Your weekend hobby is okay in most places. But there are some that actually break the rules, as a few neighborhoods have banned these activities entirely. We checked out some neighborhood regulations & found nine hobbies that have been banned. Would you have gotten in trouble for any of these?
Backyard archery in Henrico County, Virginia
Practicing archery in your backyard isn’t a hobby one can pursue in Henrico County. That’s because county law says no arrows are allowed to be fired in residential or industrial areas. It could be something as small as having a target pinned to a hay bale. The rule still applies. The only exceptions are certain deer control programs or official indoor ranges.
Metal detecting in Bend, Oregon parks
Anyone who loves scanning the ground for lost treasures should stay out of parks in Bend, Oregon. It’s banned. The local recreation district completely bans metal detectors on its land, even if you’re not planning to dig up a single coin. Carrying a detector through a neighborhood park is against the rules.
RC models on Los Angeles MRCA parklands
Anyone with a remote-control car in Los Angeles will have to watch out. On land that the Mountains Recreation & Conservation Authority oversees, radio-controlled models aren’t allowed. They’re only permitted in a specific designated spot. That means RC cars & planes are off the table in those open spaces without special permission.
Model aircraft outside designated NYC fields
New York City doesn’t ban model aircraft everywhere. But it does limit the hobby to being in certain fields, like Calvert Vaux in Brooklyn or Flushing Meadows in Queens. These are some of the few approved flying zones. Showing up with a plane at an unlisted park means you’re breaking city park rules.
Backyard skate ramps in Haddonfield, New Jersey
Big half-pipes in your backyard may sound fun, but they’re not allowed in Haddonfield, New Jersey. The local ordinance bans permanent ramps in residential areas to minimize any noise related concerns. The only ramps permitted are portable ones, and even those have size & placement restrictions.
Physical geocaches in Boulder, Colorado
Geocachers in Boulder, Colorado, aren’t allowed to leave behind physical containers on Open Space & Mountain Parks property. Virtual caches are okay. But stashing a box or film canister in those natural areas? That’s against policy. The purpose of this rule is to prevent hidden items from piling up on land near residential trails.
Foraging in New York City parks
Many people enjoy foraging nut in New York City parks, you’re not allowed to do so. That’s because the rules forbid removing plants or even bringing tools for that purpose. The Bronx River Foodway is one of the few exceptions where limited foraging happens. Outside of that, it’s entirely banned.
Model rockets in Bend, Oregon parks
Launching model rockets is against the rules in parks in Bend, Oregon. The local district has prohibited them alongside archery & golfing, as well as a few other sports involving projectiles. Anyone hoping to send a rocket skyward will need to look beyond neighborhood parks. That is, unless they want a fine.
Paintball in Dallas city parks
Dallas has a strict no-projectile rule in its public parks. You’re not allowed to have a game of anything with a projectile with friends or even just a couple of shots at a tree. The city includes paintball markers as projectile weapons, which are banned. That’s not to say you can’t go paintballing at all. You’ll just need to stick to a private paintball field instead.
Source: Refer to each neighborhood’s publicly available regulations.
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