Did You Know?trivialawhistorylondon
The Illegal Act of Beating a Carpet
It is illegal to beat or shake a carpet in a public street in London, though there is a bizarre exemption for doormats before 8:00 AM.
Another gem from the Metropolitan Police Act 1839: it is an offence to beat or shake any carpet, rug, or mat in any public thoroughfare.
However, the law includes a highly specific exemption: you are legally permitted to shake a doormat, but only if you do it before 8:00 in the morning. This was an attempt to keep the streets free from clouds of dust during the busy daytime hours of the 19th century.