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California is a truly one-of-a-kind state. The state’s culture and makeup are different from any other state — and it’s even on a different tectonic plate than the other 47 contiguous states. The state even has some laws that make it unique. Here are some of those fun California facts and traffic laws that help make California the singular state that it is.
It’s Illegal to Jump from a Car Going 65 MPH in Glendale
In Glendale, California, it’s illegal to jump from a moving car that’s going 65 miles per hour or faster. While many other places may have laws against jumping from a moving car, Glendale’s likely the only one that makes 65 miles per hour the cutoff — jumping from a car going 64 miles per hour isn’t prohibited in the city.
Legal doesn’t mean safe. We don’t usually advise jumping from any moving car, if it can be avoided. We recommend first pressing the break and coming to a complete stop before getting out of a vehicle.
You Can’t Grow Rutabagas on Roads in Chico
If you want to start a rutabaga farm in Chico, California, don’t plan on planting anything on the road. It’s illegal to plant the vegetable in roadways. Other vegetables might be alright to plant in the road.
Spilling Margaritas on City Streets is Prohibited in Hermosa Beach
When sipping margaritas in Hermosa Beach, California, either avoid getting tipsy or stay away from the streets. Driving while intoxicated is, of course, illegal, but the city also prohibits spilling margaritas on any city street. Doing so could land you in serious legal trouble.
Sleeping on the Road Isn’t Allowed in Eureka
In Eureka, California, it’s illegal to use the road as a bed. It’s easy to see why a city wouldn’t want someone sleeping next to fast-moving traffic, but we can’t figure out why this law would even come up. Who wants to sleep on the road? There’s bound to be a more comfortable surface nearby.
The Golden Gate Bridge Spans the Channel to the Largest Landlocked Harbor
At 1.7 miles long, the Golden Gate Bridge is far from the longest bridge in the world. It’s not even the longest bridge in the San Francisco area — the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge has a total length of almost 4.5 miles.
The Golden Gate Bridge, though, goes over the opening to the world’s largest landlocked harbor — the San Francisco Bay. Unlike a lake, a landlocked harbor isn’t entirely surrounded by land. It may have a narrow channel that opens to the ocean or sea.
Highway 1 is 655.8 Miles Long
California State Route 1, which is more commonly known as Highway 1, measures 655.8 miles long. The road runs along the Pacific Coastline from Orange County up to Mendocino County and features some of the most beautiful views from any road in the country.
The California Trail was About 3,000 Miles Long
The California Trail may not be as well-known as the Oregon Trail, but it was much more traveled — especially during the Gold Rush of 1849. An estimated 80,000 people traveled the Oregon Trail, and an estimated 200,300 people took the California Trail. (Until the 1849 Gold Rush, the Oregon Trail was about 5 times more popular than the California Trail.) The trail began along the Missouri River, running with the Oregon Trail for a long distance, before it branched off to California.
