The U.S. (foreign for and to me) has or had a lot of interesting laws at the state and local levels.

A leading U.S. bicycle advocacy group noted that several jurisdictions required cyclists to use their arms to signal change of direction while keeping two hands safely on the handlebars at all times.

Several states has anti-miscegenation laws on their books until the past decade of two despite the law no longer being enforceable (some say they just neglected to formally repeal them). I wouldn't be surprised if some counties still have those on the bylaw books.

When I lived in Tahoe, I remember some story that Nevada, the state of legalised prostitution, forbade oral sex (since repealed). Don't know how accurate this report still is, or ever was.

It may not be a law of any jurisdiction but apparently many neighborhoods ban line drying of laundry as it's seen to be something done by the poor. Oregon is reportedly working on banning line drying bans.

Singapore had the anti-hippie sign in the early 70's or maybe even late '60s. I remember the old SIN (Paya Lebar) had barber stations at the immigration hall where any male traveller was (forceably) given a courtesy haircut.

I demand accommodation for my support Eurasian Milfoil.

which is why most of the time it's really an excuse to stop a black person, then give him a warning, if there's nothing else the cops can get him on.

the alcohol laws are bizarre......home of the free, land of the brave, no booze for you on Sundays!??????????? I actually thought my (now ) wife was joking when she told me that ten years ago.......also the first time I travelled to the US after being 18 (which was quite a few years after that) I was shocked regarding the constant 'cardin' , it was the FIRST time anyone asked for one....and I had enough lifetime-booze-miles to own a bar (But I guess I understand the cardin stuff)

also my wife was telling me the other day "we didnt break any law by burrying the dog in our backyard, did we?" , for a minute I thought "I!!!" was drunk and misunderstood, she then went on to explain that doing that is illegal in Michigan.......

and regarding ID theft.......I dont understand why it is '*YOUR*' problem to fix it......when it was the bank/whoever gave you $ etc that did not properly verified who you were

No pens or pencils is reasonable??

Yeah. Poison is a matter of degree.

In sufficient quantity oxygen is toxic. Must we enter with empty lungs?? (I've never heard of anyone dying from too much oxygen but that's because it's pretty hard to do unless you're in more than normal atmospheric pressure and scuba divers breathing things other than plain air know what not to do. Go deep enough and there's *NO* gas that isn't toxic. (The limits on how deep you can go are due to this, not due to the pressure.)

More realistic: There are plenty of travelers with bottles of rat poison. It's a commonly-used blood thinner.

I think that law is badly translated, and means that no pens or pencils shaped like syringes (you do get novelty pens and pencils like this) are permitted. It's an unusually specific restriction, granted.

Not being allowed to drink under 21..or indeed at all. Jaywalking is an odd one, I've been told off in both the US and Switzerland for this.

Some of the US gun ownership laws are to this European.

For foreigners in the US:
- turn right on red
- tailgating is ok
- slow cars can stay on the left lane and faster cars can pass on the right.
- different curb colors
- 4-way cross street (first in, first out)
- taxes not included in the price

Completely agree.

A couple strange ones in the UK include the smacking ban - IIRC, you can hit your child but not hard enough to leave a red mark; so easy to enforce - and the proposed compromise for the smoking-in-pubs ban: can't smoke within seven (or was it ten?) feet of the bar. Thank goodness the gov't saw sense.

Right-on-red is utterly sensible IMHO.

Tailgating is highly illegal in all 50 states.

Personally I have no problem with passing on an outside lane on a motorway. It helps the flow of traffic.

FIFO at a four-way stop sign: how else do you suggest it be handled?

The sales tax system in the US is amazingly Byzantine; it varies tremendously by location, item purchased and amount spent (e.g., when I was living in NY, there was no tax on clothes purchases up to $100). In the UK (for instance), there is a blanket 15% VAT on most items, regardless of where purchased. It makes much more sense to leave the tax out of prices in the US to ensure uniform pricing and to protect the consumer (you can much more easily compare prices of items across various locations).

Dry counties in Texas & some areas in the South.

"Right Lane Laws" - stay right unless passing - are in effect for at least PA, KS, CO, and WA.

Tailgating is illegal everywhere, no right on red in New York City, and we're OK with pens and pencils...

I guess we can't even get into "he needed killing" as a defense for murder.

Pennsylvania has some of the stupidest alcohol laws in the nation. If you want to buy beer, you have to go to a beer distributor that only sells by the case. Some bars have a permit to sell six packs, but I think you can only buy one or two at a time. If you want liquor or wine, you can only buy it at a State-owned store.

There�s a few drive-through beer stores on the Ohio State line that do a great business!