What are some crazy laws in your country?

[Red Door]

More Ol' Dixie Virginia ones:

Driving while not wearing shoes is prohibited.
Citizens must honk their horn while passing other cars.
Children are not to go trick-or-treating on Halloween.
It is illegal to tickle women.
No animal may be hunted for on Sunday with the exception of raccoons, which may be hunted until 2:00 AM.

 

[Rossiya]

Really? Where did you hear that? It sounds a little made up...

No, I was slightly wrong. In New York, you're not able to eat peanuts while walking backwards down a pavement.

 

[SuperBeaverInc.]

It is unlawful to throw snowballs or set off firecrackers within the city, without the authorization of the mayor or City Council. Calgary

It is illegal to try and catch fish with your hands Saskatoon

Theater owners are forbidden to start a movie that will end after 2 am Toronto

A by-law forbids anyone from striking the sidewalk with a metal object Winnipeg

 

[Winner]

We don't use common law, so there are no really crazy laws, but I remember one that was quite funny:

Formally (that law has never been actually used), it is illegal to use titles when adressing the aristocrats So no "sir" or "lord" etc. It is illegal to use the titles

This law was enacted after Czechoslovakia gained independence from Austria-Hungary and the new government wanted to get rid of the monarchist sentiments. From some reason, it hasn't been scrapped

 

[Conroe]

There's also a city in Texas I believe where it is illegal to shoot Indians from a streetcar, or something like that.

In Austin, the capital of Texas. But only when the streetcar is in front of the state capitol building! It dates back to the 19th century; although, it may have since been repealed. I really don't know.

As the story goes, too many people were shooting at Indians and missing. The stray bullets were blemishing the stonework of the capitol building. Its a beautiful building, BTW. Anyway, the state legislature decided to ban the practice from streetcar's which were passing in front of the Capitol. What a caring bunch of people, my ancestors, huh?

 

[AL_DA_GREAT]

isnt only on historic houses? that makes sense and also the case in Canada

no, We live in a semi communist country.

 

[GinandTonic]

http://www.dumblaws.com/laws/international/united-kingdom/

1 - Impersonating a Chelsea Pensioner being a crime makes perfect spense. These are vets who have surrendered all their pensions/ assets to the MOD in return for life long care. They have no meaningful cash income but no-one makes them pay for anything. Therefore people might well impersonate them, and a stretch is better than the lads round Chelsea Barracks would do to the impersonator.

2 - What about the law that says a Taxi Cabbie can urinate (on the rear off-side) wheel of his carriage in public so long as he exclaims "in pain" three times clearly first.

3 - A pregnant woman is entitled to demand the London policeman's famed tit hat to relieve herself. Really.

4 - Shooting Welshmen/ Scots in Bath/ York with a bow? I have a sinking feeling its two absurd to be true...

But when Freddie Flintoff was awarded the freedom of his home town he was vocal about his excitement that if he was found drunk by the police they were compelled to give him their horse to ride home. That they didn't have horses any more appeared to have passed him by as by the time he was giving his interview to the beeb he was well on his way to borrowing his first horse.

EDIT - Seems Sid beet me to it.

 

[CaptainF]

In Edinburgh it's legal to kill a man with a crossbow!

You're kidding.

Some stupid Oregon laws:

It is illegal to whisper "dirty" things in your lover's ear during sex.

It is illegal to buy or sell marijuana, but it is legal to smoke it on your own property.

Dishes must drip dry.

It is illegal to place a container filled with human fecal matter on the side of any highway.

A door on a car may not be left open longer than is necessary.

Canned corn is not to be used as bait for fishing.

One may not bathe without wearing "suitable clothing,"

I also remember one California law which dictated that you cannot ride a bike inside a swimming pool.

 

[Ball Lightning]

None that i know of in Australia. The boring place of the world.

 

[MjM]

Here you can drink until your 21.

 

[Winner]

Here you can drink until your 21.

Now that's crazy!

 

[oagersnap]

On that "Dumb laws" website that Chukchi Husky posted a link to, it says under Denmark:

If your vehicle stalls and you leave it on the side of the road, you must mark the vehicle with a red, reflecting triangle.

What's so dumb about that? It's to warn other people so they don't hit your car.

In fact, Denmark hardly has any dumb laws at all.

 

[Kan' Sharuminar]

4 - Shooting Welshmen/ Scots in Bath/ York with a bow? I have a sinking feeling its two absurd to be true....

The York one requires it to be at a certain time - I think after sunset.

Whether or not it's true, it did recently inspire a couple of people from Edinburgh to walk to York to get the law repealed, in support of a charity. I was trying to find the article for Turner's 'Weird Stories' thread, but couldn't. Since I never heard much of it, I can only presume they arrived after the sun had gone down

Edit: Found it - http://news.scotsman.com/edinburgh.cfm?id=1274652006

 

[joycem10]

Dawgphood, After seeing a trucker toss a urine bomb milk carton on I79 last week Im all for laws banning fecal matter and urine on the highways.

 

[Ingvina Freyr]

[qoute="dumblaws.com"]It is illegal to repaint a house without a painting license and the government's permission.[qoute]
My neighbour was fined $3 000 for that (and rebiulding the outside of his house)

You don't need a "painting license" (what is that, anyway?) but you do need permission from the local authorities. The law excist to prevent people from painting their houses pink with brown dots (for example). They can get permission for that too however, if they live in an area where most houses are painted in a similar fashion.

Personally, I think it's a good law!


This is a bad law: A murderer who's considered insane is "sentenced" to treatment. When his doctors consider him well, he's not sent to jail but set free. There have been examples of people who have managed to fool the court only to start acting sane after their trial. Two years ago IIRC, one patient/prisoner was set free after one day at the treatment center!

 

[Blazer6]

The sad thing is removing these laws requires wasting lots of money.
To clarify an earlier post: Candidates for Governor must never have been in a duel.

 

[Twonky]

Here are some more crazy laws.
Like:
In Alaska, it is an offence to push a live moose out of a moving aeroplane.
In Alabama it is illegal to wear a fake moustache that causes laughter in church.
In Sheridan, Wyoming, a policeman can bite a barking dog, in order to quiet him.

I hope it´s all fake!

 

[cegman]

About the alchohol law that you can't serve it til your an adult that means 18 you can bartend at 18 but can't drink til 21

 

[Raisin Bran]

You may not pay for a fifty-cent item with only pennies.

Citizens may not publicly remove bandages.

It is illegal for clear or non-dark sodas to contain caffeine.

Wooden logs may not be painted.

You may never use dice to play craps.

If you are released from prison, it is required that you are given a handgun with bullets and a horse, so you can ride out of town.

 

[Phlegmak]

Here you can drink until your 21.

And then you may no longer drink after you're 21? That would indeed be crazy.