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10 Strange Laws you should be aware of in the United Kingdom

Each country has their fair of strange laws that make one wonder how they came into place in the first place and if they are official laws that should be followed by people residing in the country. The United Kingdom is not an exception to this fact in that it features several laws that are outdated in today’s society and lack validity.

Therefore, a tourist or an international student going to the United Kingdom needs to be familiar with it so that during their stay in the country, they do not unknowingly break the rules and pay a fine or get imprisoned. Therefore, this article will look at ten strange laws in the United Kingdom that do not make sense.

1. It is illegal to walk your cow in daylight

It is illegal to walk with cows between 10 am to 7 pm within the Metropolitan Streets as it is said that it causes disturbance. This means that a person is allowed to walk their cow when it is dark and no one can see them because if found walking a cow during the daylight hour, it means that one will get fined. There is even a section in the Metropolitan Street Act that gives provisions for this law.

2. Members of Parliament cannot wear a suit of armour in the parliament

Whether it is Halloween or just a normal day, members of parliament are not allowed to wear suits of armour while in parliament. This law was enacted to ensure that the government was not threatened with armed force. Thus is strange in that no one expects the legislators to go to court while in costumes because they are going to represent the issues faced by the public and thus need to dress accordingly.

3. The Salmon Act

The salmon act was introduced to ensure that the fish being carried was not done in a suspicious way. Therefore, when one goes fishing they have to ensure that they have caught salmon, trout, eels and lampreys.

However, it is not classified to what is suspicious behaviour and thus makes this law strange as one will not know if the way they are acting is suspicious.

4. Ringing the doorbell

Kids love ringing doorbells and then running away and it is normal. But this game is a crime and is punishable by law in the United Kingdom. The acts may be fun to children as they are looking for ways to keep themselves busy but they can be annoying for adults. This prompted the government to pass a law under the Metropolitan Streets Act that banned this practice

5. Lingering after funerals is not allowed

England bans people lingering around after a funeral. This means that immediately after one is done with the funeral they have to leave the premises. A man was even arrested for extending his stay 20 minutes after the funeral was concluded. This law is strange as it is unheard of that people are given a specific timeline in which they are supposed to say goodbye to their loved ones.

6. The whales belong to the monarch

When one goes to the beach and finds a whale lying on the beach they should not take it for themselves because it does not belong to them. According to the King’s Prerogative which was a statute made in the 14th-century state that sturgeons and whales that are found on the coast of the sea are the property of the crown and therefore, should be given to them.

The law is strange in that the person who finds the whale will not get anything because it is all given to the monarch. Also, why would the monarch want the whale?

7. Being drunk while in charge of cattle is illegal in Wales and England

It is common to hear the phrase that says do no drink and drive. However, in the United Kingdom, it is a different case where it does not drink and lead cattle. How the law was thought of until it was enacted is what makes it even strange in that it is hard to comprehend what took place for it to be a law. Visitors should then ensure that they do not get drunk and after that lead a herd of cattle or any animals for that matter.

8. Polish potatoes are banned in the United Kingdom

Importing potatoes from Poland is a big no in the United Kingdom. The Polish Potatoes Act that was passed in 2004 made it illegal for one to import potatoes to England when he has reasonable cause to suspect that they originated from Poland. This law came into place after ring rot was discovered in potatoes in Poland.

However, the law is strange in that to this time it is definite that the potatoes no longer have ring rot but the law is still in place.

9. A commoner’s pet cannot mate with pets from the royal household

This one is a strange law that prohibits a common pet from mating with one that comes from the royal household. This offence was an executable offence until 1965 when the death penalty was abolished but the law is still in place. This means that one could be killed because their pet mated with one from the monarch. Therefore, while in the United Kingdom please ensure that your pet does not mate with one that comes from royalty.

10. Hanging of laundry on a wash line is not permitted

It is illegal to hang your laundry to dry in Beverly, East Yorkshire. This rule was introduced to ensure that people’s clothes did not detract from the luxury look that the estate development was going for. The developers even fitted each house with a washer-dryer to ensure that people did not hang their clothes outside.