or convenience store. The price of hard liquor is controlled by the state, but they don't have state stores.

Car inspection: Any gas station or repair shop can inspect your car. It costs $12.50, no matter where you go. Generally, Maine is an easy and friendly state.
 
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Channel98

Don't yell or hit.
Feb 2, 2019
11,862
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Glendale CA
With more than 97% of California in a severe drought and many lakes and reservoirs at their lowest level in history, water agencies are imposing new restrictions. The Los Angeles DWP (Department of Water & Power) decreed yesterday that residents can water their yards only twice a week. People whose address ends in an odd number can water on Monday and Friday. People whose address ends in an even number can water on Thursday and Sunday. Watering is limited to eight minutes a day – or 30 minutes a day for "sprinklers with water-conserving nozzles." And no watering is allowed between 9 AM and 4 PM.

I present this for your amazement and amusement:

 
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Aaron

Moderator
Oct 10, 2008
16,241
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South Louisiana
Louisiana:

Liquor - you can buy anywhere, everywhere sells hard liquor including gas stations and CVS.
Open container laws are not a thing here, you can walk around New Orleans drinking your alcoholic beverages.

Drive-Thru Daquiri shops are very common here. What can go wrong with this??

The median here in a roadway is still referred to as the neutral ground... because 300 hundred years ago or something Canal Street was the dividing line between Spain and France.

New Orleans should never be pronounced as New OrlEEnz.
Do not to pronounce it as N'Awlins either, unless saying it in jest.
Try New Orlins. Strangely, New Orleans is in Orleans parish, which is pronounced like OrlEEnz.

Never refer to Crawfish as Crawdads. Just don't.

Our counties are call parishes.

Quoting this because I don't fully understand it, "Although legislators in 49 states use common law, Louisiana is the only state with a legal code that is primarily based on civil law, which augments the effects of the interpretation of each law and downgrades the impact of legal precedence."
 

Jon

Well-Known Member
Dec 16, 2008
15,331
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It’s illegal to hit a tree while Skiing in Vail.

Boulder, it’s illegal to herd pigs in public.

Also in Boulder, it’s illegal to ride a horse while drinking.
 

sadchild

Dude
Mar 28, 2016
12,868
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NH
www.asimplecomplex.com
So here's a funny story.
DAMN!
one DMV facility PER COUNTY
That's hell.
illegal to own a car that is unregistered
WTF?
Here's the most effed-up thing about Mass.
I had no idea, that's insanity.
you don't technically need to have insurance on a car in NH
I accidentally hit another car in stop and go traffic when I was in my 20s. Not real bad. I didn't have insurance. I ended up doing a payment plan for the damage, like $50 a month for couple years or something like that (I think it was one of those companies that buys debts then tries to collect them? Something like that?)
 
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sadchild

Dude
Mar 28, 2016
12,868
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NH
www.asimplecomplex.com
Pronunciation of some New England locations.

Try to say it first. Then look at the answer.

Coos County, NH.
Not "KOOSE", it's "KOH-oss" I didn't learn that one until I was in my 40s.

Milan, NH.
Not "mill-ANNE" like Italy, it's "MY-linn".

Worcester, MA.
Not "WAR-sess-ter", it's "WIST-er" (or "WIST-ah" with the proper non-rhotic Boston accent)

Tewksbury, MA.
Not "TUKES-bury", it's "TOOKS-bury" (like "I took a book")

Gloucester, MA.
Not "GLAOW-sess-ter", it's "GLAW-ster".

Scituate, MA.
Not "SKIT-you-ate", it's "SIT-chew-ett".

Billerica, MA.
Not "billa-RICK-ah", it's "bill-RICK-ah". The 'e' is silent for some reason.

Haverhill, MA.
Not "HAY-ver-hill", it's "HAY-vrill". Two syllables.

Calais, ME.
Not "kal-AIZ", it's "KAL-us" (or 'callous').

Machias, ME.
Not "MATCH-ee-as", it's "mah-CHY-us".
 

scotchandcigar

All I wanted was some steak
Feb 13, 2009
25,812
20,576
168
Vacationland
Louisiana:

Open container laws are not a thing here, you can walk around New Orleans drinking your alcoholic beverages.
I've done that in Key West, but never had the pleasure in New Orleans.

The median here in a roadway is still referred to as the neutral ground... because 300 hundred years ago or something Canal Street was the dividing line between Spain and France.
That's very odd-sounding. Like something an electrician would say.
 
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scotchandcigar

All I wanted was some steak
Feb 13, 2009
25,812
20,576
168
Vacationland
Things they say in New Jersey:

- If you want a whole pizza, you order a pie. "Anyone want to split a pie?"

- When you go into a club and they check your ID, you're getting "proofed" - as in proof of ID.

- When you're waiting with a line of people, you're waiting "on-line" - not in-line.

- if you're heading to the beach, you're going "down the shore". Once you get there, you're "down the shore".

- To turn off a road, or make a U-turn, there are "jughandles" at many intersections.

Things they say in Massachusetts:

- A soda, or any carbonated beverage, is called a "tonic". But it's pronounced TAW-nic.

- "Wicked" is a modifier for almost any word. Wicked hot, wicked cold. Wicked pissah.

- For every jughandle in NJ, there's a rotary in Mass.

- A cold-cut sub is called a "grinder", pronounced GRINE-dah.

- Those chocolate or multi-colored sprinkles on an ice cream cone are "jimmies".

- When they check your ID, you're getting "carded", pronounced CAH-ded.
 

IdRatherBeSkiing

Sherbet is NOT and NEVER WILL BE ice cream.
Oct 11, 2008
29,154
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Toronto, ON
I will start with ON. And not the wacky 1800s stuff about dead horses that is still on the books because nobody bothered to remove them.

Drivers licensees are graduated. @ 15.5 you can get a learners permit. @ 16 you can get your real license. For the first 2 years that is basically the same. Then you can drive without an adult. Then finally you can drive on a 400 level highway (interstate). I think there are tests and fees between each level too.

Car registration is complicated. Once you had your plate it used to be you could go in every 1-2 years and show you had insurance and they would give you new stickers. They got rid of the stickers but now to renew you need to have your vehicle inspected at an approved facility and make it 'roadworthy' then they will renew your plate (free of charge now although the inspection costs $100 + mandatory repair costs). This can be done online or at a ServiceOntario office. In order to get plate or renew you need proof of insurance. Liability insurance is mandatory here.

Hard liquor is only sold at LCBO stores (government run). They also will sell wine and beer. Beer is also sold at TheBeerStore. That is a retailer owned by the breweries and licensed by government to sell beer. Wine and beer has been allowed to be sold at select stores that are licensed by government and follow some rules. This is a change within the last 10 years of wine, within the last 2 years for beer.

Cannibus stores are freaking everywhere. I think they are licensed by the government but there is one in every little strip mall. We have a lot of stoners up here. All legal now. The only thing regulated is that you can only grow 4 plants on your own. Heavily taxed of course.

No open alcohol in car. Being stoned is the same as being drunk -- DUI. No menthol cigarettes, Drinking & smoking age: 19. Voting age: 18.

SK later.
 
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scotchandcigar

All I wanted was some steak
Feb 13, 2009
25,812
20,576
168
Vacationland
Cannibus stores are freaking everywhere. I think they are licensed by the government but there is one in every little strip mall. We have a lot of stoners up here. All legal now. The only thing regulated is that you can only grow 4 plants on your own. Heavily taxed of course.
You sound a little "old-man" -ish about pot. Having it legalized, and having a bunch of stores pop-up here seems to be all upside, with no downside. People were getting it anyway, but now it's creating jobs and bringing in millions to the state. And those who needed it medicinally, but were not getting it, are getting it now. New Hampshire continues to be the most bone headed state in New England. The Live Free Or Die state is the only one without legalized pot or gambling. They also have no sales or income taxes, so let's just keep jacking up everyone's property tax! Of course, legalized pot would hurt liquor sales, and we can't have that.
 

IdRatherBeSkiing

Sherbet is NOT and NEVER WILL BE ice cream.
Oct 11, 2008
29,154
15,163
168
Toronto, ON
You sound a little "old-man" -ish about pot. Having it legalized, and having a bunch of stores pop-up here seems to be all upside, with no downside. People were getting it anyway, but now it's creating jobs and bringing in millions to the state. And those who needed it medicinally, but were not getting it, are getting it now. New Hampshire continues to be the most bone headed state in New England. The Live Free Or Die state is the only one without legalized pot or gambling. They also have no sales or income taxes, so let's just keep jacking up everyone's property tax! Of course, legalized pot would hurt liquor sales, and we can't have that.
My experience with potheads is that they are almost in a cult. It's not just like they enjoy pot but pot is good for everything and everybody should use it not only for recreation but to cure all medical conditions. Nothing bad ever comes from smoking pot and you can't drive bad while stoned. Nobody says the same about alcohol or any other vice they have. That all being said, I support it being legal but the amount of stores here is ridiculous.