Wherever you live, you’re bound to come across some inexplicably strange laws that you can’t imagine any police officer enforcing. In Chicago, for example, it’s illegal to nap on a dance floor, give a dog whiskey, or eat in a burning building.
The goal of most legislation is to encourage acceptable behaviour while preventing or punishing unacceptable behaviour. Still, it can be difficult to understand the laws and customs of other countries, and travellers are frequently cautioned not to break the law inadvertently.
We’ve compiled a list of ten ridiculous laws from around the world. Have fun!
10. You Can’t Like Winnie The Pooh in Poland
Children’s minds are impressionable. So, we might think it’s a good thing that councillors carefully consider any mascots that might be placed on a playground. However, in Tuszyn, Poland, the town council appeared to take their responsibility a little too seriously.
They determined that Winnie the Pooh, a well-known children’s character, was an “inappropriate hermaphrodite” due to his lack of identifying genitalia. As we all know, prominent genitals are one of the most important characteristics to look for in a child’s character. “The problem with that bear is that it doesn’t have a complete wardrobe,” one councillor said. The bear’s lack of pants was a problem because it was “half naked”.
The meeting, which was secretly taped and leaked to the media, got out of hand when someone mentioned that the author was “over 60 and [had] cut Pooh’s testicles off with a razor blade because he had an identity problem”. Finally, the council decided on a Polish children’s character who was fully dressed “from head to toe.” To be on the safe side.
9. You Can’t Have A Water Pistol in Cambodia
Water pistols are commonly regarded as harmless amusement—merely children’s toys for sunny days. However, if you want to use one in Cambodia, you will most likely be disappointed or in trouble. The governor of Phnom Penh has prohibited the sale, importation, and possession of water pistols in the city.
Using water pistols during New Year’s Eve celebrations has become a tradition. The governor, I’m sure, thinks it’s ridiculous and should be stopped. In 2002, Phnom Penh’s vice governor stated, “We will not allow people to use [water pistols] because our nation is now peaceful, and allowing people to play with them will look bad”.
The Cambodian authorities, on the other hand, are not total killjoys. They have designated areas where people can play with water. Just be careful not to strew your talcum powder around when you’re drying off later. That bothers them as well. It appears to lead to rubbing powder on “one another’s faces”.
8. Wearing flip-flops in Capri, Italy
Capri is an Italian island in the Campania region. You are not permitted to wear sandals that make noise while walking, nor are you permitted to wear flip flops. The locals value their peace and enjoy a peaceful environment. A couple was arrested there once for wearing excessively loud flip flops.
Not just flip flops, but any shoe classified as “noisy footwear,” such as high heels or wood clogs. The mayor wants it banned if it squeaks, claps, bangs, or makes any noise that sounds like fingernails on a chalkboard.
7. Being fat in Japan
Being a little thick around the waist could land you in legal trouble in the country that gave us sumo wrestling. If you’re between the ages of 40 and 79, your doctor is required to measure your waist, and if you don’t fall within legal limits—a waistline of no more than 33.5 inches for men, and no more than 35.5 inches for women—you’ll be reported to the government for “re-education”.
Employers must ensure that their employees participate in the scheme or face $19 million in fines. So far, the metabo scheme (‘Metabo Law‘ which requires men and women between the ages of 40 and 74 to have their waist circumference measured annually). has reduced obesity by 3.5 percent, which appears impressive in a country where obesity rates are already low.
6. Being In Possession Of A Permanent Marker While On Private Property
Oklahoma City, US
In December 2010, an unnamed 13-year-old student at Roosevelt Middle School in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, was placed under citizen’s arrest by one of his teachers, Ms. Delynn Woodside, because he used a permanent marker to write on a piece of paper and it bled onto his desk Ms. Woodside claimed that the unnamed boy had also used the marker to write on his desk.
The boy was taken to a juvenile detention centre by an officer from the Oklahoma City Police Department. A spokesperson for Roosevelt Middle School stated that the incident will be investigated once school resumed after winter break. The boy’s arrest had nothing to do with the fact that he used a marker to write on his desk. The issue was the marker.
Oklahoma City Ordinance 35-202 makes it illegal to be in possession of spray paint or permanent marker on private property without prior permission. The law was enacted to prevent graffiti artists from creating graffiti on private property. However, it appears excessive that a 13-year-old can be arrested for it. We could not find more information about the decision reached by the school district, but we suppose it was favorable to the boy.
5. Owning a satellite dish in Malaysia
Do you want to catch up on the latest seasons of Stranger Things while you’re in Malaysia? Owning a satellite dish that receives foreign television could cost you $100,000 in fines and two years in prison, in addition to having your dish confiscated.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has issued a warning that owning these satellite devices is illegal. According to an MCMC official, resellers and household owners who own and use these illegal telecommunication devices may be hauled into court. This could be one of those times when you decide to read a book instead.
4. Sharing Your Netflix Password in Tennessee, US
Tennessee residents are prohibited by law from sharing their Netflix passwords with anyone. The law applies not only to Netflix, but to any entertainment website that requires a subscription. The law is somewhat ironic in light of Netflix’s policy of allowing users to share their passwords with up to four people.
This is not a new law. It is actually an update to an existing law designed to prevent cable TV subscription theft. Unsurprisingly, the Recording Industry Association of America, which was concerned about people illegally sharing music, supported the update.
While the law is aimed at hackers who sell Netflix login details; And subscribers who send their logins to an excessive number of people. Legislators agree that innocent users can be arrested for violating the law. Offenders who used more than $500 of the service could face a $2,500 fine and a year in prison, while those who used more than $500 will face harsher penalties.
3. Chewing Gum in Singapore
Since 1992, chewing gum has been prohibited in Singapore. The ban was part of Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew’s policies to transform Singapore into a first-world country. People were fond of sticking their chewed gum on the pavement and train doors, so the law was enacted. This frequently caused issues, particularly on the train doors.
Peter Day mentioned chewing gum could promote creative thinking during an interview with Lee in 2000. Chewing gum, according to Lee, is nothing short of a mischievous act. He went on to say that if he couldn’t think or be creative without chewing, he could just chew a banana.
Singapore lifted the ban in 2004, allowing pharmacists and dentists to sell medical chewing gum. This means that chewing gum enthusiasts must obtain a medical prescription in order to purchase gum. Tourists, on the other hand, are permitted to bring in a limited amount of chewing gum for personal use.
2. It Is Illegal To Play Online Games Between Midnight And 6:00 AM in South Korea
To combat excessive gaming among teenagers, the South Korean government enacted the Shutdown Law (also known as the Cinderella Act) in 2011. Teenagers under the age of 16 are prohibited from accessing online game servers between the hours of 12:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m., according to the law. They can, however, continue to play offline games on their personal consoles, phones, tablets, and laptop computers.
Game players over the age of 16 are required to use their social security numbers to access game servers. The ban was later modified. So that teenagers under the age of 16 could play online games after midnight with the permission of their parents.
1. Mowing The Lawn On Sunday in Germany
Germany has a population of over 82 million people but a land area of only 357,386 km². This means that Germany has a lot of people crammed into a small amount of space. Noise is one of the consequences of having too many people in a small space. There is a lot of noise.
Germany responded by instituting Ruhezeit. Ruhezeit (German for “Rest Time”) specifies times of day when people are expected to be quiet. The time varies by state, but it is usually between 8:00–10:00 PM and 6:00 AM the next day. Some states also observe Ruhezeit every afternoon between 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM. However, all states observe Ruhezeit for the entire day on Sunday and public holidays.
During Ruhezeit, all noise is strictly prohibited. You are not permitted to mow your lawn, rev your car, listen to loud music. Or even use the washing machine If you live in an apartment.
Some very interesting legal issues have arisen as a result of Ruhezeit. When one neighbour complained that the frogs in his neighbor’s pond kept him awake at night, the court ruled that frogs are a natural part of the environment and that the disturbed neighbour should wear earplugs. When another neighbour complained that his neighbor’s dog barked too much, the court ruled that the dog could only bark for 30 minutes per day.
Author Name: Navi Arora