Traveling can be an incredibly freeing experience, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re free to do whatever you want. Tourists often find themselves in hot water with locals or law enforcement for being ignorant of laws or cultural norms.
At best, this can be embarrassing. At worst, illegal. Switching into relaxation mode is essential for most vacations, but don’t let it make you blind to some crucial information about your destination. Try making a must-not-do list in addition to your to-do list. In some places, chewing gum is illegal. In others, throwing out your metro ticket breaks the law. Here are a few weird laws to watch out for.
Feeding the pigeons in Venice
Throwing birdseed in Venice’s Piazza San Marco may seem like an innocent pastime, but Venice has banned feeding the city’s massive pigeon population. Some people do still feed the birds, but the practice is punishable by a fine since the pigeons damage statues and require cleanup.
Pigeons perching on seed-throwing tourists used to be the square’s trademark, but if you want to stay on the city’s good side and avoid getting pooped on (even though it is, surprisingly, considered good luck), opt for wine at a patio and watch the birds milling around instead. That sounds more appealing anyway.
Taking gum to Singapore
The import of chewing gum has been illegal in Singapore since 1992 due to the damage it caused to the public transit system. While your bubblegum may seem harmless, Singapore’s government says the nation spent $106,000 (U.S.) per year cleaning up gum litter and damage before the ban, and can punish those caught importing or selling gum with a fine or even jail time.
Some gum is now permitted for “therapeutic” purposes, i.e. nicotine gum and sugar-free gum with dental health benefits, but sugary bubble gum is still a no-go.
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Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
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