Laws to amuse you

[galraen]

I thought this article from the BBC's website might amuse you, the one voted 6th in the UK actually made me laugh out loud.

BBC NEWS | UK | UK chooses 'most ludicrous laws'

UK chooses 'most ludicrous laws'


The UK's top 10 most ridiculous British laws were listed as:

# 1. It is illegal to die in the Houses of Parliament (27%)

# 2. It is an act of treason to place a postage stamp bearing the British king or queen's image upside-down (7%)

# 3. It is illegal for a woman to be topless in Liverpool except as a clerk in a tropical fish store (6%)

# 4. Eating mince pies on Christmas Day is banned(5%)

# 5. If someone knocks on your door in Scotland and requires the use of your toilet, you are required to let them enter (4%)

# 6. In the UK a pregnant woman can legally relieve herself anywhere she wants, including in a policeman's helmet (4%)

# 7. The head of any dead whale found on the British coast automatically becomes the property of the King, and the tail of the Queen (3.5%)

# 8. It is illegal not to tell the tax man anything you do not want him to know, but legal not to tell him information you do not mind him knowing (3%)

# 9. It is illegal to enter the Houses of Parliament wearing a suit of armour

# 10. It is legal to murder a Scotsman within the ancient city walls of York, but only if he is carrying a bow and arrow (2%)

False teeth

The top 10 bizarre foreign laws as voted by those polled:

# 1. In Ohio, it is illegal to get a fish drunk (9%)

# 2. In Indonesia, the penalty for masturbation is decapitation (8%)

# 3. A male doctor in Bahrain can only examine the genitals of a woman in the reflection of a mirror (7%)

# 4. In Switzerland, a man may not relieve himself standing up after 10pm (6%)

# 5. It is illegal to be blindfolded while driving a vehicle in Alabama (6%)

# 6. In Florida, unmarried women who parachute on a Sunday could be jailed (6%)

# 7. Women in Vermont must obtain written permission from their husbands to wear false teeth (6%)

# 8. In Milan, it is a legal requirement to smile at all times, except during funerals or hospital visits (5%)

# 9. There is no age of consent in Japan (5%)

# 10. In France, it is illegal to name a pig Napoleon (4%)

[fable]

I'm sure there's been a thread like this, before. In any case, some of those laws weren't ridiculous when passed. It's just that what was meant to prevent a reoccurence of a then-current condition was never removed from the law books, and seems crazy today. That at least accounts for the one about the pig named Napoleon. And that business about masturbation in Indonesia being punishable by decaptiation...? I seem to recall that the ancient Hebrews consider stoning to death an appropriate punishment in the bible. The Indionesians were being much more humane in their punishment.

[Dottie]

Since I happen to know that Fable hides a great admiration for Swedish naming laws I will do my very best to indulge him.

If someone wants to change his surname he can do so, but only once an not if:
The spelling or pronunciation are unsuitable for a surname
The name is also used as a given name
The name is a "double-barrelled" name
The name is also a name on a railway station a post office or otherwise prone to confuse the public.
The name can be found offensive
The name can cause distress to the bearer.

If you change gender on a foreign surname it does not count as a change of name.

If someone loses his surname the court shall decide on a new surname.

If someone have gained the right to a peculiar surname, another person can not use a surname that can be easily confused with the peculiar name, unless he can show he has legal or traditional right to use that surname.

If a Swedish citizen lives outside Sweden these laws do not apply.

---

The sad thing IMO is that I generarly tend to find laws to be more sensible than the juridical practice is.

[fable]

Originally Posted by Dottie

Since I happen to know that Fable hides a great admiration for Swedish naming laws I will do my very best to indulge him.

If someone wants to change his surname he can do so, but only once an not if:
The spelling or pronunciation are unsuitable for a surname
The name is also used as a given name
The name is a "double-barrelled" name
The name is also a name on a railway station a post office or otherwise prone to confuse the public.
The name can be found offensive
The name can cause distress to the bearer.

If you change gender on a foreign surname it does not count as a change of name.

If someone loses his surname the court shall decide on a new surname.

If someone have gained the right to a peculiar surname, another person can not use a surname that can be easily confused with the peculiar name, unless he can show he has legal or traditional right to use that surname.

If a Swedish citizen lives outside Sweden these laws do not apply.

---

The sad thing IMO is that I generarly tend to find laws to be more sensible than the juridical practice is.

If you roll a 20-sided die and come up with a 7 or less on a Tuesday, while wearing a blue shirt, do you get a free pass around any of these laws?

[Dottie]

Exceptions can be made for most naming laws, but you need a court to decide that there is a very good reason for it... so, possibly.

[fable]

Originally Posted by Dottie

Exceptions can be made for most naming laws, but you need a court to decide that there is a very good reason for it... so, possibly.

As an old Texan saying has it, that's clear as mud--or some other, similar substance. If I didn't know you were of sterling character and unable to contemplate an untruth, much less tell one, I might think you were making up all that business about Swedish laws governing name changes. It sounds like something out of Kafka. Possibly this is that previously unknown Czech-Swedish cultural connection the world has been discussing in hushed tones.

[dragon wench]

ROFLMAO!
Just the thing to brighten a rainy afternoon!

I also like:
"It is illegal to enter the Houses of Parliament wearing a suit of armour"

OK, clearly the historical context is obvious, but the mental image of somebody strolling into the middle of an especially animated debate while the House is in full session made me laugh like Hell

[Loki[D.d.G]]

# 7. The head of any dead whale found on the British coast automatically becomes the property of the King, and the tail of the Queen (3.5%)

This takes the cake. What do the King and Queen do with them?

[Kipi]

Seriously, some of those do have very logical explanation, as Fable stated.

For example, the following I can't find in any way bizarre, as it's rather "unhealthy" to do...

# 5. It is illegal to be blindfolded while driving a vehicle in Alabama (6%)

[Loki[D.d.G]]

Seriously, some of those do have very logical explanation, as Fable stated.

Despite that, how can you rationalise a law that should have been outdated centuries ago such as this:

# 10. It is legal to murder a Scotsman within the ancient city walls of York, but only if he is carrying a bow and arrow (2%)

[dragon wench]

@Kipi,
what concerns me about the Alabama blindfold law is the simple fact of its existence...
I mean, this points to the very strong possibility that people were driving around with blindfolds on and that a law was required to address the problem. It boggles the mind...

I say this because when you study history and try to piece together the fabric of a society, you look at things like regulations, since quite often laws or rules come into being as a response to a particular problem or set of behaviours.

So... what I'd really like to know is just why people in Alabama were driving with blindfolds on.
Quite seriously, I would like to find out.

[Loki[D.d.G]]

what concerns me about the Alabama blindfold law is the simple fact of its existence...
I mean, this points to the very strong possibility that people were driving around with blindfolds on and that a law was required to address the problem. It boggles the mind...

So, it bodes to ascertain if this qualifies as an amusing law or rather an amusing reason for the aforementioned law category.

[dragon wench]

Originally Posted by Loki[D.d.G]

So, it bodes to ascertain if this qualifies as an amusing law or rather an amusing reason for the aforementioned law category.

Well yes, exactly. Some of these laws have an obvious enough historical context, but others, like the one in Alabama are a bit more obscure, and I'm sure there's a fascinating back story there.

As another example, this one:
In the UK a pregnant woman can legally relieve herself anywhere she wants, including in a policeman's helmet

Now, I suppose I get the part about pregnant woman being able to liberally relieve themselves, but where on earth does the bit about the policeman's helmet come from?
Honestly, there must be a back story to something like this...

[Loki[D.d.G]]

# 6. In Florida, unmarried women who parachute on a Sunday could be jailed (6%)

How about this one?

Maybe women who wanted out of their dysfunctional holy matrimonies would try to escape by parachuting out of Florida?

Then again why Sunday?

It becomes really hilarious when you look at the laws in this light.

[Queen_Articuno]

Hee, hee! I hav another 1.
In Oregon, dead people cannot be made to serve on a jury.