Making ice slides in the street is illegal in London
The Short Answer
The Metropolitan Police Act 1839 prohibits making or using "any slide upon ice or snow in any street or other thoroughfare, to the common danger of the passengers." This targeted the practice of street urchins polishing patches of ice to create slides.
The Full Story
This Victorian law was enacted to address a genuine public safety hazard. In the winter months, children and youths would polish patches of ice on streets to create impromptu slides for their amusement. While recreational for the youths, these slides became invisible hazards for pedestrians and horses, leading to falls and broken bones.
The phrasing "to the common danger" highlights the Act's focus on public liability and safety rather than a mere dislike of fun. The law remains technically in force in the Metropolitan Police District of London, though it is rarely if ever enforced in modern times.
The Metropolitan Police Act 1839 was part of a broader effort to regulate the chaotic streets of rapidly industrializing Victorian London, where horses, pedestrians, and vendors competed for limited space.
Common Misconceptions
People often think this law only applies to children or is purely historical with no modern relevance. In reality, it applies to anyone of any age and is still actively enforced during winter weather. Some believe it only covers deliberately constructed slides, but it can apply to any action that creates a dangerous icy surface for public use.
Actual Legal Text
Every person who shall make any slide upon ice or snow in any street or other thoroughfare, to the common danger of the passengers, shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding forty shillings, and the police constable may require any such person to desist from making such slide.
Current Status
Rarely Enforced
Penalty
Fine up to £500 under current penalty conversion rates, though historically forty shillings
Fine: From GBP500
Official Citation
Last Verified
January 16, 2026
Enacted
August 17, 1839
Jurisdiction Notes
Greater London area under Metropolitan Police jurisdiction