Tuesday, March 10, 2009

It's The Law...!

If you're planning to travel anywhere this spring or summer, it's a good idea to learn some of the laws in other countries. Here are some very important laws to keep in mind:

1. It’s illegal to kiss on a railway in France.
2. Patrons are not expected to pay for food at an inn in Denmark unless they are full.
3. In Atlanta, Georgia, it is illegal to tie a giraffe to a telephone pole or street lamp.
4. Don’t imitate any animals in Miami; it’s illegal.
5. It’s illegal to shout offensive words in public in Mexico.
6. Beware when collecting stones or shells from nationally protected beaches. You can be caught at the airport for smuggling or removing archaeologically valuable treasures.
7. Taxi drivers in Finland must pay royalties on music if they play songs for paying customers.
8. It’s illegal to sing in public in Florida if you’re wearing a swimsuit.
9. If you’re driving in Utah, be aware that birds always have the right of way on highways.
10. A man may not stand up to go to the washroom after 10:00 p.m. in Switzerland.
11. Failure to flush a public toilet in Singapore after use may result in a fine.
12. In Logan County, Colorado, it's illegal for a man to kiss a woman while she's asleep.
13. A man may be arrested for wearing a skirt in Italy.
14. Taxis in Queensland, Australia, are required to carry a bale of hay. This is a throwback to the days of horse travel.
15. If you’re visiting a Canadian destination, be aware that you aren’t allowed to pay for a fifty cent item with only pennies.
16. It’s illegal to be drunk and in possession of a cow in Scotland.
17. Wearing combat or camouflaged clothing is illegal in Barbados.
18. A fine of $25 can be levied for flirting in New York City.
19. In Florida, having sexual relations with a porcupine is illegal.
20. In South Africa, young people in bathing suits must not sit closer than 30 cm together.
21. Anyone found breaking an egg at the sharp end in England will be sentenced to 24 hours in the stocks.
22. Unmarried women who parachute on Sunday can be arrested in Florida.
23. Water guns may not be used in New Year’s celebrations in Cambodia.
24. A pregnant woman visiting the UK can legally relieve herself anywhere she wants – even in a police officer’s hat if she requests.
25. It’s illegal to drive a camel on a highway in Nevada.

"An unjust law is itself a species of violence. Arrest for its breach is more so." ... Mohandas Gandhi.

29 comments:

Kathy's Klothesline said...

How does one have sex with a porcupine?

Jo said...

Kathy, very carefully? I guess that's why it's against the law. :-)

Scoobyloves2004 said...

You can actually pee anywhere you want in the UK if you're pregnant? Wow, that's pretty cool!!

Unknown said...

Utah has some pretty interesting laws. One of them is from the old anti-polygamy days; in order to arrest them, they made it clear that the later marriages were not recognized, and then arrested the man for sex with his "wives."

As a result, it is still illegal in Utah to have sex with anyone you are not legally married to, no questions asked.

Deedee said...

Hmmm...Kinda makes you wonder what could have happened to make them pass that one about the porcupine, doesn't it?

Country Girl said...

Wow, some of these are amazing! It's illegal to wear camouflage at our school, too.

Christina! said...

ha! I'm going to the UK my next pregnancy

Deb said...

In Dallas there is still a law on the books that you can't walk your elephant down the street on sundays, good thing I never got caught LOL

ivan said...

Well, Ive been to Florida.
But the porcupines were choosy.

Never had so much trouble over a piece of tai....Clang!

Nancy said...

#25 is relative to the camel races in Virginia City, NV each year.

I love #24!

nomore said...

Very nice and special informations!

Avril Fleur said...

I am SO going to try to pay for something over 50cents with pennies tomorrow! lol! (#15)

Makes you wonder what happened to begin some of these laws. (ie: the porcupine and the giraffe laws!)

KathyB. said...

To think, New York is missing out on so much revenue by not enforcing the $25.00 fine on flirting, wonder how much you can be fined for kissing.And I wonder if Singapore and Switzerland have bathroom, or toilet police? And just how would you go about enforcing this?

In our little town here, it is illegal to ride your horse on the sidewalk, because people still do ride their horses on the sidewalk when they can get away with it! I think Nevada actually does have enough camels to make that a consideration, but what inspired the law in Scotland that a man cannot be drunk and in possession of a cow....never mind, I don't think I want to know!

Anonymous said...

oooh... I like this!! Really?? is all this real? Its amusing!!

Miss_Nobody said...

no.18...whoa really?
19...LOL!
24....hmm thats convenient lol!

introspection said...

I guess some porcupine complained about being sexually harassed. he he. Very interesting post. # 24 is the best.

But this one is pretty serious :
You cannot fly to UK or any destination via Toronto airport (any Canadian airport), even if you donot disembark from your aerplane, without a valid a Canadian visa.
Of course, this rule is only for Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladesh travellers. Not sure about middle east country citizens.

Ruby Isabella said...

I live in Queensland, Australia and have never seen a bale of hay in a taxi yet no one gets fined. The police aren't doing their job! What an outrage.

Anonymous said...

Some of these are hysterical!! And I assume it's okay to have sex with a porcupine, if you ARE a porcupine.

Of course, now I'm worried. When I visit Atlanta, where in heck am I going to tie my giraffe?

Katy said...

I know that there is a lot of weird laws in Texas, but most of them are throw backs to the cowboy days like, "You can't shoot a cow from the porch of an inn" and a horse theaf can still be hanged, but "illegal to tie a giraffe to a telephone pole or street lamp" and no sex with porcupines? How do those situations even come up?

Russell said...

Heh! Laws like these are always most interesting!

I often share with my business law classes various Iowa laws that are still on the books but are long, long past due -- and we often wonder how they got passed in the first place?!

Things like a one-armed piano player is not allowed to charge a fee for piano playing (?!?) or a man with a mustache can't kiss a woman for more than 5 minutes (?!?! -- so a man without a mustache can kiss a woman for an hour?!?!). Things like that.

I liked the law you listed about tying a giraffe to a telephone pole!! Heh!! I will keep that in mind the next time I am tempted to tie my giraffe to a utility pole!!!

Take care!!

Prabath said...

cool post, I like it. Keep it up.

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white crow said...

who makes such laws!!!!!
do we need the porcupine law anyway??

Stephen Leach said...

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Are some of those (particularly the england one about the stocks) actually true???

Jo-Anne said...

laws generally get made after someone did what ever the law was made about. some of these laws i can understand, like kissing on a train but tying a geraffi to a lamp post, who does that. i'm from sa myself and i've nevers heared of the law about children in swinsuits sitting next to each other. really people!!! don't these law making people have anything better to do. singing in your swimsuit, having sex with a porcupine, who does that? like the one about the pregnent women in the uk. what a odd world we live ing... hie hie, thanx joe for making me chuckle once again.

Jo said...

Thanks for your comments, everyone. I'm glad you liked this silly post. I figured it was time for a giggle. Too much seriousness!

No more seriousness!

Paula Slade said...

Giraffes are my most favorite animal! I'm so glad they are protected! - At least in Atlanta, Georgia of all places! You know I sometimes wonder how these wacky laws get on the books.

lovelyprism said...

Hmm, I wonder what the fine would be for the man who rubbed himself up against me in the NYC subway? I thought he was definitely flirting. Mostly because I liked it! Ha!

Duncan Mitchel said...

Well! I just want to say that my porcupine and I are canceling our planned vacation in Florida!

*¤ஐ» Battie°»ஐ¤*° said...

I laughed at some
In Dubai, there are some laws that are so funny