This week, I’ve come across what I believe to be a stupid American law.
A customer of mine is trying to get from Australia to the UK. His journey is made up of lots of cruises to get him from A to B.
One of these cruises is this little 3 nighter:
San Diego, California, US 29APR14
At Sea 30APR14 WED AT SEA
At Sea 01MAY14 THU AT SEA
Victoria, British Columbia, CA 02MAY14
Followed by this one nighter:
Victoria, British Columbia, CA 02MAY14
Seattle, Washington, US 03MAY14
Nice little ‘back to back’ cruise there, right? WRONG! But why? This is why….
Passenger Vessel Services Act Violation W437B
Thank you for booking an upcoming cruise with Holland America Line. Please be
advised that due to the Passenger Vessel Services Act, this sailing cannot be
combined with ms Westerdam – 04/29/2014
04/29/2014 to 05/02/2014 from San Diego, California, US to Victoria, BC, CA
Excusemewhat??? Why?? As far as I can understand it’s something to do with not being allowed to board and disembark in a US port if you haven’t visited a foreign port first on a foreign ship (or something like that).
Which brought me to this:
Stupidest Laws (in order of stupid-ness)
1. It is illegal to die in the Houses of Parliament
2. It is an act of treason to place a postage stamp bearing the British monarch upside-down
3. In Liverpool, it is illegal for a woman to be topless except as a clerk in a tropical fish store
4. Mince pies cannot be eaten on Christmas Day
5. In Scotland, if someone knocks on your door and requires the use of your toilet, you must let them enter
6. In the UK a pregnant woman can legally relieve herself anywhere she wants, including in a policeman’s helmet
7. The head of any dead whale found on the British coast automatically becomes the property of the King, and the tail of the Queen
8. It is illegal not to tell the tax man anything you do not want him to know, but legal not to tell him information you do not mind him knowing
9. It is illegal to enter the Houses of Parliament in a suit of armour
10. In the city of York it is legal to murder a Scotsman within the ancient city walls, but only if he is carrying a bow and arrow
And that’s just the UK! Let’s move further afield…..
1. In Ohio, it is illegal to get a fish drunk
2. In Indonesia, the penalty for masturbation is decapitation
3. In Bahrain, a male doctor can only examine the genitals of a woman in the reflection of a mirror
4. In Switzerland, a man may not relieve himself standing up after 10pm
5. In Alabama, it is illegal to be blindfolded while driving a vehicle
6. In Florida, unmarried women who parachute on a Sunday could be jailed
7. In Vermont, women must obtain written permission from their husbands to wear false teeth
8. In Milan, it is a legal requirement to smile at all times, except funerals or hospital visits
9. In Japan, there is no age of consent
10. In France, it is illegal to name a pig Napoleon
I’m going for a lie down in a dark room.
😉