When you travel abroad it’s best to take the advice — “When in Rome, do as the Romans do” — seriously. (Even if you’re not traveling around Italy.) Not only will this help you avoid making any cultural faux pas, but it could keep you out of trouble! Here are a few of the weirdest legal statutes still on the books from around the world that law research recently dug up.
No Gum Chewing in Singapore.
In Singapore, it’s illegal to chew gum, and has been for two decades. The country made a legal statute declaring the delicious treat illegal because it wanted to make sure that it’s streets were clean. That being said, chewing gum in Singapore is not a huge offense, and is only punishable by a fine, but even so, it’s probably best to leave your Bazooka Joe back in the states.
No Feeding the Birds in Venice.
Back in the day, it was a tradition to go feed the birds in Venice, but today, there’s a legal statute preventing people from doing just that. If you do decide to try to turn yourself into a human bird perch, like you used to be able to do, you’re liable to face a fine of up to as much as $700.
No Feather Beds in Buenos Aires.
Feather beds in Buenos Aires are actually illegal, if you can believe it. The Argentine government passed a legal statute making featherbeds officially illegal because law makers did not want “such an indulgence” to induce or encourage “lascivious feelings.” Fortunately, all other types of beds are perfectly safe. Even water beds.
Although these legal statutes seemingly have no legislative intent, Americans can’t judge. The law books of the United States are so full of strange, bizarre laws that you hardly have to do any legislative history research to find a few.
If you know of any such weird legal statutes, share them for others in the comments.