Support Absurdity!
According to the Beeb, the UK chooses ‘most ludicrous laws’ which unfortunately isn’t a new governmental policy (why not, it’d be a laugh?) but people have selected the laws currently on our statute books that they believe are the daftest.
Apparently, you are not permitted to:
- die whilst in the Houses of Parliament
- use a postage stamp upside down (it is of course treason!)
- eat mince pies on Christmas day (thanks to that lovable scamp, bon viveur and all-round cheeky chappie Oliver Cromwell)
And it’s also perfectly legal (apparently) to murder Scottish people within York’s city walls, provided he is in posession of a bow and arrow.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to the Houses of Parliament. I fancy a shot at becoming immortal.
There’s one of those laws in Chester too.
The legend is something about being allowed to shoot a welshman in the back with a crossbow if he’s found within the city walls after sunset…
Which is quite fun.
The reality is that a law was passed in 140somink that means a welshman can be taken into custody and decaptiated for being within the walls after sunset.
Which is till nice, but not as nice as the urban legend.
The welsh hate is also apparently why the Town Hall tower doesn’t have a clock face facing the border because the Welsh don’t deserve to know the time… or something like that.
Not my opinion, of course, it’s history’s fault.
Old laws still on the books from the old days is a rather humorous subject. Many states have weird ones from the 1800s. Stuff like not being able to tie up a donkey in front of a church (animals other than horses must park ’round back).
Beeb? Is that a nickname for the BBC?