I am a law-abiding citizen, mostly. I speed. Lawbreaker number one. And I always roll through the stop sign at the intersection of Seven Mile Road and Wayne Trace Road. Unless there is a car coming. Lawbreaker number two. I stole a Kappa Alph Theta baseball cap in college, right out of their house. And when I was around 8 or 9 years old, I tried to steal a rubber ball from Woolworths. Lawbreaker three and four. Other than that, I’m pretty much on the up and up.
We have laws to keep order.
It happens not only here in the United States, but all around the globe.
But sometimes, those laws can be a little on the wonky side.
Here are a few to consider.
First up. This.
You cannot make an International call in North Korea. Honest to goodness, don’t even try it. Anyone who lives in North Korea and has a relative or friend residing abroad? They have to find an alternative means of communication. Because it is illegal to call them. Additionally, only select leaders and citizens can access the internet.
I kid you not. A North Korean factory owner was killed by a firing squad for making international calls in 2007.
One ringy-dingy, and you will hear rat-a-tat-tatty.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-496470/150-000-watch-North-Korean-factory-boss-executed-making-international-calls.html
Next. A much different kind of law on the lighter side of things.
Don’t run out of gas in Germany.
Germany knows their cars, especially when it comes to making automotive vehicles. Germany ranks up there with the best. And besides neato cars, there is the German Autobahn, where you can legally drive as fast as you wish. In fact, more than half of the total length of the German autobahn network has no speed limit. Some cars with potent engines can reach speeds of well over 300 km/h (190 mph).
So. While speeding is not an issue, running out of fuel is. Germans strongly believe it’s the driver’s responsibility to keep their vehicles with enough gas. Uhn. Yep. It IS the driver’s responsibility. So, if you run out of gas while driving on one Germany’s highways? A pretty hefty fine awaits you. And one more thing. Do not even consider walking because that attracts more punishment and is riskier.
That last law is pretty public. But this next one seems a bit more private in nature.
You are not allowed to wear lace undies in Russia and beyond. True dat.
The authorities in Russia, Kazakhstan, and Belarus banned lacy undergarments in 2014. Those officials believe clothes, especially undergarments, should absorb sweat and other dirt. And they say that undies made of lace can’t do that effectively.
When the law came about, many women protested. Lacy undies are more attractive. Some find them to be more comfortable. And when it comes to your skivvies, people should be allowed to wear what they want. Not so in Russian. No lace. Oh. And. Luxury lingerie made of materials with less than 4% cotton is also out of order.
The thing is. I’m not sure how authorities can enforce this law.
The next law is easier to enforce, I would think. Chewing gum is illegal in Singapore.
Yep. In Singapore, manufacturing, importing, distributing, selling, and using chewing gum are prohibited. Anyone caught violating this law can pay huge fines or even spend time in prison. Only dental and nicotine gums are allowed but under strict scrutiny.
They banned it for good reason. Apparently, the rule came in place in 1992 after vandals used chewing gum to cripple the mass rapid system, leading to uncountable losses. More than three decades later, the country remains unhealed from the incident, and chewing gum is still illegal.
All these laws have been outside the United States. But here is a good one from Idaho.
Cannibalism is illegal in Idaho. I’m not sure how this one came about, but apparently, it was once an issue there. So yes. An actual law prevents humans from eating others within the state borders.
Anyone who violates this law risks up to 14 years in prison. Violation includes eating a part of the flesh (or whole) and drinking human blood. But there is a slight catch here with this one. Cannibalism is defendable if you can prove that you did it under life-threatening conditions. I can hear it now. “We were stranded in Boise, with nothing to eat.” Yadda, yadda.
So there we have some laws from around the globe. Take them or leave them. But abide if you happen to be there.
It’s a crazy world out there, so remember to Buckle Up! It’s the law!
“”””””””””””””””
No man is above the law and no man is below it: nor do we ask any man’s permission when we ask him to obey it.
— Theodore Roosevelt
“”””””””””””””””
Society cannot exist without law. Law is the bond of society: that which makes it, that which preserves it and keeps it together. It is, in fact, the essence of civil society.
— Joseph P. Bradley
“”””””””””””””””
It is not wisdom but Authority that makes a law.
— Thomas Hobbes
“”””””””””””””””
It is the law, the law, the law.
