Are you ready for a good laugh? Britains top ten goofy laws ...
By ladyluna
@ladyluna (7004)
United States
November 7, 2007 10:47am CST
Good morning all,
I imagine every nation has some whacky laws on the books, I know the USA does. So, according to a Brietbart poll, the most ridiculous British laws are listed below. What do you think?
Also, do you know of any whacky, crazy, silly, absurd laws in your country? If so, please do share and let's all have a splendid chuckle, or two
1. It is illegal to die in the Houses of Parliament
2. It is an act of treason to place a postage stamp bearing the British monarch upside-down
3. In Liverpool, it is illegal for a woman to be topless except as a clerk in a tropical fish store
4. Mince pies cannot be eaten on Christmas Day
5. In Scotland, if someone knocks on your door and requires the use of your toilet, you must let them enter
6. A pregnant woman can legally relieve herself anywhere she wants, including in a policeman's helmet
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
8. It is illegal to avoid telling the tax man anything you do not want him to know, but legal not to tell him information you do not mind him knowing
9. It is illegal to enter the Houses of Parliament in a suit of armour
10. In the city of York it is legal to murder a Scotsman within the ancient city walls, but only if he is carrying a bow and arrow
Here's the link to the story: http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=071106192140.upvz2rbw&show_article=1
1 person likes this
3 responses
@bravenewworld (746)
• United States
8 Nov 07
These are priceless. I wonder how well they would stand up in court? Imagine the luck of a murderer in York whose lawyer realizes the significance of the fact that the victim was Scottish and happened to be carrying a bow and arrow (say as part of a costume party)?
How many heads ended up on the spikes of traitor's gate for the misuse of a postage stamp with the monarch's head? I guess there must have a been spate of disgruntled citizens using the postage stamp as a form of protest..
And it's hard to believe it's illegal to eat mince pies on Christmas Day. I thought that was a British custom. Way to criminalize the whole population.
1 person likes this
@ladyluna (7004)
• United States
12 Nov 07
Hello Bravenewworld,
I'm sorry that I haven't gotten back to you before now. Things have been sad and crazy in my world. I do hope I didn't offend.
You make great points about these ridiculous laws. I, for one, think it's long overdue that these laws were retired. I'd hate to vacation in the U.K. and inadvertently place a crown stamp upside down. That'd sure put a damper on the vacation, eh?
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts about these cooky laws.
@bravenewworld (746)
• United States
12 Nov 07
Hello LadyLuna,
No offense taken what so ever.
Yes, UK tourism could suffer significantly by the enforcement of that stamp law.
My condolences on your loss. btw.
1 person likes this
@sigma77 (5383)
• United States
7 Nov 07
How funny. Let's turn this around and see if we can find 10 laws that are good and decent and relevent. I always have people knocking on my door asking to use my potty. No problem. In my opinion, most laws are useless and are just begging to be broken. And I would never enter the House of Parliment suited in armor. Can you imagine what would happen to the metal detectors? What fun that would be.
1 person likes this
@ladyluna (7004)
• United States
7 Nov 07
Hello Sigma,
Hmmm, I wonder if it's possible to overload a metal detector? I'm reminded of the old t.v. show, "Lost in Space". Remember the robot who always warned, "Danger, Will Robbins". I wonder if the Parliament metal detectors would start beeping, blinking, and spewing smoke if someone wore a suit of armor through it. Too funny!
1 person likes this
@thrwbckjay67 (2870)
• United States
8 Nov 07
Hahaha... I also saw this, but it was posted on Yahoo. I thought some of them were really funny. It's amazing some of the rules, but it's funny to realize what was important and the focus of people back when these laws were written. I am sure that if you went through some of the simple laws in states across the nation that we could find laws that are incredibly outdated and would be funny to us. Then again, #6 is just so hilarious... and #3 makes me want to open a tropical fish store in Liverpool.
1 person likes this
@ladyluna (7004)
• United States
8 Nov 07
Hello Thrwbckjay67,
You're so right about silly laws probably still in existence, just about everywhere. A few years back I read that there is still a very old law in San Francisco that prohibits walking one's elephant on certain sides of the street, at certain times of the day.
I think it would be a real hoot to be witness to #6 in today's world.
