We all rely on the law to be there for us, protecting us and keeping us on the straight and narrow. But we humans have been legislating our societies for a long time, and sometimes odd laws manage to slip through the cracks. Here is a selection of the strangest, the most anachronistic and the just plain weirdest laws that you would not believe are real:
Have Your Practised Your Long-Bow Lately?
For hundreds of year after the bow and arrow fell out of favour, it was a requirement that all men over the age of 14, up to (variously) 40 or 60 or 75, should practice the art of the long-bow for at least one hour per week, eschewing other ‘frivolous’ pastimes in order to do so. There laws were enacted in the 1500s, being updated every so often – usually to raise the upper limit on the ages – until Henry’s death, even though the bow and arrow were on their way out as weapon of choice during his lifetime. While the need for bows and arrows and the skills to use them fell away, the rules were not even specifically rescinded. They were, however, counted in a mass repeal of batches of laws deemed no longer needed, when Victoria did some legal house-keeping, so to speak, in 1845.
Holding Down the Thai Money
In Thailand, they hold their royal family, and especially the ruling monarch, in huge respect. Tourists are warned against making jokes or comments about the royals that might be construed as disrespectful: and the penalties for ignoring this can be high. The king’s face appears on Thai money, both the notes and the coins, and to step on this image would be a gross violation on the image of the king – not least because the feet are considered to be dirty and unclean, in more than a ‘you need a bath’ kind of way. So, yeah, if you drop your last banknote, make sure you catch it in a respectful way, and not by slamming your foot down upon the visage of the royals: it is illegal to step on Thai money.
Philippines Annoyance
In the Philippines you can be arrested just for annoying someone – can someone get an arrest warrant signed for the arrest of Putin, as above? The crime is called ‘unjust vexation‘ and it covers a broad umbrella from malicious vandalism, anti-social behaviour, poor neighbourliness and much more. But the law cannot be used willy-nilly, there is a strict set of criteria that must be applied before the law can be invoked. But because of its phrasing, it is a great way to stop spiteful behaviour that might otherwise skate by as being less than harassment and so on.
Thou Shalt Not Handle Your Salmon in Suspicious Circumstances
Or anyone’s salmon, really. This rule – a proviso within The Salmon Act of 1986 – actually makes a lot of sense when you realise that it is a broadly defined law aimed at combatting poaching of the magnificent game fish. It is worded in that way so as to allow law enforcement to tackle not only the poachers, but the middlemen and the end users or retail outlets through which the salmon travels. Any deception along this business path can be subject to this law, allowing the officers to investigate without needing to acquire extra warrants or permissions.
Beware a Cheated Wife in Hong Kong
In Hong Kong a scorned wife is ‘allowed‘ to kill her cheating husband, as long as she does it with her bare hands. The actual wording of the law is much more broad and ambiguous, but there is an implication that if the provocation is strong enough, and the crime unpremeditated – the whole adding up to the actions of a ‘reasonable’ person, then the killing could be considered justified. The ‘bare hands’ thing is probably a very literal translation of the ‘no premeditation’ bit: if she went to fetch a weapon, that could be considered premeditation, in theory.
Safe Bear Transit in Missouri
In Missouri it is illegal to drive with an uncaged bear. So… cage your bears, people, if you want to travel with them! The initial spur for this law is lost in the annals of time, but it seems fairly commonsensical, to be honest: an uncaged bear probably makes for an exciting ride!
