Years ago I was arrested for shoplifting, and they were clearance items. Now, who did I injure? Macy's was insured. But no, they had to get all uppity. There was no bloodshed. I think they could've just let me return everything.

Pirates

"I would say: "pirating" any media that's out of circulation and only available from second hand offers. That goes from old SNES games, to music and books which are out of print, up to movies which aren't available on DVD or streams."

- HelpfulDeparture

Rough Surf

"Dumpster diving."

- very_big_books

"It's a liability thing. Let's say some bozo jumps into your trash and accidentally gets stuck by a incorrectly-discarded needle, they can sue. Whether or not they win is a different situation, but it's just easier to not let people go through my refuse."

- ImbibingInAnguish

Traffic

"Jaywalking where there's no traffic."

- slickshot

"Jaywalking is an American thing I think. I was kind of confused by the concept when I first went to the US. Where I am from (UK/Netherlands) you can cross where and whenever you like. Although there are crossings to help you get across in heavy traffic, you are not legally obliged to use them."

- I_am_the_horse_man_2

Street Funds

"Feeding parking meters. Illegal where I live, which is dumb, because the funds from parking meters go to the mayor's commission to end homelessness. Not only am I preventing someone from getting a ticket, I'm also helping the homeless population."

- SalemScout

"Cities count on a certain amount of revenue from parking tickets. You are depriving the police their donut allowance, and the commissioners their pocket lining."

- Efarm12

And Pennies?

"Throwing a quarter in someone's meter... county/borough gets the money... saves someone a ticket."

- pgh613

That all seems like a bunch of nonsense. Who even has the time to sit around making up these rules? Seriously, there are better things to do with time and... the law.

Munchies

"Sneaking snacks into a movie theater."

- green_phrog

Hands Up

"In Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, it is illegal to ride a bicycle without using both hands to steer."

"So, I'm a criminal defense attorney and I am going to share a sort of multi-year mental/philosophical battle I had relevant to this topic. When I was in high school, I took a criminal justice elective course. One day, during class, we discussed the topic of victimless crimes."

"Crime, obviously is something that is against the law. However, it is generally understand that a crime is an act harmful not only to some individual but also to a community, society, or the state. So, by it's very nature, there should not be a such thing as "victimless crime," because crime necessarily requires a victim."

"So, of course, we bring up that drug use, marijuana as a primary example, does not create a victim. My teacher's argument was that there are numerous "victims" of drug use: the user who may accomplish less than they would but for the substance use; children of the user who may receive inadequate care because of the use (or simply the parent having less money); friends and family of the user who may receive less attention or whatever from the user; etc."

"For a number of years I generally accepted that as a valid point, there ARE victims of drug use. For whatever reason, this stuck in my mind for a long time, and when I was in law school I was researching something of a similar nature when it finally freaking occurred to me: crime requires a victim. So, while a drug user may not properly provide care for their child, the drug use isn't a crime. The crime is child abuse, and the drug use is an aggravating factor."

"Which brings me back to the no riding a bicycle with no hands thing. Riding a bicycle with no hands does not necessarily create a victim, so it is not a "crime" (I mean it's illegal, but that is bullcrap for anyone who understands what crime is, philosophically). Failing to heed to traffic is a crime because negligence caused an accident that would not have otherwise occurred, creating victims. If you failed to heed because you were riding a bicycle with no hands, that is an aggravating factor, but the no hands thing is not a crime, it is an attempt to prevent other crime by prohibiting victimless behavior."

- hostilecarrot

It's a plant...

"Smoking weed that I grew myself."

- chinchenping

"UK here. You can legally buy everything you need to grow weed from legitimate tax paying businesses (seeds, nutes, lights, grow tent etc) the minute you germinate that seed you are breaking the law. It never ceases to amaze me. It's a plant. Considerably less harmful than alcohol (although still not 100% risk/harm free). I feel like you may as well arrest people for growing parsley."

- PensiveKnitter

No Harm

"A victimless crime is generally an illegal criminal act that does not have an identifiable victim."

"This generally includes actions that only involve the perpetrator or something voluntary between consenting adults. Victimless crimes are also known as crimes against the state that do not harm society."

- akisagr

Wrong is wrong. I suppose this will be an eternal issue. But who gets to say what's wrong? And does there always have to be a victim? Things to ponder. The cycle continues.