18 Weird International Laws That We Don't Have In America

Don't even think about taking your UFO to France.

1. You can't chew gum in Singapore.

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It's one way that Singapore ensures its cleanliness. Littering, jay-walking, and graffiti are also banned, and not flushing a public toilet after you use it is illegal.

2. In Denmark, you can only name your newborn one of the 7,000 government-approved names.

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If you choose to name your baby a name that isn't pre-approved by the government, you have to get it reviewed by Copenhagen University's Names Investigation Department and by the Ministry of Ecclesiastical Affairs.

3. In the United Kingdom, it is illegal to shake or beat a rug into the street.

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You can shake a doormat, but it has to be before 8 in the morning.

4. You're not allowed to own more than 110 pounds of potatoes at once in Western Australia.

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It's part of the Marketing of Potatoes Act that was passed in 1946.

5. Wearing heels at historical sites in Greece is against the law.

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Food and drinks are also prohibited to try to preserve the monuments.

6. In England, you can't handle a salmon in suspicious circumstances.

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Basically, you'll be in trouble if you're in possession of a salmon that looks like it's been illegally fished. This is part of the Salmon Act of 1986 and applies to salmon, trout, eels, lampreys, smelt, and freshwater fish.

7. It's a $10,000 fine or two years in prison if you disrupt a wedding or funeral in Australia.

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It's worth $10K to forever hold your peace under the Summary Offences Act.

8. Don't even think about riding a cow drunk in Scotland.

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This stems from a law that makes it illegal to be drunk and in charge of a steam engine, horse, or cow. A man was charged of violating this law in 2009 when he was found drunk and operating a mobility scooter.

9. In France, you aren't allowed to kiss on train platforms.

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It's to help minimize train delays, and the rule only applies when trains are at the station.

10. You will be fined if you're driving a dirty car around in Russia.

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Motorists are subject to a fee if the car is deemed dirty.

11. You'll be fined in Oshawa, Ontario, if you climb a tree. It may not be worth the $250.

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It's not just climbing. You aren't allowed to interfere with trees at all, including affixing or attaching things to them.

12. In France, ketchup is banned in school cafeterias.

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The only way that kiddos can have ketchup is once a week, when they can eat it with their french fries.

13. It's illegal to scold a barking dog in Switzerland.

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The country has a variety of laws in place to ensure the well-being of animals.

14. Strip clubs are banned in Iceland.

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Stripping and lap dancing was banned from the country in 2010.

15. You can't check your phone in a drive-through in Canada.

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You can use your phone to pay at the window, but using your phone while you're in line is considered distracted driving. It can hit you with a penalty of $672, five demerits, and a three-day license suspension.

16. And it's illegal for a UFO to launch from, land at, or fly over Châteauneuf-du-Pape, France.

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It's a 64-year-old rule.

17. In Switzerland, it's illegal to own one guinea pig because they're prone to loneliness.

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Actually, there is a rent-a-guinea pig service called Priska Küng that lets you borrow one of their guinea pigs if one of yours unexpectedly dies and you're found breaking the law by owning just one.

18. And it's illegal to own a rabbit in Australia unless you can prove you're a magician.

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Rabbits are destructive to crops and the environment of Queensland, Australia, and are considered an invasive species. However, you can apply for a permit to keep a rabbit for research purposes, public display, magic acts, and circuses.