The world has been creating and following laws for the sake of peace and prosperity for a long time. However, some places have weird laws that might be a little strange for the rest of the world.
Some have very specific purposes and some just don’t make sense at all. In either case, it’s a lot of fun to learn about them. It helps us know how diverse the world’s culture is. In this article, I am going to discuss the 20 strangest laws that are still effective worldwide. So, let’s get into it.
20 Strangest Laws in the World
The details of these strangest laws are given below:
1. Anti-Money Destruction Scotland
Money is sacred everywhere. People like money and respect it equally. But nothing should be wrong with messing around on a currency note, right? Well, Scotland has a different point of view on it. It has banned drawing or stamping on a currency note. The country has placed two different regulations about different acts of alteration of money.
There is no specific reason why authorities have applied this law. However, it is believed that it is because of the respect of the people drawn on notes. They are considered heroes and people shouldn’t draw on their faces. The same goes for coins. People are not allowed to break or melt any type of currency coin.
2. The British Salmon Act
All countries around the world have different strangest laws for the protection of wildlife. However, the British Salmon Act has taken it to a whole other level. It has set some guidelines and rules when it comes to salmon fisheries. They have done it in order to ban illegal fishing.
The strange part of this act is that if a person with a salmon believes it was fished illegally, he himself will be breaking the law. Strange, right? Fortunately, the penalty for this law-breaking is mild and you’ll only have to pay a little fine.
3. Anti-Chewing Gum in Singapore
Singapore is one of the most developed states in the world. It has created a lot of rules and regulations for improvement. However, its Anti-Chewing Gum Law might surprise you a bit. It has banned the importation of chewing gum which is widely consumed items around the world.
The law was passed in 1995 and officials placed it in order to promote cleanliness on the sidewalks. It supposedly helps them save money that is spent on clearing chewing gums from the street.
4. Casino Ban on Monaco Citizens
Monaco is one of the wealthiest states in the world. It introduced gambling in order to fight off the tough economic situation years ago. Now, it has become a hub of big casinos like Monte Carlo.
Despite this, an actual citizen of Monaco is not allowed to enjoy this fun activity. In other words, anyone from Monaco cannot gamble within its boundaries. Otherwise, they might get penalized according to the rules and conditions.
5. Illegal to Climb Trees in Oshawa:
Oshawa is a beautiful city in Canada and is very strict when it comes to the protection of nature. It has banned climbing or attaching any object to the trees. The law was adopted back in 2008 in order to fight off any type of interference with the trees on municipal property.
All countries around the world need to protect nature. So, it’s pretty clear why Oshawa has placed this law. It might help keep trees safe since they are important for many things including making beautiful treehouses. It might also help from letting people get injured in doing so.
6. No Feeding Pigeons in Venice
We all love feeding pigeons while being in a park or at any place where pigeons are in high numbers. This bird has become a normal part of not only rural but urban areas as well. The city of Venice, however, thinks differently. It has banned people from feeding pigeons under any circumstances.
The reason for this law is mainly related to hygiene purposes. Some medical students there have shown that pigeons transfer diseases. So, try to avoid feeding pigeons next time you take a tour to Venice.
7. Over-Playing Non-Canadian Artists on Canadian Radio
You might not be aware of the fact that Canada is a very patriotic nation. They promote local culture as much as possible and music is its major part. That’s why, Canadian radio is banned from playing too many songs by non-Canadian artists.
Therefore, by law, these radio stations such as CBS have to broadcast 35% of the songs that are created by Canadian artists. So, you’ll be listening to a lot of Justin Bieber songs if you play radio in this country.
8. Must Walk Your Dong 3 Times a Day in Turin
We all love walking our pets down the street but it’s not really an easy task. So, people walk them around once every two days or so. Some even walk them daily. But walking them 3 times a day? That’s too much, right?
Well, not for the Italians since they have one of the strangest laws about it. They’re an animal-loving country and you’re bound to walk your pet at least three times a day in Turin. They even have a system for getting help from tipsters to spot people who break this law.
9. Must Let a Person Use Your Toilet in Scotland
Scotland is an amazing country in the world and people love each other there. The officials there try to promote hospitality among each other. So, they’ve placed a law that if someone asks you to use your toilet, you must let them.
In other words, if you’re ever in Scotland and need to use a bathroom, just knock on your nearest door. By law, they’re bound to let you in their house and use the toilet. But don’t worry, people usually use their own toilets and might ask for others only in case of emergencies.
10. Forgetting Your Wife’s Birthday is Illegal in Samoa
Samoa is a beautiful island country in Polynesia. It is known for its beautiful beaches and amazing sea views. It’s also a very lovely place for married ladies and the natural beauty is not the only reason. By law, husbands are bound to remember their wife’s birthdays and wish them under any circumstances.
They’re not allowed to forget this memorable day. The reason is unclear but you can imagine it’s for improving a bond between couples. Fortunately, its penalty for the first time is just a warning. So, you still get the time to wish on the next birthday.
11. Don’t Let Your Donkey in the Bathtub in Arizona
Although human beings are unpredictable this might be the strangest law in the whole world. In Arizona, you cannot let your donkey go into a bathtub. Otherwise, you’ll be penalized according to a set of guidelines.
This law was placed after a real historical event when a person let his donkey sleep in the bathtub. A flood arrived and it went missing. People spent a lot of time finding the donkey and then registered this law afterward.
12. Always Flush Public Toilets in Singapore
I’ve already mentioned a law about the cleanliness of Singapore. Here’s another one of the strangest laws related to it. The officials have placed a law that people must flush public toilets in Singapore. Needless to say, it’s for the betterment and healthiness of the society.
Indeed, there might not be a very efficient system to catch people who don’t flush. Still, it’s a great gesture by officials to express how serious they are for society.
13. No Light Bulb Changing Without a License in Victoria
Handling electrical work can be dangerous for the general public. However, changing a light bulb does not seem a very difficult or dangerous thing to do. Nevertheless, Victoria City Australia has placed a law about it.
It forbids people from changing a light bulb without a proper license. It has taken public safety to the next level with this law. This law used to be very strict. However, some relaxations have been provided to let people deal with such little tasks on their own.
14. No Suit of Armor in British Parliament
Suit of Armor? It’s not the medieval age anymore, we know that. Well, despite common sense, it’s not allowed to wear a suit of armor in the British Parliament. In the medieval ages, the parliament was a place to make decisions as well as resolve conflicts between different parties.
There was always a chance of a physical fight while resolving such issues. So, people usually wore this armor for protection. However, Britain placed an actual law for its prohibition later on. The authorities did it in order to express that the parliament was a place where things could be handled without getting rough.
15. Car Washing in Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi has some of the strangest laws as well. Two of them are related to car washing. It’s a very clean city and cares greatly about its image. So, it has a rule that people should clean their cars completely and there should be no dirt or dust on them.
Otherwise, cars will be impounded and they will have to pay a fine. Some more fees will be required to get the cars back. Another rule implies that people are not allowed to wash cars in public places. This law was placed to stop wasting water.
16. Passage of Animals in Romania
Romania has some very strict laws when it comes to the protection of wildlife. One of these laws is related to the passage of animals. It’s normal for animals to wander and get onto another person’s property.
However, in Romania, a landowner on which an animal goes will have its ownership if the real owner does not come looking for it within 30 days. The law is very strict and has different variations. For example, if a swarm of bees passes over land, a landowner can have its ownership if they’re not found by the original owner in two days.
17. Mask Ban in Denmark
Wearing a mask has become a very normal thing these days, especially after the pandemic. However, Denmark has a rule that prohibits people from wearing masks in public places. It’s placed because officials don’t want criminals to hide in public.
So, people have to avoid masks unless there’s a severe weather condition. Another exception is the emergence of any virus. The law was placed in 2000 and you will get fined or even imprisoned for 6 months for breaking it.
18. Illegal to Let Chickens Run on Roads in Quitman
Quitman, Georgia is very serious when it comes to chickens. The society considers them sacred and has different laws and regulations for them. One of these laws is about not letting them wander on roads or streets.
Roads are always busy, we know that. Chickens are unpredictable birds when it comes to running. So, being on the road creates a risk of getting involved in car accidents. It will be bad for both chickens and drivers. So, Quitman prohibits people from letting these birds wander off the roads.
19. No High-Heels on Ancient Monuments in Greece
High heels are one of the most important parts of women’s fashion. Some ladies won’t even consider going out without this accessory. However, Greece has applied some rules and regulations surrounding it.
It’s not legal to wear heels on ancient monuments of Greece such as the ancient stones of the Parthenon and Acropolis. This law highlights how it is important to consider the context of the event while wearing heels. It was placed in order to protect the ancient monuments from getting damaged.
20. E-Cigarettes Ban in Thailand
A lot of people are using e-cigarettes, or vapes, all around the world. A lot of studies have shown how dangerous it is for the health. Some experts even believe these are more dangerous than normal cigarettes.
To prevent their citizens from getting harmed, Thailand has banned vaping within its boundaries while practicing one of the strangest laws. This ban includes importing, selling, purchasing, or consuming e-cigarettes. The law has been around for a decade now. People can get fined or imprisoned for vaping as a result.
Sum Up
Laws and regulations are placed to keep order in society and promote values among people. Some laws are common crimes all around the world. However, due to cultural differences, there are some regulations that are not very common for the rest of the world. The world is full of weird regulations and the above-mentioned are the strangest laws that are still effective in the world.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Are these laws taken seriously by the public?
Yes. In most cases, the public takes these laws seriously.
What happens if you accidentally break these laws?
In such cases, you have the right to appeal for your innocence in many countries.
How do the authorities make sure people follow these regulations?
It depends on the law’s nature as well as the country. The officials might use multiple tactics to make sure people follow it.
