# Is i illegal to fart? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 25, 2004, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-i-illegal-to-fart/266080 "2004-09-25T21:29:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2004, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-i-illegal-to-fart/266080/1 "2004-09-25T21:29:02Z")
Is it illegal to fart in public anywhere in the world? Singapore comes to mind. šŸ˜‰ Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2004, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-i-illegal-to-fart/266080/2 "2004-09-25T21:57:12Z")
Damn, if it is, weā€™ll all be going to jail! ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2004, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-i-illegal-to-fart/266080/3 "2004-09-25T22:08:54Z")
Spitting, cursing, pissing in the alley, and yelling can all get you in trouble in many places. I guess farting would be hard to prove, though. The old addage ā€œA dog smells his own shit firstā€ might apply. Somebody cracked one in Raleyā€™s (a supermarket) the other day is why I ask. It was _really_ bad. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ccd318/32.png) [@John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Kentzel-Griffin)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2004, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-i-illegal-to-fart/266080/4 "2004-09-25T22:37:56Z")
What did the police say when you called 911? ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2004, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-i-illegal-to-fart/266080/5 "2004-09-25T22:49:26Z")
> [@DrMatrix](#): > > What did the police say when you called 911? I shouldā€™ve called, but I didnā€™t. Ruined my pork chop shopping experience, though. ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2004, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-i-illegal-to-fart/266080/6 "2004-09-25T23:05:11Z")
It seems that the City Council of Bend, Oregon once considered passing legislation which would make it illegal to fart while riding a city bus: [http://www.mikesnewsquips.freeservers.com/newsquipsJANUARY2003.html](http://www.mikesnewsquips.freeservers.com/newsquipsJANUARY2003.html) Hereā€™s another page which suggests that the legislation passed: > **[GasBGon Flatulence Filter Seat Cushion](https://www.metafilter.com/comments.mefi/22868)** > > Clear the air, not the room. 'You no longer have to be embarrassed by the untimely passing of intestinal gas among your friends or family.' The GasBGon Flatulence Filter Seat Cushion '...has been... ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2004, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-i-illegal-to-fart/266080/7 "2004-09-25T23:11:22Z")
Poking around google stuff I found [this](http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-207255.html). Now Iā€™m going to look at **Washoe** ā€™s links. ---
**Author:** ![ltfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@ltfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ltfire)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2004, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-i-illegal-to-fart/266080/8 "2004-09-25T23:52:01Z")
Couldnā€™t you be charged with olfactory assault? What if you took a swing at someone and missed? What if you threw a ball at some one and missed? Wouldnā€™t this be the same thing? What if you sided up to a cop and let one go? After he punched out your lights, would you think he would charge you with an offense? Itā€™s offensive, but, is it an offense? ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2004, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-i-illegal-to-fart/266080/9 "2004-09-26T00:48:57Z")
Sidle up to a cop. Damn, I never thought of that. I asked a trio of S.F. cops once where the best donuts were. They didnā€™t _really_ think it was funny. There were a couple of cute teenage girls standing there. You _know_ how (male) cops are about teenage girls. ---
**Author:** ![legion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/838e76/32.png) [@legion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/legion)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2004, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-i-illegal-to-fart/266080/10 "2004-09-26T01:26:56Z")
Illegal? In some totalitarian regimes farting is actively encouraged among the security services as a legitimate weapon in their arsenal of [crowd control tools! (last picture on page)](http://homepage.ntlworld.com/tg.pirie/news/news12.html) ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2004, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-i-illegal-to-fart/266080/11 "2004-09-26T02:12:23Z")
But how would they be able to _prove_ who laid the nasty poot? Itā€™s not like a purple cloud exits your bowels, lending positive ID to the criminal like exploding dye packs do for bank robbers. Would the lactose intolerant receive ā€˜Get out of Fart Jail Freeā€™ cards? What about noise but no odor? Do you get off with a warning? Johnnie Cochran for the defense: ā€œ_If it donā€™t smell like sh_t, you must acquit.\*ā€ Would repeat offendors have to wear a yellow ā€œFā€ on their clothing? Many questions. šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2004, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-i-illegal-to-fart/266080/12 "2004-09-26T03:02:52Z")
Iā€™ll give you this much, **mangeorge,** you sure seem to come up with the interesting questions. šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2004, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-i-illegal-to-fart/266080/13 "2004-09-26T04:22:59Z")
> [@danceswithcats](#): > > But how would they be able to _prove_ who laid the nasty poot? Itā€™s not like a purple cloud exits your bowels, lending positive ID to the criminal like exploding dye packs do for bank robbers. > > Would the lactose intolerant receive ā€˜Get out of Fart Jail Freeā€™ cards? > > What about noise but no odor? Do you get off with a warning? > Johnnie Cochran for the defense: ā€œ_If it donā€™t smell like sh_t, you must acquit.\*ā€ > > Would repeat offendors have to wear a yellow ā€œFā€ on their clothing? > > Many questions. šŸ˜‰ Airborne DNA. Some farts smell so bad, thereā€™s gotta be dead cells in there. No excuses. Iā€™d advise buying Beano stock. Sales should rise dramatically. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2004, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-i-illegal-to-fart/266080/14 "2004-09-26T04:29:07Z")
> [@ExTank](#): > > Iā€™ll give you this much, **mangeorge,** you sure seem to come up with the interesting questions. šŸ™‚ So what were the repercussions for letting loose in a tamk, Tank? ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2004, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-i-illegal-to-fart/266080/15 "2004-09-26T04:36:11Z")
Well, if you accidently pee yourself I donā€™t think anyone would fine you, but if you purposely decide to pee on the street because you just didnā€™t feel like holding it, you can get fined. I could sorta see that with farts. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2004, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-i-illegal-to-fart/266080/16 "2004-09-26T07:48:28Z")
[Joe Friday voice]\*Saturday, 11:28 PM. My partner and I were working out of Fart Patrol-East LA. A tough assignment-lots of Mexican take-out joints. Got a radio call for a 428-a massive nasty poot-the caller was Titoā€™s Taco Shoppe. Hello Maā€™am. Nameā€™s Friday. Can you tell me what happened? Well, this fellow was in line to pick up his order, and suddenly the people around him started retching and passing out. Anybody say anything? Yeah-light a match! Go to the can, man! Jesus, you stink! Is this fellow a regular? I donā€™t know if heā€™s irregular or not-he should be with a stinky butt like that. No, Maā€™am. I meant, is he a regular customer here at Titoā€™s? Oh, yes. Every day. Two double bean burritos, extra hot sauce, side order of refried beans, and a Coke. Know where he works? I think itā€™s just down the street, but Iā€™m not sure. Donā€™t worry, Maā€™am, Iā€™ll follow my nose.\*[/voice] [Announcer voice]And so the stinky bum sleuth is off in pursuit of another bad-assed criminal[/voice] Bum-bum-bum-bum. Bum-bum-bum-bum-BUM. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2004, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-i-illegal-to-fart/266080/17 "2004-09-26T14:10:43Z")
Not all farts can be held. It would be like making it illegal to cough. ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2004, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-i-illegal-to-fart/266080/18 "2004-09-26T14:57:15Z")
> [@danceswithcats](#): > > But how would they be able to _prove_ who laid the nasty poot? Itā€™s not like a purple cloud exits your bowels, lending positive ID to the criminal like exploding dye packs do for bank robbers. > > Would the lactose intolerant receive ā€˜Get out of Fart Jail Freeā€™ cards? > > What about noise but no odor? Do you get off with a warning? > Johnnie Cochran for the defense: ā€œ_If it donā€™t smell like sh_t, you must acquit.\*ā€ > > Would repeat offendors have to wear a yellow ā€œFā€ on their clothing? > > Many questions. šŸ˜‰ Your posts got me cracking up! Good points though. How, in California :rolleyes: , can they prove someone tooted? ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2004, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-i-illegal-to-fart/266080/19 "2004-09-26T16:07:11Z")
Being stuffed into the breech and launched out the main gun like a circus act. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2004, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-i-illegal-to-fart/266080/20 "2004-09-26T17:04:03Z")
They can have my fart when they pry it from my cold, deadā€¦ oh, never mind. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-i-illegal-to-fart/266080.md?page=2)