The Daily Mail recently had an article on some bizarre laws being enforced around the world.
Here are a few of them:
CAN’T FLUSH A TOILET AFTER 10 PM: Apparently, it’s illegal to flush a toilet in an apartment building in Switzerland after 10 pm, because it is considered noise pollution. Some landlords even impose restrictions on no flushing between 10 pm and 7 am.
MUST WALK DOG: If you own a dog in Turin, Italy, you must walk them at least three times a day, according to a law passed by the city council.
DON’T SHARE ALCOHOLIC DRINKS WITH MOOSE: In Fairbanks, Alaska it is illegal to feed alcohol to Moose. Apparently, a moose, who was later named Buzzwinkle, went on a rampage in 2007 after getting into some alcohol at a local brewer.
DON’T RIDE COWS WHILE INTOXICATED: Based on legislation passed in 1872, it’s still illegal for an intoxicated person to ride a cow in Scotland.
DON’T BUILD SAND CASTLES: It has been illegal since 2016, for anyone to build sandcastles on Levant beach located in Benidorm, Spain. People can face a fine of €150 (£130) for violating this council edict.
With hundreds of years of history, British governments have passed thousands of arcane and weird laws that are still on the books.
However, they are no longer considered applicable under the “doctrine of implied repeal.” By definition, if we had known they existed we would have appealed them.
The Guardian provided a list of a few unusual laws that were still on the books in that country in 2007:
- In York, England, a person was allowed to kill a Scotsman who was carrying a bow and arrow.
- Apparently, it was still illegal for anyone to die in the British House of Commons.
- In parts of England, it is considered an act of treason to put a stamp that had an image of Britain’s monarch upside down when mailing a letter.
- There is also a law from Oliver Cromwell’s day (1599 – 1658) which makes it illegal to eat mince pies on Christmas Day.
Though these laws seem strange today, historians state that in many instances there were legitimate reasons for their passing.
READ: You can still kill a Scotsman in York, but don’t eat a mince pie at Christmas