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30 Surprising Laws From All Around The World That Might Sound Fake But Are Actually True
In Italy, a saying goes, “The world is beautiful because it’s full of variety,” even when that variety is just… plain weird.
Specifically, laws can be downright crazy. They’re meant to be a set of rules we all agree on because they just make sense, but sometimes things clearly get out of control. And we’re not just talking about weird laws in the US — despite them making up the majority of our list. You’ll soon realize that making random things illegal is a worldwide habit. Like, who came up with a law forbidding people to ride a cow while drunk in Scotland? Or who’s that party pooper who made playing dominoes in Sevilla illegal? And these are just the tip of the “funny laws” iceberg you’re gonna uncover today.
We’re about to take a look at some of the weirdest laws from around the world that were actually passed by lawmakers. A lot of them are just plain funny, but others are so strange that we can’t even imagine how they came about. And while some of these laws may have been long forgotten over time, they still stand as a testament to the fact that weirdness is alive and well in the world’s legal system — and that sometimes, it’s not even close to being dead.
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Canadian radio stations must play Canadian artists' music as a certain percentage of the total playtime.
It's a bit misleading. Canadian radio stations must play Canadian artists' music as a certain percentage of the total play time. I don't know the current percentage but without this rule, Canadian airwaves would be overrun with US music and those great artists that Powerful Katrinka mentioned probably would never have become known.
It's illegal to eat cats and dogs in South Australia.
South Australia is the name of a state. The one to the north of it is called Northern Territories.
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You can eat cats or dogs, you just can't eat both. Pick one!
It's illegal naming your baby something weird in Denmark.
Making international calls is a crime in North Korea.
No driving while wearing flip-flops in Spain.
Flip-flops are also illegal in the UK but only if they prevent you from operating the controls correctly. https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/advice/road-safety/driving-without-shoes-is-it-illegal/
If a child burps during a church service, his or her parents may be arrested in Nebraska.
In Kentucky... a woman cannot marry the same man four times.
It’s against the law to have a sleeping donkey in your bathtub after 7 pm in Arizona, USA.
In Baltimore, Maryland, it’s illegal to bring a lion to the movies.
You can't turn off your phone's camera sound in South Korea.
In New Jersey... bullet-proof vests are banned while committing a crime.
Omigosh. Bc whoevers commiting the crime will for sure listen to the laws…
No driving with a child on the hood of your car, Oregon.
It is illegal to bite off another person’s leg in Rhode Island.
Flying a UFO over Châteauneuf-du-Pape, France is illegal.
According to a law in Scotland, you must allow someone into your house if he knocks on your door and needs to use the bathroom.
Sharing your Netflix password is an offense in Tennessee, U.S.A.
In Ohio... it's illegal to sell dyed chickens.
In Ohio it's against the law to kill a housefly within 160 feet of a church without a license. In Cleveland: It's illegal to catch mice without a hunting license. In Marion: You cannot eat a doughnut and walk backwards on a city street.
Nordic bars need a license to allow dancing on their premises.
It's illegal to disrupt a wedding in South Australia.
You cannot die without a pre-purchased burial plot in part of France.
It is illegal under the terms of the Prohibition and Inspections to cause a nuclear explosion, U.K.
Registering as married at a hotel makes it so in North Carolina.
In Arkansas... you can't honk your horn near a sandwich shop after 9 p.m.
It's illegal to wear a suit of armor in British Parliament.
Carrying more than 50kg of potatoes in West Australia.
It’s illegal to whistle in Petrolia, Ontario, Canada between 11 PM and 7 AM.
It's illegal to whistle in Petrolia, Ont., between 11 P and 7 AM, so keep your lips zipped. Apparently, this weird law is part of a anti-noise bylaw that prohibits "yelling, shouting, hooting, whistling or singing" during the wee hours. https://www.slice.ca/35-weird-canadian-laws-you-didnt-know-existed-2/
In Virginia... you can't go trick-or-treating if you're over 14 years old.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
It's illegal to swear in the U.A.E.
Elephants are not allowed to be used to plow cotton fields in North Carolina.
In South Dakota... it's illegal to sleep in the cheese factory.
It's illegal to pay with too many coins in Canada.
Anyone who's ever tried to get rid of some change at the checkout counter had best know the rules, as there are specific limits set as to how much can be paid with coins. For example, a federal government website notes that the limit is $25 if you’re paying with loonies, $5 if you're using nickels. If you're trying to get rid of pennies, the maximum legal amount per purchase is a mere 25 cents. https://www.slice.ca/35-weird-canadian-laws-you-didnt-know-existed-2/
Carrying a plank of wood down the street in London, U.K.
It is illegal to be drunk and in charge of cattle in England and Wales.
I need the story behind this. What in the world happened that one faithful day that required this law?
It's illegal to wear camouflage in (much of) the Caribbean.
No mooning in the hellenic republic, Greece.
Destroying currency is considered a criminal offense in Turkey.
It's illegal to deface bank notes in the UK: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Geo5/18-19/13/section/12
It's illegal to cut cactus, in Arizona.
Preservation. Nothing wrong with that. Some cacti take decades to mature and grow
Legal prostitution and the earnings are taxable, The Netherlands.
Well if it's legal then it's taxable income; that's typically how jobs work
In Alabama... it's illegal to drive blindfolded.
It's illegal to wrestle a bear in South Africa.
It is illegal for a pub to serve alcohol to a person who is visibly intoxicated in Australia.
We have that here in New York. If your drunk enough and cause a car accident, the bartender can get in some trouble for proving alcohol to an already intoxicated person.
No water pistols on New Year's in Cambodia.
It's illegal to build a sandcastle in Spain.
Married women can only have one glass of wine in Bolivia.
That is a stupid rule, but the solution to it is to use a giant glass. I mean a HUGE glass.
No walking cows down the street in daylight in London, U.K.
It is illegal to sing in a public place while wearing a swimsuit in Florida.
In Wisconsin... butter substitutes are banned without permission.
It is no longer enforced, but as a child we drove to the UP of Michigan to obtain margarine. We concealed it under cloth in a picnic basket when we came back, just in case.
Ice cream in your back pocket is a no-no in Georgia.
This one actually has a reasonable origin. Horse thieves used to surreptitiously lure horses to follow them by putting ice cream cones in their back pocket
In Milan, Italy, it is illegal for citizens to frown in public—unless they’re at a funeral or visiting someone in the hospital.
In Maryland... sleeveless shirts are banned in public parks.
In Mexico, it is illegal for bicyclists to lift their feet off the pedals while riding as this might cause them to lose control of the bike.
It is illegal to pump your own gas in Oregon and New Jersey.
Safety and liability issues. Though almost all other states do self serve
It's illegal to fly a kite in Victoria, Australia.
I guess I've broken the law a few times then. Never heard of this law....I just checked it out and "It is an offence in Victoria to fly a kite to 'the annoyance of any person' in a public place. Maximum penalty is a $777.30 fine". https://www.slatergordon.com.au/media/14-of-the-most-obscure-australian-laws-youve-never-heard-of....so maybe I haven't actually broken it, if no one wad annoyed.
It's illegal to climb a tree in Oshawa, Canada.
A typical childhood pastime in the rest of Canada has been outlawed in Oshawa, Ont., where it's illegal to climb a tree. According to the local bylaw, "No person shall interfere with a tree or part of a tree located on municipal property, including but not limited to attaching, affixing or placing upon in any manner any object or thing to a tree or part of a tree, and climbing the tree." So hurry up and climb down before the cops arrive! https://www.slice.ca/35-weird-canadian-laws-you-didnt-know-existed-2/
You must provide for your elderly parents in China.
I think they have something like this in Japan too. So if you live in either and hate your parents, move out of the country
It's illegal to tell fortunes in Maryland.
Finnish taxi drivers must pay royalty fees for songs they play in their cars.
No selfies with Tiger in New York.
Does this mean no selfies with Tiger Woods or no selfies with a tiger, any tiger?
Only compliments for the king in Thailand.
You can't kiss on the street in Guanajuato, Mexico.
Capri, Italy may bust your dog with DNA.
Don't hang your dirty laundry in public in Trinidad and Tobago.
Wives must have their husband's OK to get false teeth in Vermont.
Moose viewing while airborne in Alaska is strictly forbidden.
So if you're in a plane and spot a moose ... I have to close my eyes?
It is illegal to order or permit any servant to stand on the sill of any window to clean or paint it, U.K.
Can't find a source for this but seems like basic health and safety
It is illegal to fire a cannon within 300 yards of a dwelling in London, U.K.
And for the third time, nope. Only in London. The UK is bigger than London, folks.
A person riding an elevator must talk to no one and must fold his hands while looking at the door in New York.
That sounds like the best law it the universe. It is so awkward when there are strangers in the elevator and you are just staring at each other. I think I want to move to New York now.
No testing your physical endurance while driving in Oregon.
It's illegal to interfere with a homing pigeon. You have to let them be, Australia.
No, totally the opposite. It's illegal to interfere with a homing pigeon. You HAVE to let them be.
Canada: It's illegal to remove a band-aid in public. Canada has also banned elephant rides at all of its accredited facilities - this one is recent. Toronto bylaw that prohibits dragging a dead horse down Yonge Street on Sundays. Edit: Source: https://www.slice.ca/35-weird-canadian-laws-you-didnt-know-existed-2/
In the UK, it's illegal to beat a doormat in the street after 8 a.m. It's also illegal to carry a plank of wood down the street. And it's illegal to be drunk in a pub or bar
The drunk in a pub is an old one (well, all of those are!) 'It is an offence for a pub landlord to allow drunkenness in their pub' it comes under Section 12 of the 1872 Licensing Act. It also stipulates that “every person found drunk… on any licensed premises shall be liable to a penalty'. There is far more recent legislation, the 2003 version of the Licensing Act, which states that alcoholic beverages should not be sold to, or on behalf of someone already drunk.
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Germany: It's forbidden to cross brigdes while marching in step. (It can cause bridges to swing and collapse)
Yep. Sets up a resonant frequency. The dumbfuck who designed London's Millennium Bridge forgot about resonant frequencies and it was nearly the River Tay disaster all over again.
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But there's a May-February squirrel hunting season. I guess you can't scare them, but you can blow their brains out with a rifle.
Load More Replies... Albania: it is illegal to be left handed…. I guess I can’t go there without being arrested lol.
In Massachusetts I can order 60 cases of wine a year from another state, but I can't order any amount of distilled spirits from outside the state.
I recently learned that in the majoritx of the US, it is LEGAL to just ignore someone in need of help. That you can not be legally made to give first aid or even call the police. So i might add to this list that in Germany, it is illegal to not give some kind of aid in case of emergency. (if you are firs in scene) You can go to jail for not stopping for an accident. Although if it is night or otherwise suspicious, it is enough to call police.
That depends on the state and in some states it may only be the case in certain cities . Re-check this.
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Whats fkd up is this stuff prolly happend in order for it to become a law...maybe im wrong...jus seems too random
It would be interesting to hear some of these back stories.
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I expected more of North Korea looking at what of a country it is. Also most of those UK laws are old and were just left. I remember some guy breaking as much as he can of those stupid laws in one day
I really need to know the back stories for why most of these things are illegal lol where can I find out
I'm fairly certain it's illegal, at least in the US, to shoot large numbers of people on public (or private) land. Maybe if more people knew this, there would be fewer shootings.
The problem with "laws" are the enforcement. Any "rule" or "law" that has no enforcement or recourse is merely a "strongly suggested commentary". Not to intentionally entice "law-breaking" here, but any of these rules that someone/institution cannot supply a recourse or reasonable penalty for, is someone making them up. Query laws and rules to find out, especially if they fail common sense. Many complexes and HOA's have ridiculous by-laws that serve no purpose but generate revenue for said organizations.
In South Carolina it's illegal to go to church on Sunday without your shotgun
Scary thing about all of these is someone did them - hence the law.
There is a federal law in Canada that all post offices must have a hitching post by the front door. If you look around at any post offices built before the mid-80s, you'll see a post there.
Adopted in ZA, with a CLAUSE: "Servicemen". Any member of the then-apartheid militarily could wait at a bust stop and EVERYONE was encouraged to offer them a lift if you were going in the same direction. Tip: Military servicemen had to be standing in uniform, with rank, basically completely white soldiers and only white people could privately own cars.. sooooo...
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Some of these I can see some possible sense. Like in Nevada closing gates was likely caused by tourists or other people leaving ranch gates open and letting free range cattle out. But for many laws I would love to hear why people felt a need for the law in the first place.
Canada: It's illegal to remove a band-aid in public. Canada has also banned elephant rides at all of its accredited facilities - this one is recent. Toronto bylaw that prohibits dragging a dead horse down Yonge Street on Sundays. Edit: Source: https://www.slice.ca/35-weird-canadian-laws-you-didnt-know-existed-2/
In the UK, it's illegal to beat a doormat in the street after 8 a.m. It's also illegal to carry a plank of wood down the street. And it's illegal to be drunk in a pub or bar
The drunk in a pub is an old one (well, all of those are!) 'It is an offence for a pub landlord to allow drunkenness in their pub' it comes under Section 12 of the 1872 Licensing Act. It also stipulates that “every person found drunk… on any licensed premises shall be liable to a penalty'. There is far more recent legislation, the 2003 version of the Licensing Act, which states that alcoholic beverages should not be sold to, or on behalf of someone already drunk.
Load More Replies... Germany: It's forbidden to cross brigdes while marching in step. (It can cause bridges to swing and collapse)
Yep. Sets up a resonant frequency. The dumbfuck who designed London's Millennium Bridge forgot about resonant frequencies and it was nearly the River Tay disaster all over again.
Load More Replies... But there's a May-February squirrel hunting season. I guess you can't scare them, but you can blow their brains out with a rifle.
Load More Replies... Albania: it is illegal to be left handed…. I guess I can’t go there without being arrested lol.
In Massachusetts I can order 60 cases of wine a year from another state, but I can't order any amount of distilled spirits from outside the state.
I recently learned that in the majoritx of the US, it is LEGAL to just ignore someone in need of help. That you can not be legally made to give first aid or even call the police. So i might add to this list that in Germany, it is illegal to not give some kind of aid in case of emergency. (if you are firs in scene) You can go to jail for not stopping for an accident. Although if it is night or otherwise suspicious, it is enough to call police.
That depends on the state and in some states it may only be the case in certain cities . Re-check this.
Load More Replies... Whats fkd up is this stuff prolly happend in order for it to become a law...maybe im wrong...jus seems too random
It would be interesting to hear some of these back stories.
Load More Replies... I expected more of North Korea looking at what of a country it is. Also most of those UK laws are old and were just left. I remember some guy breaking as much as he can of those stupid laws in one day
I really need to know the back stories for why most of these things are illegal lol where can I find out
I'm fairly certain it's illegal, at least in the US, to shoot large numbers of people on public (or private) land. Maybe if more people knew this, there would be fewer shootings.
The problem with "laws" are the enforcement. Any "rule" or "law" that has no enforcement or recourse is merely a "strongly suggested commentary". Not to intentionally entice "law-breaking" here, but any of these rules that someone/institution cannot supply a recourse or reasonable penalty for, is someone making them up. Query laws and rules to find out, especially if they fail common sense. Many complexes and HOA's have ridiculous by-laws that serve no purpose but generate revenue for said organizations.
In South Carolina it's illegal to go to church on Sunday without your shotgun
Scary thing about all of these is someone did them - hence the law.
There is a federal law in Canada that all post offices must have a hitching post by the front door. If you look around at any post offices built before the mid-80s, you'll see a post there.
Adopted in ZA, with a CLAUSE: "Servicemen". Any member of the then-apartheid militarily could wait at a bust stop and EVERYONE was encouraged to offer them a lift if you were going in the same direction. Tip: Military servicemen had to be standing in uniform, with rank, basically completely white soldiers and only white people could privately own cars.. sooooo...
Load More Replies... Some of these I can see some possible sense. Like in Nevada closing gates was likely caused by tourists or other people leaving ranch gates open and letting free range cattle out. But for many laws I would love to hear why people felt a need for the law in the first place.
