Ah, Halloween: a time for mischief-making! While your light vandalism might seem like it's all in good fun, if you're caught using Silly String in Hollywood, your lil' prank will set you back a cool $1,000. Not so fun after all, is it now?
We've reported on this before but thought it might be a good reminder for any ghouls and goblins out there who might be tempted to pick up a few cans at the neighborhood 99 Cent Store. The sign goes up every year at Halloween, and around other raucously celebrated holidays (i.e. New Year's Eve), and was spotted again by comedian/ musician Jon Wurster today:
The ordinance against fun Silly String was passed by the city in 2004. You can read it in full here, but essentially silly string and silly strings cans are banned on this particular day because they can become a safety hazard that "may cause pedestrians and police officers on horseback or motorcycles to slip and fall; the cans may be used as weapons in the event of a melee; and in the past the cans have been thrown at store windows along Hollywood Boulevard."
Ok, those are some pretty solid points against silly string, especially on a holiday that can attract massive, quasi-anonymous (disguised!) crowds. It's also bad for the environment, as the empty cans wind up clogging storm drains and sailing out to the ocean.
In case you're wondering if L.A. Scanner has any more scoop on this issue, they are already aware that the signs are up again, so don't bug them about it!
Don't @ me about the silly string. You all made your own bed & I'm riding an endorphin high from my "Hamilton" @soulcycle class.
— @LAScanner (@LAScanner) October 30, 2016
In conclusion, if you're just dying to know more about the history of and the many uses for Silly String, I might recommend the Wikipedia page for some compelling reading. For example, did you know the United States military used silly string to detect trip wires in Iraq?
Ok, anyway, Happy Halloween!
