HALLOWEEN is a time for fun, mischief and make-believe but some towns have set limits of how far you can go with those celebrations.
Silly string has long been associated with Halloween for messy decoration and pulling pranks, however some may not know that its use is banned in some parts of America.
Banned
The use of silly string has been banned in several states across America.
There are various reasons for banning the product, including cleanup and removal costs and fears around the potential damage to house or vehicle paint.
The use of silly string has been banned in the village of Ridgewood, New Jersey since the late 1990s.
California also take silly string very seriously.
The use, sale, possession or even distribution of silly string is prohibited in Hollywood, California from 12:00am on October 31 until 12:00pm on November 1.
And you could be fined up to $1000 for just holding the can.
In 2001, the town of Middleborough, Massachusetts banned silly string altogether, with offenders facing a $300 fine.
It wasn’t long before other states joined in with the banning of silly string.
In 2015, the town of Huntington, Long Island banned the sale of silly string within 1,500 feet of the route of a parade.
This ban came into force after the local fire department complained that the substance inside silly string was damaging the paint on its fire trucks.
Fun fact
Silly string has been around for decades and its creation was accidental.
In 1972 Leonard A. Fish and chemist Robert P. Cox tried to design an aerosol spray cast that could quickly be administered to broken bones.
But instead of creating a cast they got foam like string that can spray over 30 feet in distance, which went on to be a toy and Halloween prop for kids.
Signage in LA deterring people from using silly string with a reminder of the penalty[/caption]
Also, did you know although silly string has a more serious purpose in the military?
Silly string has been used by the army to detect trip wires for explosive booby traps.
The string is sprayed in the air to reveal hidden tripwires by catching on them as it falls.
It was perfect for this use because of its light nature it doesn’t break the wires to trigger the explosive.
