Santa Monica bans sit-ups!

Back in the 50s and 60s, California had the reputation of being the “wild and crazy state”. People that found the east coast too “uptight” moved to California by the millions. And it was one big party for the next 20 years. But then, sometime in the late 80s (after all the coke wore off), California changed. No longer “wild and crazy”, California instead became “the nanny state”. Smoking was banned, as were trans fats and fast food restaurants.

You can now add stationary exercise to that list of banned items, at least in Santa Monica. It is now illegal to perform any “stationary exercise” (such as sit-ups or jumping jacks) in the city of Santa Monica. Heathen lawbreakers will be fined up to $158 and can spend up to 36 months in the stocks (OK, I made up that last part).

The ban isn’t as ludicrous as it might initially sound. Apparently Santa Monica has many grassy medians in the city streets, and people were gathering there to do pilates and other exercises. They were apparently loud, they tore up the grass, and often left litter behind. The Fourth Street median in particular had essentially turned into an overcrowded, ’round the clock free gym. This didn’t sit well with people that lived there, so they complained. The police then instructed park rangers to start enforcing an existing ban on such activities.

Amusingly, there is no ban against “non-stationary” exercise like jogging or walking.

Read all about it here.