Can a Pig Be Called Napoleon? Ridiculous Laws From Around the World That Are Hard to Believe

We are accustomed to considering laws as the basis of order and stability, rules that regulate the life of society. But sometimes among them there are those that cause surprise and a smile.

For example, in Alabama it is illegal to carry ice cream in your back pocket, and in France you cannot name a pig Napoleon. These strange rules are not fiction, but real laws that have survived from ancient times or were created due to unusual circumstances.

In our article, we will look at the funniest laws from around the world and try to understand their origins.

The Strangest Laws in the World

There are quite a lot of strange laws, and they cover different spheres of life, but not all of them can be verified for reliability. Therefore, we will consider only those that are definitely confirmed.

In Alabama, It is Illegal to Carry Ice Cream in Your Back Pocket

The law against putting ice cream in your back pocket dates back to the 19th century, when thieves used ice cream as bait for horses. The ice cream melted in your pocket supposedly helped steal the animal away. Horses were worth their weight in gold back in the day, and while those days are long gone, the law hasn’t been formally repealed, but it’s not enforced either.

Wearing Armour in UK Parliament Banned

To this day, the Statute of Forbidding Bearing of Armour of 1313 prohibits entering the Houses of Parliament in full armour. It was passed back in the Middle Ages, when fully armed knights could attend parliamentary sessions, often attended by the king himself. Technically, the law remains in force, but it is not actually enforced, because no one would ever dream of coming to Westminster in armour.

France Imposes Ban on Landing of Flying Saucers

It is worth clarifying right away that the decree was adopted only in the commune of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and not in the whole of France. It prohibits UFOs from flying over the commune and landing on its territory, especially in the vineyards. The origins of this decision are simple: Mayor Jean Lucien issued it at the height of the UFO boom of the 1950s as a joke and a PR move to attract attention to the region. The decree has not been repealed, because there have been no complaints from aliens about it yet.

In Italy, You Can’t Wear Noisy Shoes

Since 1960, it has been forbidden to wear noisy shoes (such as wooden clogs) in the center and residential areas of the Italian island of Capri. The fact is that in the mid-20th century, wooden clogs were popular, and the sounds of wood hitting the stone of the cobbled streets echoed through the narrow streets. Because of such sounds, local residents began to complain en masse about the impossibility of having a normal rest, which is why the ban was introduced.

It’s Illegal to Live in a Garage in California

In San Francisco and other California cities, it is illegal to live in a garage without permission from the authorities. The law was created because of the housing crisis, during which people began to convert garages into illegal apartments. As a result, a wave of accidents swept across California — people suffocated due to the lack of ventilation in the garage, and flammable substances often became the cause of fires. The law is actively enforced, but despite the fact that violators are fined, they still secretly rent out garages as housing.

In Japan, you Can’t Build a House That Blocks Your Neighbor’s Sun

In the 1970s, a building boom in Japan led to lawsuits. Japanese people complained that high-rise buildings blocked the sun, so the government introduced the Right to Sunlight (Nisshōken) law. It regulates that new buildings do not deprive neighboring buildings of more than the required amount of sunlight. This is why you can see houses with sloping roofs in Tokyo.

Pigs are Not Allowed to Lie on Porches in Florida

In cities in the state, such as Miami, it is illegal to keep pigs on your front lawn or in your yard. The law was passed at a time when farmers lived near urban areas and their farms had a negative impact on the sanitary situation. The law is still in force, although there are almost no precedents.

In Germany, It is Forbidden to Wash Carpets on Sundays

In Germany, it is forbidden to beat carpets on Sundays in apartment buildings. This rule is connected with the tradition of the “day of silence” (Ruhetag), which has its roots in religious customs, when Sunday was considered a time of rest. The noise from washing or beating carpets irritated neighbors, and eventually this was enshrined in local noise laws. The ban is still in effect — violators face complaints or fines, although some buildings even post a schedule for such chores.

In Missouri, There Can be No More Than Three Women in One House

In Missouri cities, it is illegal for more than three or four unrelated people to live together. The law dates back to the 19th century, when authorities were cracking down on illegal brothels masquerading as regular homes. Back then, a group of women under one roof was considered suspicious, and the law was meant to maintain order. Today, it is rarely enforced, but it has not been formally repealed, so a fourth roommate could theoretically face a fine.

In Switzerland You Can’t Flush the Toilet After 10pm

In Swiss cantons, the noise of a toilet flush after 10 p. m. may violate the rules of silence. This tradition arose because the Swiss loved peace in apartment buildings — the loud flush prevented neighbors from sleeping. There is no direct law, but complaints reach the court, and locals have even invented “quiet” toilets. The ban is more of a custom than a strict rule, but it is better to refrain from unnecessary noise at night.

Six Women in Arkansas is Too Many

In Arkansas, as in Missouri, old regulations limit the number of unrelated tenants in a home to about five or six. It’s another echo of the crackdown on brothels in the 19th and 20th centuries, when large groups of women were considered a moral menace. The exact number varies by local code, but the law is long outdated and rarely enforced. The sixth roommate is probably still a question mark.

In Australia You Can’t Paint Your House Black Without Permission

In some states of Australia, such as Queensland, the color of the house’s façade must be approved by the local council, and black is often banned. This rule was introduced in the 20th century to preserve the aesthetics of suburbs and prevent houses from overheating in hot climates. Black was considered too gloomy and impractical. The ban applies to certain areas — without permission, the paint will remain in the store.

In Thailand You Can’t Step on Money

In Thailand, you can get a fine and even jail time if you step on coins or banknotes with the king’s image. Thailand is a kingdom where the King is not just a monarch, but a symbol of the nation — a sacred image of Thai culture. Therefore, tourists are advised to watch their feet and carefully pick up fallen money.

Giving Animals Alcohol is Illegal in the US

The American state of Indiana has passed a law that prohibits giving alcohol to animals, including monkeys. Its history is linked to a real incident in the early 20th century, when a drunk monkey caused a disturbance in a local bar. The law is still technically in force, but it is rarely enforced, and the drunk monkey story has become a local joke.

In Italy, you Can’t Build Sand Castles Without Permission

An unexpected blow to children in the 2000s was dealt by the authorities of the Italian province of Eraclea, who banned the construction of sand castles on beaches without prior approval. The law is aimed at maintaining order and cleanliness on the beaches and is still in effect, which children do not like at all.

In Singapore, Chewing Gum is Under Government Control

Since 1992, Singapore has banned the sale and import of regular chewing gum into the country, and at the same time introduced fines for spitting it out in public. The measures were introduced to improve cleanliness in the city, which is already on the list of super-clean cities in the world. The law does not apply to special medical chewing gum, but fines for regular gum can reach hundreds of dollars.

Funny Fictions, But Not Laws — Debunking Myths

Not all funny laws spread on the Internet are real, and most often they are urban legends, jokes or simply distorted stories. They sound too absurd — from dying parliamentarians to blue ducks. Let’s look at the most common myths.

In the UK, It is Illegal to Die in the Houses of Parliament

In 2007, Britons voted the law the most ridiculous in a UKTV Gold poll. However, lawyers found no legal basis for it. The idea for the myth grew out of the idea that a death in parliament supposedly requires a state funeral, since parliament is part of the royal palace.

In France, You Can’t Call a Pig Napoleon

The ban on naming a pig after Napoleon is attributed to the era of Napoleon Bonaparte, when his name was a symbol of power, and any use of it in a mocking context was perceived as an insult. At the moment, there are no laws in France that explicitly prohibit naming a pig Napoleon. Most likely, this is a fiction or a joke inspired by Napoleon’s cult of personality.

In Switzerland, You Can’t Walk Naked With Your Dog

In Switzerland, as in other civilized countries, there is a law on decent behavior, which prohibits walking the streets naked. A person who violates this rule will receive a fine, regardless of whether he is with a dog or not.

Kentucky Bans Women From Wearing Bathing Suits on Highways

A woman supposedly cannot walk down the highway in a bathing suit unless she is accompanied by two police officers or armed with an axe (sometimes a shovel is mentioned). The exception is if the woman weighs less than 40 kg or more than 90 kg. Most likely, this is a myth associated with the norms of decency of the early 20th century, when bathing suits were considered too revealing clothing. The mention of an axe or shovel is probably added for the sake of absurdity and humor. There is no direct evidence of such a law in modern Kentucky statutes.

In Texas, a Criminal Must Warn the Victim of an Attack.

Before committing an assault, the offender must notify the victim of his intentions, either verbally or in writing, at least 24 hours in advance. This myth arose from a humorous interpretation of the law of intent, which states that before suing the offender, he must be notified of his intentions.

As a result, a check of strange and funny laws showed that there are far more myths among them than real norms. Such curiosities as the ban on building a house without a pig’s permission, painting ducks blue, milking other people’s cows or biting into someone else’s burger are more often fictions or exaggerations than actual rules.

However, even among the confirmed laws there is enough absurdity that makes you smile. All this proves that human fantasy and historical curiosities sometimes create rules that sound no less wild than the boldest jokes.