by Debbie Burke
Getting arrested in a foreign country can ruin a summer vacation. Here are five obscure laws you don’t want to violate, courtesy of Sydney Criminal Lawyers.com.au
1. Milan, Italy – Put a Big Smile on Your Face
Credit: Picryl
A city regulation dating from the Austro-Hungarian era requires residents and visitors to smile at all times. A grim expression could get you fined, unless you’re attending a funeral, working in a hospital, or visiting sick family members.
2. Sarpourenx, France – Die in the city limits and face severe punishment
Not the site of the actual crime. Photo credit: Eli Duke, CC by SA-2.0
The mayor of the city issued an edict “prohibiting people from dying within the city limits unless they had previously purchased a plot in a local parish cemetery.” So, what are they gonna do??? Kill ya???
3. Singapore – No Juicy Fruit, Spearmint, or Dubble Bubble
In 1995, Singapore enacted the “Anti-chewing Gum Regulation” to “promote cleanliness and avoid the costly problem of gum getting stuck on sidewalks.” And they’re serious. Penalties can be fines up to 200,000 Singapore dollars (approximately $155,000 US dollars) and/or three years in prison.
4. Oshawa, Canada – Hey, you! Get outta that tree!
Public domain, credit glenncarstenspeters
In 2008, the city passed legislation to protect trees on municipal property, prohibiting damage to a tree or any part of it. That includes “any interference with trees on municipal property, including climbing or attaching objects to them.”
Honeymooners, beware. Don’t carve your initials in trees owned by the city of Oshawa.
5. Thailand – No topless driving
Credit: Chris Beckett
In Thailand, neither males nor females are permitted “drive a motorbike, car, or tuk-tuk without a shirt on.” Fines are apparently minimal, but do you want to take a chance of ruining your vacation?
Now relax and enjoy your visit to these countries, secure in the knowledge you won’t run afoul of obscure violations.
Bon voyage!
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Cover by Brian Hoffman
In Dead Man’s Bluff, a romantic Florida vacation goes sour for Tawny Lindholm and Tillman Rosenbaum when an old friend disappears during a hurricane. Their search for him takes them deep into treacherous floodwaters where human predators prove more dangerous than reptiles. Buy at online retailers or ask your favorite indie bookstore to order for you.
The getting busted for not smiling one would be my demise. My natural facial posture is not one of automatic smiles. I wouldn’t say it looks grim but perhaps more serious. Though I have met people who seem to have a perpetual smile on their face.
Brenda, if you go to Milan, tell them you’re on your way to a funeral.
I like the term “facial posture.” I wonder if skull structure and musculature influence that. Years ago, I knew a young man who got kidded b/c he was always smiling. When he joined the military, the drill sergeant would yell at him b/c he thought my friend was mocking him. He kept trying to explain, “I can’t help it. It’s just the way my face is.”
I knew about Singapore’s anti-gum law, and they’re serious. Had not heard about the others.
Sharon, I think the anti-gum law was well publicized when it went into effect. The others are pretty obscure.
This is great fuel for narrative mischief, Debbie. Imagine a small town somewhere in the U.S. with an obscure law still on the books which our hero unwittingly violates—perhaps he or she was set up by the bad guy, or perhaps a crooked lawman and judge are running a racket. Fun and games ensue.
Thanks for a fascinating post. Hope you have a fine day!
Dale, that is indeed an excellent setup for the classic stranger-rides-into-town story. Poor Jack Reacher can’t relax long enough in a new location to eat a cut of pie before the local villains descend on him.
Have a fine day yourself, my friend!
As one who has stepped in tacky gum, I’d love to see that enacted here. 🙂 I love these oddball laws.
I agree, Pat, but the penalty seems pretty steep. However, that does deter gum-chewers from being careless.
I wish Florida had the “no shirtless” law. My eyes have been seared by the sight of some shirtless males.
LOL, Elaine! Florida offers many sights you can’t unsee.
There are some ordinances and laws that are hilarious. I know my hometown of Titusville, PA we weren’t allowed to wear shorts down town be you male or female. And don’t you dare spit on the sidewalks–that got you a fine.
I’m fairly sure those are ignored now, but when growing up those rules were enforced with fines. Then again, Pennsylvania had blue laws until recently where you couldn’t by alcohol on Sundays and you had to go to a package store/warehouse and have a liquor control board card to buy a case of beer or bottle of hard liquor. And the only stores open were those attached to gas stations on Sundays. The blue laws are gone but not the liquor control board cards and where you can buy cases of booze.
Barbara, thanks for those entertaining examples from your hometown.
I think blue laws still exist in some states. I just learned that in Montana, where marijuana is legal, dispensaries can’t sell before 10 a.m.
My husband is (probably) a wanted man in Italy. On one of our trips, he got a speeding ticket. (they emailed it much after the fact). We tried and tried to figure out how to pay it but it being Italy, nothing involving the government is easy. Haven’t heard from them in 15 years….