So, you take care not to break the law? You stick to the rules, you watch your back, you do what you’re told. Well, you may not be aware that you could be a law breaker, but there are some wonderfully weird laws that people barely remember. Unless they have been repealed, they’re still in force Here are some of the silliest laws that you may have unwittingly broken.
Boiled egg and soldiers.
The breakfast favourite of many, it is a little known fact that which end you smash your egg is a matter dealt with by law. Edward VI, the highly fastidious son of Henry VIII, enacted a law that stated that anyone breaking an egg at the sharp end could be punished by having to spend 24 hours in the village stocks.
A Forbidden Christmas pleasure.
Mince pies are a Christmas favourite. From September onwards, the shop shelves are heaving with all varieties and it seems that people just can’t get enough. That’s all fine in itself, but under a law enacted by that famous killjoy, Oliver Cromwell, it is still illegal to consume mince pies on Christmas Day. Quite what he had against this traditional delicacy, no-one knows, but it is thought that he deemed them to be a pagan pleasure that had no part in a strictly Puritan regime.
Criminal cabbies.
We’ve all done it. Looking for a taxi on a dark and dreary night, we see one heading towards us and flag it down as soon as we see the ‘for hire’ sign lit up. What we don’t realise is that by flagging them down, we are encouraging the cabbie to break the law. The 1843 London Hackney Carriage Act of 1843 states that London cabbies are only allowed to seek custom when they are stationary. Incidentally, those same cabbies are supposed to ask their potential customers is they have smallpox or the plague, as to carry a sufferer is against the law.
Topless women.
You may have thought that women who wander around topless anywhere are committing an offence and, on the whole, you’d be right. Not, however, if you are a clerk in a tropical fish store in Liverpool. Now this may not be a law that is easily broken, but should someone try to put it to the test, they may find themselves in need of one of the Merseyside solicitors in the area. Although it’d be an interesting day in court, hearing the arguments.
Drivers beware.
We all should know the rules of the road, but there are one or two laws that you may not be aware of. Male drivers who get caught short are allowed to urinate in public, but it must be against the rear wheel of the car. Furthermore, he must keep his right hand on the vehicle whilst doing so. Drivers must also take care when navigating unfamiliar roundabouts; go round more than three times and you find yourself breaking the law.
Author
Gill Laing is a qualified Legal Researcher & Analyst with niche specialisms in Law, Tax, Human Resources, Immigration & Employment Law.
Gill is a Multiple Business Owner and the Managing Director of Prof Services - a Marketing Agency for the Professional Services Sector.
