Local Idiosyncrasies: Driving Around The World

[Agnes Riley]

Driving seems like a straightforward enough business. You get behind the wheel, turn on the car, and then proceed to go places. Most driving laws, while varying slightly from place to place, are no more than common sense, and most people will have no difficulty driving in countries other than their own. However, there are some obscure (and some not so much) corners of legislation where common sense goes to die. Here are some of the world's most bizarre driving laws.

Here a whale, there a whale, everywhere a whale whale - In California, it's illegal to shoot at wild game from a moving vehicle, unless you're shooting at a whale. Conversely, in Tennessee it's illegal to shoot at a whale from a moving vehicle. Now, I don't know about California - they do have a coast after all, there may be whales for all I know! - but I'm sure there are no whales in Tennessee for anyone to shoot at, from a moving vehicle or otherwise.

Why did the chicken cross the road? - If the chicken crossed the road in Quitman County, USA, it did so because it's a rebel, a troublemaker, and a disturber of the peace, as it is strictly forbidden for chickens to cross the road in Quitman.

The "where is the child" game - Will no one think of the children?? Danes will. In Denmark, you have to check for children under your car every time you want to drive off. Apparently it's a national pastime in Denmark for kids to hang around under cars reading the immortal works of Hans Christian Anderson (DISCLAIMER: This is not a national pastime in Denmark).

Spot The Pedestrian: Beijing Edition - In most places around the world, a driver's reaction when approaching a zebra cross is to slow down or even stop if a pedestrian indicates their intention to cross. Not so in Beijing. In Beijing if you even dream of stopping or slowing down to let a pedestrian cross, you'll be in serious trouble. Well, not really serious, you'll get a warning or a small fine at most. But still. It's frowned upon.

Moar glasses - If you have to wear prescription glasses to drive, be warned that in Spain you MUST carry a spare pair, or risk a hefty fine. Apparently you can't be trusted to carry only one flimsy pair that may break at any second by sheer contact with oxygen.

I Googled "games with blindfolds" to find a clever title for this one, but let's say it did not go as I expected... - In Alabama, it is illegal for people to drive blindfolded. Which begs the question: isn't it everywhere?