Bizarre Laws worldbuilding

Many real-world places have strange, unnecessary, or out-dated laws - most of the time, these are holdovers from old times that have not been repealed. For instance, in York, England, one may kill a Scotsman if there is a bow and arrow on his person, and in Pennsylvania one may not sleep outdoors on top of a refrigerator. Does your world, or any locations within your world, maintain any ridiculous or unnecessary laws?

Examples from Valdea:

* In the Unincorporated Territory of the Vald Mountain Province, one may be charged (and theoretically imprisoned, though there is no record of this offense incurring anything but a fine) for not possessing a firearm of sufficient caliber. This is covered under a public safety ordinance as "failure to prepare for hazardous situations in the environment" (i.e. bears). Other crimes covered under the same ordinance include not owning a functioning heater (punishable by... receiving a heater).

* In Anderson County of the Southern Province, it is unlawful to trespass on an oil field... without a hardhat.

* On Marlin Island (an autonomous region), one must pass a French-language exam in order to hold public office. All public business is conducted in English, and less than 7% of the population speaks French. This is a holdover from the days when Marlin Island was administrated under New Bretagne, a province with a French-speaking majority.

* In London Province, one may not play the trumpet without first alerting the local authorities of his or her intentions. At the time this law was written, trumpets and bugles were used to command military units, and playing one without orders to do so could cause confusion. This law is never enforced.

* One may not speak Uezkar in public schools under the jurisdiction of Hudson County, Vald Mountain Province. Period. At one time, speakers of Uezkar were heavily discriminated against, and still are by some.

* My personal favorite. It is (theoretically) illegal to die within the city limits of the national capital. Valdea City is under the jurisdiction of the People's League of Undertakers, which levies a surcharge on services rendered in lieu of an appointment.

Submitted December 27, 2014 at 07:15AM by meigwokyan http://ift.tt/1xnhOFv worldbuilding