The strangest traffic rules from around the world. Strange rules and laws in different countries

Most of us would never think of forgetting a loved one's birthday, or we don't see anything illegal about flushing the toilet at night, but in some parts of the world such situations are considered illegal. The article presents the most bizarre laws and customs of different countries of the world. It’s always good to be aware of all the “oddities” of a foreign country when there is customs in front of you and there is no turning back.

It is illegal to change light bulbs - Victoria, Australia

In this state, it is illegal for an ordinary person to change a light bulb. Anyone caught doing this will be fined $10. In Victoria, only electricians are allowed to change burnt out light bulbs. Probably, in this place, electricians do not complain about the level of wages and lack of work.

Elderly Law - China

In 2013, China passed a new law requiring all adult children to visit their elderly parents regularly to take care of their spiritual needs. Those who fail to do so may end up in court, and the proceedings may result in either detention or a fine.

Royal Pets - UK

The law was approved while George I was king. The law has not been repealed to this day, and it states that a pet of a member of the royal family is prohibited from mating with the pets of other members of the royal family without their permission.

You can't frown - Milan, Italy

The Italian government has decreed that you should always smile in the capital of Italy, and this is an official law. The exception is visiting a hospital or funeral. Apparently, if you frown, you can easily get a fine from the police.

Keep quiet - Switzerland

If you live in an apartment building in Switzerland, then there are many things that are illegal to do at certain times of the day, so as not to disturb the peace of your neighbors. For example, after 22:00 it is forbidden to flush the toilet, fill the bathtub, or even urinate while standing.

Wedding between mediators - Montana, America

Those serving in the military who are unable to attend their own wedding ceremony in person may delegate to a friend or relative to take their place. Such a wedding is considered absolutely legal, despite the fact that one of the spouses was not present. In some cases, both the bride and groom may be absent. Friends-intermediaries can replace either spouse at the wedding.

Autobahn - Germany

Some areas of the German Autobahn have a speed limit of 130 km/h, but on most highways there is no such speed limit, so drivers are prohibited from getting out of the car and walking on the Autobahn.

Husband's Duty - Samoa

In Samoa, a husband is not allowed to forget his wife's birthday. Although, being married, you hope that the husband really knows and never forgets about his wife's birthday. I also really want to hope that the husband remembers the wedding date.

You can't spoil the air - Florida, America

The need to release gas is natural, especially if you consumed foods that cause gas in the body the day before. However, in Florida this is absolutely not allowed after 6:00 pm. And if a person is caught doing this obscene activity, then in addition to the fact that his behavior will cause general discontent, he may also be arrested. You should carefully monitor what you eat throughout the day.

Talents and more talents - Canada

The Canadian Broadcasting Commission has ruled that by law, at least one in five songs broadcast on Canadian radio must be sung by a Canadian singer. In fairness, it should be noted that not only Justin Bieber, whose songs appear on the radio with enviable frequency, is from Canada, but also Celine Dion, as well as Drake and Michael Buble and a huge number of great and talented singers were born in this country.

The world is an unusual and amazing place that can be explored endlessly. Different countries can have very different cultures, so what is considered acceptable in one place may not be acceptable in another. If you are interested in the peculiarities of etiquette in different countries, you should familiarize yourself with this list. It includes the most interesting rules of behavior from all corners of our planet. Knowing them will help you avoid any embarrassment while traveling.

Afghanistan: kiss the bread that fell on the floor

In Afghanistan, they treat bread with great respect. If he falls to the floor, he should be picked up immediately and kissed.

Canada: a little late

In Canada, you shouldn't arrive early. On the contrary, a slight delay is quite acceptable. He is treated much better than arriving much earlier than necessary.

Chili: Never eat with your hands

In Chile, it is not customary to take even small snacks with your hands. Chileans always use cutlery exclusively; other behavior is considered extremely impolite.

China: Make a mess and don't be afraid to burp

In China, the host knows you enjoyed your meal if you make a mess on the table. When there is a piece of food left on your plate, it is a good sign that you are full and satisfied with your meal. It's just impolite to leave rice on the plate. Burping is another way to show that you enjoyed your food and is not considered impolite.

Egypt: Don't refill your own glass

In Egypt, it is customary to wait for someone else to fill your glass. You should top up your fellow drinker if necessary. It is believed that necessity occurs when the glass is less than half full. If your neighbor forgets to fill your glass, remind him by adding a drink to his glass. It is strictly forbidden to pour it yourself.

UK: Pass the port to the left

In England, it is customary to pass port wine at the table to the neighbor on the left until the bottle goes around the entire table in a circle. Some believe this tradition has its roots in the navy, but there is no exact explanation. If you haven't been handed a bottle, it is impolite to ask; instead, you should ask your tablemate if he knows the Bishop of Norwich. If he says no, you need to answer that he is a good person, but always forgets to hand over the port.

Ethiopia: Eat with your right hand from one plate

Ethiopians believe that eating with cutlery is wasteful, as is using more than one plate for the whole group. It is customary to eat from one dish using the right hand. In some regions of the country, a tradition called “gursha” is used, when people feed each other.

France: use bread as a utensil

The French never eat bread as a snack. They supplement their meals with it and use a piece of bread as a device to collect food from the plate and put it in their mouth. It is even customary to place bread directly on the table, like a fork or knife.

Georgia: Make a toast and drink the entire contents of the glass

In Georgia people can spend hours exchanging toasts. Everyone at the table makes a toast in a circle, after which it is customary to empty the entire glass in one gulp. When everyone has said a toast, the circle can repeat itself again. During the evening they drink ten to fifteen small glasses of alcohol; as a rule, Georgians drink wine or vodka. Making toasts while drinking beer is considered bad luck.

It is believed that the Austrians celebrated the defeat of Hungary in 1848 by clinking glasses of beer, which is why some Hungarians still remember it. Don't clink your beer glasses! In other cases, be sure to look at the person who made the toast.

Italy: Don't put Parmesan on pizza

If your pizza doesn't have Parmesan on it, don't ask for it. In Italy this is considered a culinary crime.

Inuit tribe: passing gas

You may not plan to visit these tribes, but it is interesting to know that in their culture it is customary to pass gas as a sign of approval after a good meal.

Japan: Sip the soup to thank the chef

In Japan, it is customary to loudly slurp soup or noodles. It is believed that this is a way to show your gratitude to the cook.

Korea: Take your first drink

In Korea, you have to accept when you are offered a drink for the first time, but not pour it for yourself first. Pour the rest first, then fill your glass.

Mexico: Eat tacos with your hands

Using a fork and knife for tacos is considered stupid snobbery in Mexico. It is polite to eat this food with your hands.

Middle East: Use only your right hand

In Middle Eastern countries, eating with your hands is quite normal, it is only important to use your right hand exclusively. The left one should not be used for eating.

Portugal: don't add salt

In Portugal, a cook will be offended if he sees you adding salt or pepper to a dish he has prepared.

Russia: drink vodka without additives and don’t give up

Offering a drink is considered a sign of trust, so it is rude to refuse. In addition, mixing vodka with juice or ice is considered not the best idea.

South America: Honor the Goddess of Nature

In some regions of Peru or Argentina, it is customary to honor the goddess of nature by pouring a few drops of the drink onto the ground.

Thailand: Don't eat rice with a fork

In Thailand, food is only served with forks on a spoon. It is not customary to eat rice dishes with a fork.

Tanzania: hide your soles

In Tanzania they eat while sitting on the floor. The main thing is not to show your feet, it’s impolite.

In what countries is slurping encouraged, how to show a Mongolian that you are full, and what to do if you are spat in the back.

“My Planet” tells you what etiquette features should not surprise you when traveling. What is not allowed in Russia and is possible in some other countries?

China, Japan: slurp

Try to eat soup or noodles in a restaurant, sipping, and you will immediately notice how other visitors will start looking at you askance. And a chef in China and Japan, noticing this, would be pleased. After all, here, sipping soup or noodles means that the food is so tasty that you don’t have the strength to wait for it to cool down. A quiet meal means you are unhappy.

“Despite the fact that there is a cult of food here, despite the fact that Chinese cuisine is incredibly diverse and, I would even say, incomprehensible, there is no food culture here. Perhaps its beginnings can still be found in some individual restaurants in the capital. But in general there is none. The Chinese are very pragmatic when it comes to food. For them, this is in no way a process, but only a result. Food is consumed rapidly, passionately, with concentration, with loud slurping, burping and spitting out bones on the floor or directly on the tablecloth. At the same time, everyone present talks loudly, shouting over each other, exposing bad teeth and half-chewed food,” writes Grigory Potemkin, who has lived in China for about eight years, in his blog.

Kenya: spit

In tribal Kenya, each community has its own rituals, but the custom of spitting on someone you meet is valid for at least 40 of them. Thus, in the Akamba tribe they spit on people they meet as a sign of deep respect. The Maasai wet their hands with saliva before shaking hands. Children who greet elders may get a lump of saliva in their back. You cannot be offended - this is how you wish a child a long life. For the same reason, it is customary in the tribe to spit on a newborn. However, the Maasai generally love to give a damn about everything and everyone: the gift they want to give, the new home in which they are going to live. This is a wonderful amulet. According to a resident of Kenya with the nickname kawira, there are many other tribes (there are 42 in Kenya alone) whose members spit. Thus, members of the Ameru tribe bless each other in this way. However, only elders are allowed to do this.

Germany: blow your nose heartily

In Germany, you shouldn’t be surprised if a decently dressed German at the next table in a restaurant finishes his dish, puts his fork and knife on the plate, after which he takes a handkerchief out of his pocket and... blows his nose loudly. “What is natural is not ugly,” the German believes, and blows his nose wherever circumstances require it. “I was very surprised to hear at a lecture how someone, excuse me, blows his nose loudly. I thought it was an isolated incident. I asked other fellows. They said, It's the same at their universities. Google showed that many people were interested in this issue before me.<...>They can chew an apple under your ear throughout the lecture or blow their nose at the table. I'm still getting used to these things. Cultural characteristics,” writes Sabina Serikova, who has been living in Germany for more than a year and studying cognitive science. About other customs of the Germans - in our article.

PRC, Tibet: show tongue

In remote villages of Tibet, the custom of sticking out your tongue when greeting each other is still preserved - as a sign of the openness of your intentions. According to one version, the passer-by thus shows that he is not a reincarnated demon.

Another theory involves the last king of Tibet named Langdarma. He went down in history as a persecutor of Buddhism, a desecrator of shrines and a murderer of monks. He was so angry that even his tongue was black. And since reincarnation is quite real for Buddhists, they do not discount the possibility of the monster reappearing.

True, lately Tibetans show their tongues when meeting them less and less often. This is evidenced by the responses of travelers. “I've met a lot of Tibetans, but I've rarely seen them stick out their tongues when I meet them,” notes user Klein on the Rattle that Cage forum dedicated to Buddhism.

Nepal, India: eating with your hands

In India and Nepal, eating with your hands is often the only way to eat. In the cafes in the most remote corners of the country, where no tourist has ever set foot, there are no cutlery at all. Although in most catering establishments foreigners will still be offered a fork. But the Hindus themselves will eat with their hand, and always with their right hand, since the left is considered unclean. “This is because it’s customary to wash yourself with your left hand after using the toilet,” explains Indian Archana. “Although lately many Indians have been using cutlery.” Photo project about the Nepalese tribe of monkey head hunters.

In other countries, some dishes are also eaten with hands. For example, a taco is a Mexican flatbread with a spicy filling. If you decide to eat it with cutlery, you won't offend anyone, but they will look at you with disapproval. And Italian pizza, the food of the poor, was also always eaten with hands.

Ethiopia: feeding another from your hands

Southeast Asia: Leaving scraps

If you don’t want food to be served to you endlessly, in the Philippines, China, Cambodia, Thailand and other countries of Southeast Asia, you can forget about the Russian rule of politeness “if you ate to the end, you showed respect.” An empty plate here symbolizes that the guest has not had enough and is asking for more. The meal usually begins with a full spoon of ordinary rice - the most important, almost sacred product of the region. Transfer the portion onto your plate from the serving dish in parts. Some food (but not rice) and drink are left on your plate at the end of the meal. This is how they pay tribute to the generosity of the owners of the house.

PRC, Mongolia: burp

In China and Mongolia, the degree of satiety is determined by belching. It means that your stomach is full and you liked everything. The guests are well-fed and the hosts are happy. The older generation especially adheres to this rule. Young people strive to absorb Western norms of behavior. About the peculiarities of the Chinese mentality -.

“I would never have known about this if it weren’t for a trip to China and going to a restaurant with a Chinese woman who knows the customs and speaks Russian well. The waitress, serving us food, belched deliciously after her lunch. It was unpleasant, we wanted to go to another place, but our companion explained that such things are not considered bad manners - on the contrary, it means that the person ate a very tasty and satisfying meal, and for the owner it is like a compliment,” writes user angren on the Bolshoi website question".

Georgia: emptying a glass of wine in one gulp

They usually down a glass of vodka in one gulp, but in Russia they drink wine, prolonging the pleasure. But when going to Georgia, be prepared to drink the wine to the bottom right away. True, only after you finish listening to the toast. It is customary for Georgians to drink to the dregs “For God”, “For the Motherland”, “For those who are no longer with us”. In other cases, you can simply take a sip and put the glass on the table, and finish it with the next toast.

“It is not customary to demonstratively refuse to drink. It’s better to just sip the glass a little, and everything will be fine. Everyone understands,” writes user Vytas on the “Vinsky Forum” in a topic dedicated to drinking culture in Georgia.

“I was very surprised to hear at a lecture how someone, excuse me, blew his nose loudly. I thought it was an isolated incident. I asked other fellows. They said it's the same at their universities. Google showed that many people were interested in this issue before me. They can chew an apple under your ear throughout the lecture or blow their nose at the table. I'm still getting used to these things. Cultural characteristics,” writes Sabina Serikova, who has been living in Germany for more than a year and studying cognitive science.

True, lately Tibetans show their tongues when meeting them less and less often. This is evidenced by the responses of travelers.

“I've met a lot of Tibetans, but I've rarely seen them stick out their tongues when I meet them,” notes user Klein on the Rattle that Cage forum dedicated to Buddhism.

“This is because it’s customary to wash yourself with your left hand after using the toilet. Although recently many Indians have been using cutlery,” explains Indian Archana.

“A small piece of raw meat is taken along with bread and dipped in chili sauce, then placed in the mouth. Traditionally, Ethiopians feed each other with their hands. The owner of the house feeds me,” writes user Ruslan Maiboroda on the Afro-Forum, sharing his impressions of the trip.

In China and Mongolia, the degree of satiety is determined by belching. It means that your stomach is full and you liked everything. The guests are well-fed - the hosts are happy. The older generation especially adheres to this rule. Young people strive to absorb Western norms of behavior.

Subscribe and read our best publications in Yandex.Zen. See beautiful photos from all over the world on our page at Instagram

If you find an error, please select a piece of text and press Ctrl+Enter.

Friends, the holiday period is already in full swing, and if you are planning to go on vacation abroad, I advise you to be sure to familiarize yourself with the list of unusual rules and laws in various countries and cities of the world. Next, you will learn several strange and interesting facts that every tourist going on vacation should know.

Feeding pigeons in St. Mark's Square is punishable by a fine. A large population of birds after a large and continuous meal greatly damages historical monuments.
Who would have thought that in Venice you wouldn’t even be able to feed the birds?

Tourists in Canada will have to listen to Justin Bieber or Celine Dion most of the time - local radio stations are required to give 35 percent of their airtime to national artists.
But we’re not going to Canada to listen to the radio, right?

In Denmark, before starting the engine, you need to look under the car and check for children. You should also always have a blanket with you. If a horse pulling a cart gets scared of a passing car, the driver must pull over to the side of the road, stop and cover it.
This is so cute! And strange..

Be careful with chewing gum in Singapore! You can carry it in your pocket, but under no circumstances chew it.

Driving in flip-flops on Spanish roads is a criminal offence.
I wonder what incident prompted the introduction of such a strict penalty for “wearing beach shoes” while driving?

In Germany, a motorist needs to be as focused and prudent as possible. If the driver runs out of gas while driving on the autobahn, the driver has already broken the law, and if he walked along the road, he has broken the law twice.
Perhaps there is a commandment introduced in the traffic rules: “Fuel up prematurely and you will not be punished.” I'll have to read it.

In Japan, the homeland of sumo, obesity is prohibited by law. The maximum waist size for men 40 and older should be 80 centimeters. Violators are put on a strict diet.
It is strange that this law does not apply to women. The more of them, the better?

The incredibly tasty durian is prohibited from being brought into public places (buses, subways, hotels and airports) in several countries - Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.
It may be tasty, but it is slightly hallucinogenic. You can understand the legislators here!

The museum country of Greece prohibits wearing high-heeled shoes in historical sites such as the Acropolis of Athens. Women in combat gear destroy priceless archaeological sites while walking.
Are there really those who will deliberately tramp to the Acropolis in heels?

The longest city beach in the world, Virginia Beach, has banned swearing since the 1990s.
It’s just not clear who is monitoring this and how?

Men with perennial facial hair should stay away from Eureka County, Nevada. You will definitely want to kiss some beauty, but this is prohibited by law. If you want to kiss, shave your mustache.
Bearded guys, have you heard everyone? Never set foot in Eureka County!

In Switzerland, it is better to skip dinner and even evening tea. It is prohibited to flush toilets in apartment buildings at night - you may wake up your neighbors.
But how did the omnipresent “get it”?

Spitting is frowned upon by the public in many countries around the world, but in Barcelona you can pay a fine of 120 euros for it.
“Paying” for spitting is already interesting!

In puritanical France, men are allowed into the water of public swimming pools only in loose pants. Tight-fitting swimming trunks seem too provocative to the French.