Planning to drive in these countries? 10 Wacky Laws For Driving Across The Globe

March 28, 2014

The world is home to all kinds of laws. Some have been on the books for years without any type of updating for our modern world, or they may be there due to the culture of the people that call the country home.

Check out some of the wackiest laws around the world!

In Thailand, you cannot drive without wearing a shirt. Yes, this applies to both men and women and it does not matter what you are driving including a car, tuk-tuk cab, or bus.

In Costa Rica, it is fine to drink and drive. The only stipulation is that your blood alcohol level has to be lower than 0.05 percent. Oh, and you cannot blast music close by schools, hospitals or churches.

In France, on the other hand, you must purchase a portable breathalyzer and have it with you at all times. If you are found driving without the kit, you can be fined up to 11 Euros.

In Moscow, you must drive a clean car. If not you can be fined up to 2000 rubles. The main reason for this law was so officers could read your license plate, but the officer has the right to decide if your car is too dirty to drive on the road. In addition, you cannot wash your car by hand on any public property meaning you must visit a car washing facility.

In Cyprus, hand gestures including raising your hands can land you with a fine of 25 Euros. The law states that it is illegal to be “in an irregular position inside the vehicle or raises his hand from the steering wheel unnecessarily.”

In South Africa, animal farmers always have the right away. The law states, “the driver of a vehicle on a public road shall stop such vehicle at the request or on the signal of a person leading or driving any bovine animal, horse, ass, mule, sheep, goat, pig or ostrich on such road.” Fines up to $500 can be given to a driver breaking this law.

In Japan, the laws are strict. If you accidentally splash a pedestrian with muddy water, you can be fined $60, while drinking and driving can get a fine in the thousands.

In the UK as well as the US, careless driving laws are on the books. However, in the UK, drivers have been known to receive a ticket for eating an apple or sandwich while driving.

In Manila, Philippines, the laws are quite strict as to when and where you can drive. The designated drivers are only allowed to drive in the busiest areas of Manila according to the day of the week and the last digit of their license plats. An example would be if your license plate number ends with a 1 or 2, you could be fined if you drive in the area between 7am and 7pm on a Monday.

In Montana, USA, it is against the law to have a sheep accompany you in the cab of your truck unless you have a chaperone and in Nevada, you cannot drive camels on the highways.

Credit: Yahoo Autos

Photo Credits: Darren Johnson/Flickr, the film The Watch, KOMUnews, David Villarreal Fernández/Flickr, Karol Baron/Flickr, Pietro Zuco/Flickr, Pixland/Thinkstock, and Klearchos Kapoutsis/Flickr