Weird UK Laws – The Crazy and Weird Laws in the UK
Crazy laws have existed ever since the rulers created rules. We looked at the modern and historical weird UK laws and organised them in this article’s groups. Read on, and you will learn the mandatory fashion rules when you are near a monarch. We also added some modern laws that undoubtedly have a pretty interesting story behind their creation.
But how can we separate the weird laws UK has from the “not weird” ones? As you will see below, there are many regulations and rules that were logical and completely applicable for the age when they were created. Others sound ridiculous no matter what times you live in. Either way, you will have fun with the crazy UK laws we picked for you.
Community and Common Sense Rules
The first category in our weird laws UK list holds regulations created because of situations in daily life. You will see one strange gambling rule, and learn some of the actions that are considered indecent in public. Here is the first batch of crazy laws in the UK:
- Gambling in libraries: a law prohibits the act of gambling in all British public libraries. All gambling activity must be performed in legal and licensed establishments that work under the UK gambling laws.
- Funeral lingering: “lingering” after a funeral is prohibited. This means that any action that slows down the work of the funeral homes or the gravediggers is illegal.
- Jumping que: Jumping the tube queue is annoying and shows bad manners. Apparently, it was so popular that now it is considered a crime.
- Air-drying your clothes: there is an up to £1000 fine for hanging your washing across the UK streets.
- Carpet abuse: You can’t beat, shake, or abuse your carpets in any way before 8 a.m. on the London streets.
“Manners make it man” is a saying popular and used by all Brits. Good manners and polite behaviour is what separates us from the animals. But what happens when nature calls? The next weird situations are considered inappropriate under most circumstances, and it is best to avoid performing the actions:
- Don’t sing profane or indecent songs in public: “sing any profane, indecent, or obscene song or ballad, or use any profane, indecent or obscene language to the annoyance of the inhabitants or passengers” according to the Metropolitan Police Act of 1839.
- Pregnant women: It is legal for pregnant women to relieve themselves anywhere and anytime even inside a policeman’s hat. That is a myth. Please don’t do it.
- Scottish loo policy: In Scotland, you are obligated to allow any person who knocks on your door and request to use the loo to enter and do his business.
- Marking your territory: it is a myth that any male is allowed to urinate in public under the condition that he is standing behind his car and his right hand is on the vehicle.
The UK weird laws have many shapes and forms. Some of them date back over five centuries and are still followed today if not like a law, then as a rule. We will continue with some weird animal laws and natural laws, and later on add some of the weird laws in the UK that can even be applied today.
Animal & Nature Laws
One of the weird UK laws that still exist today can be applied in smaller towns and villages where the people and their cattle live close together. The next weird laws relate to situations when human and nature collide.
- Suspicious fishy business: According to the Salmon Act 1986 any person who is “Handling salmon (or fish) in suspicious circumstances” will be punished. What if the fish itself is acting suspiciously?
- No cattle on the streets: it is illegal to walk or drive your cattle on the streets in certain hours (according to the Metropolitan Streets Act, S7).
- Drinking and in charge of cattle: It’s illegal. You can be drunk, or you can be in charge of cattle, but in England and Whales you can’t be both at the same time.
- The pigsty ban: For obvious hygienic reasons, having a pigsty in front of your house is against the law.
- Puppy love: it is considered illegal a common dog to mate with a royal household dog. As far as it is known, this law was never tested and therefore, is viewed as a myth.
- Bale of Hay: the hackney carriages drivers had to carry a bale of hay or corn to feed the horses.
- Grass Damage: grass damage, village green, or lawn destruction is a borderline illegal activity.
- The potato import ban: Polish potatoes are banned in the UK. All import is considered illegal.
As you can see, most of those regulations, like the prohibition to be in charge of cattle while drunk, aim to protect animals and people alike. Others like the potato import ban are good for the economic state of the country and the business. On the other hand, a law that prohibits love between a royal dog and a commoner is quite snobbish.
Beauty and Health
It is fair to believe that one’s desire to be eternally beautiful, young, and healthy is as old as the humankind. During the years, the medical profession changed dramatically, and now we can rely on any health benefits. Alongside this changed the beauty tips and tricks. Currently, the mandatory corsets and led-based make up are no longer modern. What is left are the strange rules our ancestors followed.
Crazy Health Standards
UK weird laws regarding health and medicine show us an entirely different world. For example, do you know that mercury was the ultimate medicine for a long medical condition list? Leaches were considered the medieval doctors’ best friend, and let’s not mention how hysteria was cured. We picked existing laws that regulate serious health and medical situations, but still sound weird:
- Plague bringer: It is illegal to spread the plague (or other decease) in London. A person who knows that he/she is carrying the plague should not flag down a taxi or ride on a bus without telling the driver.
- Rabid dogs and corpses in the cabs: any cab driver in London commits a crime when transports corpses or rabid dogs.
- Licence your lunatics: according to the Madhouses Act 1774, the mental institutions could keep only one unlicensed lunatic. This law is now repealed, so perhaps they can keep more unlicensed lunatics or maybe none?
We can also add that a boy under the age of 10 is not allowed to see a naked mannequin in Scotland. This ban shows high morals and religious beliefs. Still, it can be doubted if a naked shop mannequin can cause more damage or help the “birds and the bees” conversation. Either way, it is as strange as the rest of the regulations on our list.
Beauty and Appearance Laws
There are tons of weird old laws UK legislation books hold. They cover mostly the appropriate appearance and clothes of the different casts. We picked only three laws because they date back over five centuries ago and are still applied today in one way or another.
As you will see further on in this article, the British monarchs have created pretty strange regulations. Next, on our list, are the weird UK laws list you will read where you can’t eat chocolate and another weird laws in the UK that deals with the issue of the right way to crack an egg.
Weird Food & Drinks Laws
Without surprise, the weird UK laws cover foods and drinks issues. In the next lines, you will learn where you can’t be seen drunk, and what food is banned on Christmas Day. We will also introduce the question of which side of the boiled egg must be broken before you peel it.
- Drive & Pay: This modern law states that your engine must not be running while you use your phone to pay at a drive-through. This does not apply for a live casino PayPal payment, for example, which can be done with just a click of a button.
- Drunk on licensed premises: “every person found drunk on any licensed premises (bar, pub, restaurant, etc.) shall be liable for a penalty”. To summarise, you can drink in the pub, but you have to leave your drunkenness and hangover outside?
- No drink rounds from drunk people: According to the Licensing Act 2003, it is an offence to buy or sell drinks for or from an intoxicated person. So, treating the bar mates with a round of beer is a big NO.
- Egg Cracking: the legend says that King Edward VI made it illegal to crack a boiled egg at the sharp end. It is not clear if this law is still in power. Perhaps we need more egg-cracking directions.
- The chocolate ban: Women cannot eat any kind of chocolate on a public conveyance. Ladies, we should add travelling on the bus to the weight-loss activities.
- Minced Pies: that dish is absolutely illegal to be eaten on Christmas Day.
- Drink & Drive: it is illegal to drink and drive since 1872. This law applies to modern vehicles, horse riding, or driving a carriage powered by horse, cow, or steam engine.
- Swan dinner: Only the Queen of England can eat swan meat. This prohibition exists because centuries ago, the nobles were spoiled with all kinds of meat from birds, animals, and fishes. Eventually, the lower classes began to expand their food supplies (which was scarce) and reached for the uncommon kinds of meat. The ban appeared to show that only royalties can eat these beautiful birds.
All this food talk can make anyone starving. After a small anonymous vote, we reached to the conclusion that we would not eat swans unless it is in a situation where we are obligated to do so, and there is no other food what-so-ever.
Weird Government & Police Laws
Last, but not least in our article, we will speak about the crazy laws created to serve the monarchs, country, and the public institutions. You can see weird UK laws that still exist even though they are absolutely not applicable for present-day lifestyle.
The Queen & the House of Parliament
Some of the weird old laws UK go back to the Middle Ages and the times of constant wars. As the warlords and knights transformed into politicians and nobles, the laws also changed. Behaviours and appearance from the past, like wearing battle armour, are now obsolete and even considered illegal, like the first strange law:
- No knights in Parliament: This active law states that Parliament members are forbidden to wear armour inside the house.
- The monarch gets the big fish: The monarch is owed an offer to receive any whale or sturgeon when they beach on the shore. Sorry, wildlife activists, but your efforts to push the animal back into the water will be in vain if the Queen requests whale sushi (thankfully, that never happened).
- Death in Parliament: Once it was illegal to die inside the Parliament. That myth explains that people who die inside state institutions are entitled to a funeral paid by the country. This law applies in other countries like Norway, Spain, France, Japan, Brazil, and Ancient Greece.
- Money & stamps: It is considered illegal to place a stamp upside down. So is the act of defacing or destroying money, stamps, and any other objects bearing the Queen’s face.
We agree with the last law. Who would want to destroy a £50 banknote anyway? As for not wearing a knights armour in the House of the Parliament, we agree. Generally, if you appear with an armour anywhere, people will think you are part of a movie crew, going to a medieval festival or LARPing.
Weapons & Shooting Rules
The first of the UK weird laws regarding weapons clearly needs explanation. We are wondering who could have the ability, skills, and resources to test an atomic bomb. Perhaps there is some truth in the 007 James Bond movies after all.
- Nuclear explosion: Under the terms of the Prohibition and Inspections Act of 1998 it is illegal to cause a nuclear explosion.
- Cannon firing: it is illegal to fire a cannon within 300 yards of a private dwelling.
- Burglar alarm: the law binds you to nominate a key holder before activating your burglar alarm. That person must be able to switch it off within 20 minutes of being called.
- Welshman & Scotsman open season: in the past, it was fine to shoot a Welshman with a longbow or a Scotsman within the city of York (not with a crossbow or on a Sunday). There were exceptions to the laws, but we are glad that the permission was in power in the Medieval Ages and no longer.
- Longbow practice: every Englishman between 17 and 60 years of age was obligated to perform longbow practice at least two hours a day, stated the Unlawful Games Act from 1541. Betting and Gambling Act waved this since 1960.
Archery practice is an excellent sport. What makes it even better is that no one is pushing you to practice, but if you wish to do so, your doors are opened towards exciting competitions and great prizes. Just remember to practice at licensed locations where you can’t hurt anyone.
The London Metropolitan Police
Yes, the weird laws UK can’t go without including the Bobbies. We will give you five Metropolitan police laws you should follow.
- Flying kites: We are sorry to say this, Mrs Poppins, but it is illegal to fly a kite in a public place near the metropolitan police district.
- Carrying a wood plank: Carrying a plank along the pavement is illegal in the Metropolitan Police District since 1939. Perhaps the Bobbies don’t like the Charley Chaplin and Laurel & Harvey movies where we can see the popular “hit by a plank/ladder” situation that makes us all laugh.
- Ring & run games: The Metropolitan Police Act 1839 cuts the knocking or ringing on someone’s front door and run away to be a crime. We don’t agree that the kids are criminals, but the constant ringing can be quite annoying.
- Wearing a uniform: Impersonating a police officer, soldier, or a sailor is illegal. You can dress up for a costume party, but your uniform must be fake – with different colour or clearly visible fake symbol that could not be mistaken for the real ones.
- Ice & snow: The Metropolitan Police forbids sliding along the snowy or icy streets within the police district’s limits. It is not clear if you are still breaking the law when you slip and fall.
Well, now you have our selection of weird UK laws. There was a vast selection of curious legal situations and crazy laws that we intended to include, but this article aims to give you the top picks. We hope that you had fun reading them, as much as we had while writing them.
Weird UK Laws FAQ
Weird UK laws cover every aspect of life. Most of the strangest laws are outdated and removed but that does not make them less curious and fun to read about. You can read our pick of crazy UK laws in the article, and here, we will answer the most frequently asked questions about the UK’s weird legislation.
