20 Unusual Laws From Around The World That You Would Never Even Think Of
Have you ever been driving and spotted a police car cooly driving the opposing way and yet that immediately sent you into anxiety mode? You’ve done nothing wrong, but you’re panicking nevertheless. While most people don’t want to get on the wrong side of the law, sometimes it happens without you being aware of it.
Certain laws change from country to country and even state to state. Some of these laws are unimaginably strange. For instance, did you know that flip-flops are illegal in Capri, Italy? Scroll down for a collection of such peculiar laws found across the world and let us know of any weird things that are illegal that you know of as well.
#1 Baby Walkers (Canada)
In 2004, the Canadian government banned baby walkers to protect kids since they were moving too fast, and parents or caregivers simply couldn’t respond quickly enough.
#2 High Heels In Historical Sites (Greece)
Since 2009, Greece has outlawed wearing heels at any historical site. Apparently, the pointy heels apply too much pressure to the ground and can chip away at architectural structures.
#3 Noise (Victoria, Australia)
In Victoria, Australia, residents are prohibited from making any loud noises during set hours, which are Monday to Friday before 7 am and after 8 pm. and on weekends and public holidays before 9 am and after 8 pm.
#4 Flip-Flops (Capri, Italy)
Apparently, flip-flops are prohibited on the Italian island of Capri since they are “excessively noisy,” and residents want to enjoy their “peace and quiet.” Tourists may, however, bring “loud” shoes and wear them in the rest of Italy.
#5 Blue Jeans (North Korea)
Blue jeans are prohibited in North Korea because they are viewed as a symbol of American imperialism. The same applies to other Western items, such as skinny jeans, lip and nose piercings, and branded T-shirts.
#6 Running Out Of Gas In Autobahn (Germany)
Running out of petrol is a big no-no since stopping your car on the Autobahn in Germany is also forbidden. Moreover, walking is not allowed on the Autobahn too.
#7 Lacy Underwear (Russia, Belarus, And Kazakhstan)
Sales of lacy underwear are prohibited in Kazakhstan, Belarus, and Russia. Garments in contact with your skin must include at least 6% cotton, according to standards approved in 2013. This was implemented due to health concerns because lace is not a skin-breathable fabric.
#8 Mullets And Ponytails (Iran)
In 2010, Iran outlawed mullets, ponytails, and long, gelled hair for men but allowed quiffs or floppy fringes in the style of the 1980s. Apparently, the ban included “homosexual” and “devil worshiping” hairstyles, tattoos, sunbed treatments, and plucked eyebrows for males since they are all considered against Islamic law.
#9 Eating Durian Fruit In Public (Thailand, Japan, Hong Kong, And Singapore)
Although the durian fruit may be a favorite among many Singaporeans and visitors, the government and private sector were obliged to ban it due to its pungent stench. Due to the numerous “No Durian” signs found almost anywhere, travelers to Singapore shouldn’t anticipate seeing durian fruit on the city’s public transportation or in major public areas. Durian has also been outlawed on various forms of public transportation in Thailand, Japan, and Hong Kong.
#10 Yellow Clothing (Malaysia)
As thousands of protestors in yellow t-shirts stormed the streets of Kuala Lumpur and demanded the resignation of the Prime Minister in 2016, the Malaysian government outlawed wearing yellow clothes. Since then, anyone seen wearing yellow has been subject to arrest on the grounds that they are participating in a protest.
#11 Creating Memes (Australia)
Lawfully, memes cannot be created or distributed in Australia because of the country’s strong copyright laws. “Distributing an infringing article that prejudicially affects the copyright owner” is prohibited, according to Section 132A Part 2 of the Copyright Act.
#12 The Word “Jasmine” And Jasmine Flowers (China)
After the 2011 Chinese pro-democracy protests, also known as the Greater Chinese Democratic Jasmine Revolution, the word “jasmine” was blocked by China Mobile and China Unicom, suggesting that one can’t use the word “jasmine” on the internet in China. According to a report in The New York Times from May 10, 2011, selling jasmine flowers at flower marketplaces had also been prohibited.
#13 Importing Ballpoint Pens (Nigeria)
In addition to ballpoint pens, so are prohibited all types of footwear, live or dead birds, spaghetti or noodles, carpets, and cocoa butter.
#14 Japanese Shaving Brushes (Saint Lucia)
These innocent-looking shaving brushes are forbidden in the Caribbean island of Saint Lucia. After a scandal involving anthrax contamination in the early 1900s, the island outlawed all imports of shaving brushes made in or exported from Japan.
#15 Using More Than 25 Pennies (Canada)
Since 2013, using more than 25 pennies in a single transaction has been prohibited in Canada. This was one of the laws set to place to gradually phase out coins.
#16 Import Of Pencils (Tunisia)
Most nations have a standard list of prohibited things, such as weapons and explosives. Yet, some countries have stronger laws than others. For instance, pencil imports are forbidden in Tunisia. Why? Not quite sure. However, items such as crayons, baby feeders with tubes, raisins, and soap are also prohibited.
#17 Chewing Gum (Singapore)
Singapore forbids the import and trading of chewing gum, except for a few varieties allowed for medicinal reasons. The country also takes prohibition very seriously; the importer might face jail time and huge fines.
#18 Goldfish In A Glass Bowl (Rome, Italy)
Although it is legal to own goldfish in Rome, keeping them in a glass bowl is not. It is regarded as harsh since the bowl restricts their oxygen intake and could render them blind.
#19 Photos Of The President’s House (South Africa)
In 2013, the South African government threatened legal action against media sites that published images of President Jacob Zuma’s home. The photo ban came after a lengthy dispute about Zuma’s house in Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal — a massive property with a mini-football field, a gym, and helicopter pads. A controversy broke out after it was learned that more than £12 million in public funds were spent to renovate the property, leading various media sources to publish aerial pictures of it.
#20 Candy Eggs (USA)
Kinder Surprise Candy Eggs have been classified as a choking hazard since these chocolate sweets have a little toy within them. Attempts to import this Canadian sweet have resulted in people being detained in airports.
Shanilou Perera
Shanilou has always loved reading and learning about the world we live in. While she enjoys fictional books and stories just as much, since childhood she was especially fascinated by encyclopaedias and strangely enough, self-help books. As a kid, she spent most of her time consuming as much knowledge as she could get her hands on and could always be found at the library. Now, she still enjoys finding out about all the amazing things that surround us in our day-to-day lives and is blessed to be able to write about them to share with the whole world as a profession.
