LANCE FRY/ SCROLL ILLUSTRATION

Illegal things not to do in Rexburg

by Dominique Perkins PER04022@BYUI.EDU Scroll Staff

If you thought urban legends were weird, wait until you hear about some of Rexburg, Idaho’s small town legends. Students at BYU-Idaho appear to have a few misconceptions about what activities are actually outlawed during the winter months.

“I’ve heard that snowball fights are illegal,” Emily Black, a freshman from Nampa, Idaho, said. There is some truth to this rumor.

Lieutenant Randy Reese of the BYU-Idaho Division of the Rexburg Police Department said, “slushy, icy snowballs” can actually cause injuries, and thus fall into the illegal category.

This does not mean students are prohibited to have a friendly snowball fight.

“People having mutual snowball fights are not a problem,” Lt. Reese said. “It’s when those snowballs are unexpected or are a potential damage to people or property that they are a problem.”

There is also a rumor that it is illegal in the city of Rexburg to throw large marshmallows.

Many students, including Amber Hinton, a junior from Logan, Utah, have heard this. It could be true when looked at from a legal viewpoint.

There is a city ordinance against throwing objects. This applies mostly to eggs, rocks and other items that could cause harm or are unwelcome.

Lt. Reese said that technically, if the person who was hit with the marshmallow found it harmful or offensive, it could be considered illegal as covered by the throwing ordinance. However, the myth that marshmallows are specifically outlawed is false.

Another thing BYU-I students should be aware of during the winter months is the overnight parking ordinance.

No overnight parking is permitted between November 15 and March 1. Vehicles found on the street after 2 a.m. and before 7 a.m. will be towed, as they interfere with snowplowing.

Also involving the use of the roads is the practice of “hooky-bobbing,” or sliding down the street while hanging onto moving vehicles. This is also dangerous and unacceptable.

Hooky-bobbing also refers to pulling inner tubes and skiers behind cars.

The same rule applies to spinning donuts and riding snowmobiles in the streets. No matter how much snow is covering the roads, or how empty the streets may be, such activities are illegal.

It turns out that most of the crazy things you hear about in Rexburg during the winter are just rumors and legends. However, when dealing with snow and ice, safety should come first.