Laws are meant to give society structure, set standards for behavior, and help keep people safe. But just because they’re written down doesn’t mean everyone follows them.
One Redditor asked: What is something illegal that almost everyone does anyway? The answers ranged from minor slip-ups to rules you might not even know existed. Scroll down to see what they shared, and decide for yourself if these “offenses” are terrible or not so bad.
Just remember, this isn’t an endorsement—be responsible with your own choices.
#1
Downloading copyrighted media …. Allegedly .. not me obviously … in fact I don’t even know what downloading is ….
Image source: GuybrushFunkwood, Santeri Viinamäki
#2
Clicking ‘I have read and agree to the terms and conditions.
Image source: Professional_Goat442, Jeswin Thomas/Pexels
#3
I don’t know about illegal, but I’m in my twentieth year of my winrar free trial.
Image source: rawker86
#4
Drive over the speed limit.
At least occasionally.
Image source: anon, Hassan OUAJBIR/Pexels
#5
Drinking when under the age limit restrictions.
Image source: coolbr33z, Elina Sazonova/Pexels
#6
Jaywalk.
Image source: ShallotWooden3109, Yura Forrat/Pexels
#7
Littering and not picking up after their dogs when they poop. It’s gross and i’m sick of seeing it.
Image source: anon, Suzy Hazelwood/Pexels
#8
Copyright/IP/TOS. SO many things rely on violating some kind of copyright or IP, or a term of service deep in a contract no one read. Granted, I do it very intentionally, but if YouTube, or the internet in general, had to rely on the word of actual IP law, nothing would exist online but text, and a good portion of that would be illegal.
Example, years ago the internet was full of websites where people wrote out guitar tabs for songs, unofficial, made by some guy online, a bunch of numbers and dashes showing you how to play a copyrighted song on guitar. The RIAA decided that was not legal, now all of the websites that don’t pay them money, again to post text documents that are entirely numbers and dashes some guy guessed is the correct way to play a song, shut down.
E: 2-2–2-4-5–5-5-4-2-2 There, I broke the law.
Image source: glopthrowawayaccount, Umberto/Unsplash
#9
Distracted driving. Whether texting, changing the radio, eating or drinking….its all classified under distracted driving. (May vary some by state).
Image source: EyeConscious857, Norma Mortenson/Pexels
#10
Here in NH, weed is illegal. Yet everyone smokes, we just go to Massachusetts for our goods lol.
Image source: jilecsid513, Aphiwat chuangchoem/Pexels
#11
Texting/looking at phone while driving.
Everyone is against it, but pick any random car and look…odds are good you will see someone doing it, or doing the look up look down thing.
And checking at red-lights counts as texting/driving. The law in my state, and in most other states, doesn’t differentiate between the car moving and the car being stationary.
So you a******s doing it at red lights are still breaking the law in addition to not paying attention when it turns green.
Image source: ImprovementFar5054, Roman Pohorecki/Pexels
#12
“Oh the speed limit is 65? Better go 85 and then be annoyed at people who are going 75”.
Image source: anon, Pixabay/Pexels
#13
Online piracy.
Image source: CristianoMbappe, freestocks.org/Pexels
#14
For cyclists, traffic lights are recommendations.
Image source: TearDownGently, Yura Forrat/Pexels
#15
Tailgating nobody keeps a safe following distance anymore.
Image source: Present-Loss5880
#16
Travel in the NBA.
Image source: LazyShinobi, Erik Drost/Wikimedia Commons
#17
Driving behavior in big cities is often more illegal than legal. Speeding, failing to signal, aggressive driving, failing to yield, phone use/distracted driving… And that’s just one traffic light to the next for many drivers!
Image source: ajs423, Gabriel Hohol/Pexels
#18
Driving like f**king maniacs and endangering everyone else to gain mere seconds.
LEAVE EARLIER if you’re in a rush. It’s crazy how it didn’t bother me that much before, but now that i have a child, if somebody endagers while my child in the car by driving like a maniac, it makes me unreasonably angry at them.
Image source: Miltzzz, Tolga Ahmetler/Pexels
#19
Feeding pigeons. It’s illegal in most places.
Image source: Red_Marvel, Pam Crane/Pexels
#20
P**n website is forbidden is south korea but we use vpn.
Image source: Jaehlee203, cottonbro studio/Pexels
#21
Not fully stopping at Stop signs.
Image source: dameon8888, Fabio Lima/Pexels
#22
Have a garage sale and not report the earnings to the IRS for taxes.
Image source: Your_As_Stupid_As_Me, Anastasiya Badun/Pexels
#23
Jaywalking. At least in the small tourist town I’m from. Drives me up the wall because traffic is always bad during high season and avoiding clueless drivers who aren’t from here AND meat-and-skin based obstacles at the same time is hard as hell. Especially when they hide behind cars to jump in front of you outside of a crosswalk. It’s like these people go on vacation and decide “I’d like to get ran over and die today.”
Rant over thank you for listening.
Image source: xxxtenderloin
#24
Dark tinted windows.
Image source: Shaepaigee, dumitru B/Pexels
#25
A lot of comments here have a skewed view of “almost everyone”. I think speeding is probably the only true answer. (Weed is legal all over the place and also done by a minority of ppl. Most ppl wouldn’t know how to pirate a movie. ).
Image source: scbalazs, Taras Makarenko/Pexels
#26
Not giving your true birthday when you verify age on a website. (Eg, just plugging in 01/01/1980.) Violation of federal hacking laws, because you’re given fraudulent information to access a protected computer system.
Image source: PoopMobile9000, Eren Li/Pexels
#27
Fail to pay use tax.
For those who don’t know, you typically owe use tax on items you buy from outside your state if you haven’t paid sales tax on them. Not that anyone ever pays – the ONLY instance I’ve ever seen it paid involved a quasi-governmental agency paying it.
Image source: ISeeTheFnords
#28
Insider Trading. Overvaluing assets on loan applications.
Image source: anon
#29
Peeing in public. (Like, in a pinch).
Image source: Eamonnshaman, Donald Trung Quoc Don (Chữ Hán: 徵國單) /Wikimedia Commons
#30
Turning on to a road into the far lane.
Image source: toughplaydough, Aleks Magnusson/Pexels
#31
Swear in public (at least in the uk).
Image source: anon, Ali Bensoula/Pexels
#32
Rip off your mattress tag.
Image source: TadpoleSuspicious576
#33
Not telling the IRS about that money you found on the street or wherever. If it was a gain, they want to know.
Image source: SnooRabbits8398
#34
Oral s*x. Illegal depending on the state you live in.
Image source: dreamsellerlb
#35
Watching p**n when you’re under 18.
Image source: rudown2brown, VAZHNIK/Pexels
#36
To own a pet in USA and Canada (and am sure in other countries) without pet license.
Image source: racist-hotdog, Bekka Mongeau/Pexels
#37
Cutting grass and leaving the grass in the street and sidewalk, drives me insane.
Image source: pittsburgher351, Pascal Küffer/Pexels
Follow Us
