Weird Laws You Don’t Want To Break Around The World
What some people take for granted, others may have to pay for. We're not talking about serious crimes, here.
Find out where you might get fined for frowning, or worse...for putting ketchup on everything. Actually, that one should be a crime anyway—you're ruining he flavor!
Whatever You Do While Drunk In Scotland, Just Don't Get On A Cow
Thanks to the Licensing Act of 1872, it's illegal to ride a cow while drunk, or you could be looking at a £200 fine and almost a year in jail. Well, drunk driving a car is illegal, so why should this be any different, right? Especially because the "car" is also alive in this case.
No Frowning Allowed In Milan
In Milan, Italy, it is actually illegal for people to frown in public! Make sure you practice your best smile before arrival, as frowning is exclusively reserved for visiting patients at hospitals or funerals.
Keep The PDA At Home In The United Arab Emirates Or You Could Be Kissing Freedom Goodbye
In The United Arab Emirates, a sweet innocent kiss between two consenting adults could land you in jail. This has happened numerous times. For example, in 2013, a couple went to jail for a whole year for getting caught kissing on a beach at night, even though they claimed it was just CPR.
No Chewing Gum In Singapore
Singapore is very big on staying as clean as possible, so zoning in on chewing gum seemed like a good place to start. In fact, they banned its importation entirely until recently.
Gum had to be transported under lock and key unless you wanted a fine of $100,000 or imprisonment for up to two years if you got caught with it. Now you can carry up to two packs.
School Kids Are Banned From Using Ketchup In France
In 2011, Christopher Hebert, the president of the national association of municipal catering managers, banned ketchup (and mayo) from school cafeterias. He didn't even do it for health reasons. He just wanted to preserve the French culture, and putting ketchup on anything but fries is considered too American.
Why Did The Chicken Cross The Road? In Georgia, It Didn't Because It Wasn't Allowed
If you own any chickens in Quitman, Georgia, it is illegal to let them cross the road. This isn't to ruin the timeless joke, but because it wants to ensure owners have their chickens under control at all times for their safety and for that of those on the road.
You're Not Allowed To Die In This French Town, So Figure It Out
The French town of Sarpourenx was getting tired of people dying, sometimes deliberately with no prior preparations and just expecting to be buried.
The mayor took matters into his own hands and forbade people from dying within the city limits. That's unless they already have bought a burial spot in the local cemetery.
If you do anyway, you risk severe punishment, whatever that means in that case...
You Must Let Strangers Into Your Home If They Ask To Use The Bathroom
We're not sure how they ensure the people's safety on this one, but if someone knocks on your door in Scotland and asks to use your bathroom, you must just take a leap of faith and hope this person won't end up stealing your belongings.
Someone Needs To Let The Aliens Know They're Not Allowed To Fly Their UFOs Over This Part Of France
Anti-UFO legislation originated in 1954 in Châteauneuf-du-Pape in southeastern France. A local saw "deep sea divers" coming from a "cigar-shaped" space ship, so the mayors took immediate action and mandated that: "any aircraft, known as flying saucer or flying cigar, which should land on the territory of the community will be immediately held in custody."
That seems reasonable.
Start Practicing With A Swear Jar Before Visiting St Kitts
This Caribbean nation is known for having arrested 50 Cent the rapper for swearing during a concert. Unless you want to face the same fate, you might want to leave the explicit language at home.
If you let it slip, you might be fined $1,100.
In Switzerland, You Can't Own Just One Goldfish
Amidst its animal cruelty laws, social creatures including goldfish should never be isolated. People can own as many goldfish as they like as long as there is more than one, otherwise, it's considered inhumane isolation.
A Forgotten Law In Florida Forbids Farting
In Florida, you might want to hold the wind in, as it is illegal to pass it in a public place after 6 p.m. on Thursdays. The law hasn't been enforced since it was probably written originally in the 1800s and we're not sure why, or why just on Thursdays.
Kids Will Never Get To Know The Loveable Winnie The Pooh Character In This Polish City
The beloved cartoon character has been deemed an "inappropriate hermaphrodite" in Tuszyn, Poland, and is banned from all playgrounds. That's because he doesn't wear pants and has non-gender-specific genitalia. How dare a cartoon do such a thing, right?
Make Sure You Don't Need The Bathroom after 10 PM In Switzerland.
In Switzerland, it's against the law to flush a toilet after 10 p.m. in an apartment building. This is because it's considered noise pollution.
So instead of disturbing your neighbors with the sound, you can disturb them with the smell?
Don't Hold Your Salmon "Weird" In The U.K.
There is a vague Salmon Act from 1986 that states you can't just hold salmon any way you like, especially not in a way that comes off as "suspicious."
It's okay if you do it with shrimp, though, as the act only applies to "salmon, trout, eels, lampreys, smelt and freshwater fish," according to the fine print.
You Can't Name Your Baby "Apple" In Denmark
This might upset a lot of celebs whose kids are named "North" or "Blue Ivy," but in Denmark, there is a list of only 7,000 government-approved baby names.
If you want to get creative, you need to ask for permission and have the name approved by Copenhagen University's Names Investigation Department. Don't hold your breath, as they reject about 20% of name applications a year.
Going Commando Is Not An Option In Thailand
You can't just leave the house without wearing underwear in Thailand. The reason is not certain, but it's likely to be related to hygiene in bathhouses or public decency laws surrounding nudity.
The real question is though...how would the police enforce this?
In China, You Can't Just Reincarnate Without Permission
If it's your time to go, you can't just come back in whatever reincarnation you like. The totalitarian government recently legislated that Buddhist monks are banned from reincarnating without the government's express permission.
It's a way to tighten control, but also how do you even control that?
You Might Want To Cut Down On The Sushi Because it's Ilegal To Be Obese In Japan
Some countries play gym ads on the radio, some countries enforce a nutrition system in schools, but all with the united goal of eliminating the health consequences of being overweight. Then, some countries like Japan just decide to ban being obese altogether.
It's illegal to have a waistline above 85 cm (33.5 inches) for men and 90 cm (35 inches) for women. That'll surely fix the problem, right?
You're Not Allowed To Buy A Home Without Buying Art
We're not talking about France or an art capital here, but Wyoming in the United States. The state has a law that states that any building that costs over $100,000, which is about the standard price for a home, needs to be equipped with at least one percent of its value in artwork.