30 strange laws from all over the world that sound like fiction, but really exist

In some countries of the world there are such unusual laws that they may even seem like fiction to someone. But all this is absolutely real! Here is a short list of the strangest quirks of legislators.

There is a section in the Code of Norms of the City of Mobile that talks about the use of confetti:

In 2009, the famous archaeologist, Director of the Department of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities of Greece Eleni Korka said:

Hairpins can punch holes because they are under pressure from the whole body. To minimize the deterioration of monuments, this ban was introduced.

In Arizona, to this day, you can't let a donkey sleep in a bathtub. The origin of the law is actually a funny story that, apparently, no one wanted to repeat.

In 1924, a donkey found an abandoned bathtub near his master's house, and decided to take a nap in it. While he was sleeping there, a dam burst nearby. A flash flood carried away a donkey napping in a bathtub on the water. The locals spent a lot of time and effort to save the animal, and after all this pandemonium, it was decided that donkeys should be banned from sleeping in the baths. This will help.

There are four states in the United States that have banned billboards: Alaska, Maine, Vermont and Hawaii, where the ban was introduced first.

Businessmen understand that it is actually beneficial to them, because billboards spoil the landscape; without them, these states retain their beauty and attract more people.

On the small island of Capri on the southern side of the Bay of Naples, there is a local law according to which dog owners must clean up after their pets if they shit on the street.

To enforce it, Mayor Lembo thought he might take advantage of another existing law requiring all dogs to take a blood test for canine leishmaniasis. There is a database of dog DNA – a further matter of technique. The penalty for not cleaning up after your dog is 2000 euros.

In South Africa, it is forbidden to engage in fighting matches with bears.

And this is a strange law: first of all, who would think to arrange a fist fight with a predator? Secondly, there are no bears there at all.

The driver must make sure that his vehicle is in proper condition for use.

For example, the lack of fuel is not considered a serious enough reason to stop, therefore it is considered a violation and negligence, and is punishable by a fine.

The law exists to prevent married women from flirting drunkenly with other men.

In addition, men can divorce their wives if they are seen drinking in public.

In 2014, Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan introduced a decree according to which clothing in contact with the skin must contain at least 6 percent cotton. Underwear that did not meet this requirement could not be sold in stores.

But lace underwear most often contains less than 4 percent cotton, which means that the law literally prohibits such underwear. The reason is that synthetic fabrics do not absorb moisture and can cause skin problems. However, textile manufacturers and buyers were not happy about this, and there were even protests against the ban in Kazakhstan.

In South Australia, if you intentionally interfere with a wedding, funeral or any religious service, you can be fined $10,000 or jailed for 2 years.

The Summary Crimes Act of 1953 states:

The Law of 1313 prohibiting the wearing of armor or the transfer of weapons to parliament was passed in 1313 during the reign of Edward II of England.

The law is still in force, although no one has been involved under the relevant article in our time.

This rule was introduced in 2006, a year after Rome issued a decree according to which dog owners must walk their dogs at least once a day.

This is a way to combat cruelty to animals. Fines for non-compliance with the law can reach $ 600.

Building sand castles on the beach is a common activity not only among children, but also among adults.

However, some adults go to extremes, building such huge sculptures and castles that it goes beyond all limits. That is why such a ban appeared in Spain.

Chewing gum was banned in Singapore in 1992, but currently chewing it is not prohibited, it is only prohibited to import and sell. In 2004, the ban was revised, and since then you can buy therapeutic, dental and nicotine chewing gum from a doctor or a registered pharmacist.

The ban was introduced due to the fact that vandals began to stick chewing gum on the door sensors of MRT trains, which interfered with the normal functioning of the doors and disrupted the operation of trains. These were rare but extremely unpleasant incidents. Hooligans also put gum in mailboxes, in keyholes, glued on elevator buttons. At some point, the patience of the authorities broke.

In the city of Baltimore, fortune-telling for money is prohibited and is punishable by a fine or imprisonment:

In France, men are prohibited from wearing swimming shorts in public pools; only tight-fitting swimming trunks are allowed.

Obviously, this is due to hygiene, because men can wear baggy swimming shorts like regular shorts, and then they can collect dust, dirt and the like.

From 1948 to 2015, dancing after midnight was banned in Japan. The ban was designed to stop prostitution associated with dance halls, but it wasn't actually enforced.

However, the new law states that recreation areas in clubs cannot be too darkened.

According to the Licensing Act of 1872 of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which enacts various rules and describes alcohol-related offenses, "every person who is intoxicated while driving on any highway or other public place, whether it is a cart, horse, cattle or steam engine [...] is subject to a fine."

In 2018, the city of Florence banned people from stopping in the historic center to eat food standing or sitting on sidewalks, driveways, as well as on the doorsteps of shops and houses.

For violating the law, a person can receive a fine of up to 500 euros. It was necessary for people not to litter and keep the crowded historical center clean.

In 2018, the Danish Parliament approved a law prohibiting the wearing of face-covering clothing in public. He expressed concern that this law is aimed at some Muslim women who wear a niqab or burqa.

Politicians argued that the ban would promote integration and public safety, and that wearing a veil was incompatible with national values such as gender equality. However, Muslim women stated that they feel that they are not being integrated, but rather discriminated against, since wearing the veil is their own choice.

In the city of Oshawa in Ontario, it has been forbidden to climb trees since 2008.

The law says:

In the city of Oshawa, they say that they care about the safety of their citizens and protect them from injuries that can be sustained when falling from a tree.

In 2013, China issued a new law (the "Law on the Rights of the Elderly") requiring adults to take care of their aging parents and visit them at least once a year.

If children do not provide their parents with psychological and financial support or do not visit them, they will have to pay a fine or go to jail.

In the state of Victoria, Australia, there is a law that prohibits flying a kite if it annoys other people in a public place.

Section 4 of the Summary Offences Act 1966 states that "any person who launches a kite in a public place; or plays a game that irritates someone, is considered guilty of an offence."

Residents of Monaco have always been forbidden to play at the Monte Carlo Casino. When Princess Caroline opened the Monte Carlo Casino in the mid‑1800s, she wanted foreigners to bring in all the income.

As compensation to the citizens of Monaco for the prohibition of this form of entertainment, they are exempt from paying income tax.

Until 2018, the State Administration for Religious Affairs (SARA) was part of the Chinese government, and in 2007 they issued a decree according to which all tulku reincarnations must receive government approval, otherwise they will be illegal.

Tulku is one of the three bodies of the Buddha, a form of manifestation of the Buddha in the everyday world.

It is not allowed to feed birds in St. Mark's Square in Venice. For decades, tourists have been doing this, and sellers happily sold them seeds for birds and other food.

But there were so many pigeons that historical monuments began to suffer from them. I had to take measures.

According to the Law on Broadcasting in Canada, the country's radio and television companies must include a certain percentage of Canadian content in their programs.

Canadian content is any content that has been at least partially written, produced, presented or otherwise contributed by people from Canada. The requirements for radio programs are to broadcast 40 percent of Canadian content per year, and for television – 55 percent annually and 50 percent daily.

The abuse of Buddhist images and artifacts is strictly prohibited in Sri Lanka.

And when you take a selfie against the background of the Buddha, it turns out that you are standing with your back to him – this is considered disrespectful. The locals take this very seriously. There was a case when French tourists actually appeared in court for posing for photos, pretending to kiss a Buddha statue.

In the United States, in the city of Quitman, Georgia, owners of chickens and other poultry should keep them away from the streets and other public places.

Chapter 8 of the City Code of Ordinances states:

In 2008, the Japanese government approved a law obliging employers to combat obesity in the workforce. Either treat, or pay fines.

If the waist of employees older than 40 and younger than 74 years is wider than 85 cm for men and 90 cm for women, employers are required to pay more contributions to the national health system. This is due to the fact that overweight people are more likely to have high blood pressure, high cholesterol and glucose levels in the blood, which need to be treated.