Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

People Share The Craziest Things That Are Somehow Legal In Certain Countries

Person in handcuffs
niu niu/Unsplash

Reddit user fittingpenguin asked: 'What’s the craziest yet still legal thing in your country?'

As foreigners who travel, it's easy to be overcome by culture shock while taking in the sights of different countries.

But we may behave in ways that are completely normal for us back home but are not acceptable in the places we're visiting.


Which makes sense.

There are rules and restrictions we should be aware of before we arrive in a foreign country.

Redditor fittingpenguin solicited input from strangers online to weigh in on conflicting international rules by asking:

"What’s the craziest yet still legal thing in your country?

You probably didn't know these were actual rules.

No Complaining

"A direct ancestor/descendant or spouse of an individual cannot file a theft complaint against that individual except if it's essential documents, like an ID."

– ObjectiveMountain900

Who's The Baby Daddy?

"I always thought the paternity test one was worse for France. Your not allowed to perform one even if you've good suspicion the child may not be yours and you could be liable to child support for another person's kid."

– SoloWingPixy88

Bees Take The Lead

"In Germany, you are allowed to enter private property to follow your honey bee swarm if the swarm is escaping and looking for a new hive."

– lizaahunn

"this is actually the case in lots of countries, where I am they can legally enter your yard to come to get them."

– WRA1THLORD

Things get very specific and downright shocking.

Gotta Be Pitch-Perfect

"In Belgium, anybody can sing or play an instrument in the Streets. In the city of Leuven however, you can be fined if you play your instrument off-key."

– Zuid-Dietscher

"To be fair to Leuven, with all the students running around doing it, I don't blame them."

– Blasmere

Careful The Things You Say

"Someone can be found guilty of defamation even if what that person said or wrote is 100 percent true."

– EHonda92m

" Japan. e.g. if you expose someone for having an affair, that person can sue you for defamation. I suppose it's an expectation of privacy. The only exception is if it's in the "public interest" to know this information."

– TheOvy

Everyone's Playground

"You can freely walk, bike or ski in the nature on any private property. As long as it's not counted as a breach of domestic peace or you are not ruining their crop field or something. For example, even though you see a sign 'private property' in the forest. You are free to go pick mushrooms and berries there. Or you can even fish there freely (only with basic worm fishing rod though) if there's a lake on the property. You can even set up a tent on someone's private property for a short time (1-2 nights) as long as you aren't littering or disturbing anyone for example being noisy or on the way. The country is Finland, and these things are in the Finnish constitution as 'every man's/everyone's rights.'"

– RamuPamu1

What happens if you break the law? There doesn't seem to be consequences here.

Prison Break

"I don't know if it's really crazy, I personally think it's good and reasonable, but here in germany it's not punishable to escape from prison."

"Of course in reality they might charge you with other things like property damage or assault etc. if you damage something or someone on the way out but the act of breaking out itself can't prolong your sentence because the need to be free is a fundamental human desire."

– PetrosiliusZwackel

The Warden's Story

"I watched a doc on European prisons some years back and in a Croatian prison they talked to the warden. He told a story about a man who escaped. A week or so after the escape the prison received a package containing the man’s prison uniform."

"Since he had committed no crimes while escaping (just walked out the doors) and while an escapee, the only thing they could have charged him with was stealing his prison uniform. But since he returned it, there was nothing to charge and he just had to finish out his original sentence."

– CornyCornheiser

Leaving Civilly Is Not A Crime

"Basically, the normal rules of society apply. If you punch a guard to get past them, that's still a crime. If they leave you unattended with the door open or you sneak out under a lorry, that isn't a crime. They can still catch you and return you, but you can't be charged with attempted or successful escape, just any crimes committed in the process."

– Death_God_Ryuk

It's The Soldiers' Call

"Also Germany, soldiers are allowed to disobey orders if they think it violates human dignity. There are other nations with similar rules or even obligations regarding human rights and violation of geneva convention, but protecting even their own dignity is unique (I think)"

– f_cysco

This doesn't have legal consequences but slurping noodles at the dinner table is perfectly acceptable in Japan.

As a matter of fact, the Japanese encourage it.

The Japanese believe that eating noodles while they're piping hot is the best way to enjoy them.

Also, what is perceived as rude etiquette in other countries is actually a sign of validation that the cook prepared the dish well.

More from Trending/best-of-reddit

Screenshots from Pervez Taufiq's Instagram video
@ptaufiqphotography/Instagram

Woman Kicked Off United Airlines Shuttle Bus After Hurling Racist Insults At Family

Photographer Pervez Taufiq was recently traveling with his family when they were confronted with a racist woman on their flight.

During the flight, Taufiq was unaware that the woman had begun to speak to his children, asking them if they were Indian and making inappropriate comments to them.

Keep ReadingShow less
Elton John
Lester Cohen/Getty Images for City of Hope

Elton John Shares Heartbreaking Update About His Eyesight At Opening Of London Musical

This past weekend at the opening of The Devil Wears Prada musical on London's West End, Elton John shared something the audience never saw coming while he gave a curtain speech.

The stage was crowded with John's support team, the staff involved in the musical's production, and many other people who made the event happen.

Keep ReadingShow less
Meghan Trainor
Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Freshpet

Meghan Trainor Reveals She 'Cannot Smile Anymore' Due To Cosmetic Procedure

Meghan Trainor recently shared her disappointing experience with Botox during an episode of her podcast Workin’ On It, which she co-hosts with her brother, Ryan Trainor.

Speaking candidly, Trainor revealed she underwent a Botox “lip flip” procedure to enhance her upper lip, but the results left her with unexpected challenges.

Keep ReadingShow less
Disabled 'Wicked' Star Calls Out 'Gross' Ableist Jokes And Comments About Her Character
@marissa_edob/TikTok

Disabled 'Wicked' Star Calls Out 'Gross' Ableist Jokes And Comments About Her Character

Marissa Bode, who plays Nessarose in the Wicked movie, has spoken out against harmful jokes about her character’s disability.

Bode, a wheelchair user, addressed the issue in a TikTok video following the film’s Nov. 22 release, saying the comments have been “deeply uncomfortable.”

Keep ReadingShow less
Greg Abbott; Tony Pastor
Alex Wong/Getty Images, @drtonypastor/TikTok

Texas Gov. Threatens To Cut Funding For Hospitals After Doctor's Viral TikTok Tip For Immigrants

Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a stark warning to patients ignoring a controversial executive order that requires them to disclose their immigration status during appointments.

Abbott threatened to cut funding from Texas public hospitals defying an order that mandates patients to fill in their immigration status.

Keep ReadingShow less