People Break Down Which Things Are Illegal In Europe But Not In The U.S.
Whenever a person is getting ready to travel, one piece of advice they should always listen to is to read up on the local laws of the place they're visiting.
Because there are activities that might be acceptable back home that will land a person in jail in another country.
Curious, Redditor Judgmental_Squirrel asked:
"What is something illegal in Europe but not in the US?"
Baby Names
"In Denmark, we can't just name our babies anything we want. We have an approved names list to pick from. We can request a name that is not on the list but it rarely gets approved."
- Healthy_Highlight_71
No Medicine Commercials in Europe
"Pharmaceutical companies marketing directly to consumers."
- ConstantlySlippery
Aesthetic Dog Changes
"Docking dog's tails and cropping their ears."
- Penguinair
Also Cat Aesthetics
"Declawing cats. Most countries here do not allow that."
- DreamingDragonSoul
Crate-Training Animals
"In Germany and in other European countries, it's illegal to lock dogs in cages or crates for extended periods of time. As in daily while you are at work, for example. It's considered animal abuse."
"So many people in the US do this and I've always thought it was abusive. It amazes me how they justify it as, 'Oh, my dog loves the secure feeling of being in his crate' when it's only done for the owner's convenience."
- KookyPiccolo1661
Enough Said.
"Flamethrowers."
- squirrelrap69
Predatory Pricing
"Selling something below the price you bought it for (with the intention to sabotage other businesses). For example, Walmart tried to do this in Germany to destroy their rivals, but they failed miserably and completely retreated out of Germany."
- Lord_Gelthon
Washing Eggs Pre-Sale
"I'm in the US, and a former workmate has chickens as a hobby and gives away the eggs, unwashed. They are in the carton and obviously straight from the nest, because there are all sorts of particles of an output nature on the eggs."
"In Europe, eggs at the stores have sometimes a bit of poop or even feathers on them. Either rinse them before or just wash your hands after. But usually, they're quite clean."
- rncookiemaker
Not Okay in Europe
"Well, Colorado just made it legal to grow psychedelic mushrooms in your own home."
- ITRabbitHole
Additives in Food and Drinks
"Brominated vegetable oil."
- Marijn_fly
Satire Not Allowed
"In the UK at least, showing footage from parliament in a comedy show. More specifically, 'No extracts from parliamentary proceedings may be used in comedy shows or other light entertainment such as political satire.'"
"I only learned that when I tried to watch an episode of 'The Daily Show' that was blocked in the UK for that reason.US comedy shows can show congress all they want."
- Moctor_Drignall
No Sick Days
"This is the main reason I quit my job at Walmart. I had strep throat, so I got a doctor's note and asked that my absences be excused. The managers there refused, and so I quit."
"By the way, Walmart counts your absences as points against you. For example, if you're absent and call in to let them know, you still get a point. Get five points and you're fired. Really makes you feel like a worker drone in a dystopian novel."
- stellaluna-37
The Impact of Additives
"The US has a use it until it's proven harmful policy, and the EU the other way around. Prove it doesn't harm (in given and reasonable quantities) and you can use it."
"Fun fact, some friendly Americans after moving to Europe started realizing they did not suffer from suspected lactose/gluten/you name it intolerance but simply had their guts harmed by additives and seen their symptoms improve here. Check your additives, kids."
- ArtichokeFamiliar205
Candy Distribution
"Various ingredients found in lollies/sweets/candy e.g titanium dioxide. There are tighter restrictions on food production in Europe resulting in American companies having to alter their recipes so they can be sold in European countries."
"A lot of US-based companies partner with foreign companies to meet these laws (so the healthier versions rarely reach US soil). In French Polynesia for example, Coca-Cola partners with La Brasserie de Tahiti, and all of it is made with real sugar and sold in glass bottles that you return to any store for a discount on your next purchase."
"I can't remember for sure if the glass bottles are a law or just the standard for La Brasserie de Tahiti. Either way, it's a great example of how easy it is to cut our reliance on plastic. The public will adopt it quickly, it's really just corporate greed getting in the way."
- A0ma
Sale Sale Sale
"Artificially jacking up prices of things only to then put them 'on sale' when the sale price is really just the always-intended price."
- peachpinkjedi
While the word "illegal" may make most people think of illegal activities that a citizen might perform, most of the illegal acts here were in regards to public safety, as well as allowing the general public to live a healthier life.
I'm assuming most of us have indulged in being naughty in our teen years.
We test the waters of society and our parent's patience.
Sometimes it's a blast, other times... you're in jail.
You gotta roll the dice.
RedditorBruh-momento10101wanted to hear the stories about the regrettable choices some of us have made in our younger years. So they asked:
"What’s the most illegal thing you’ve (allegedly) done as a teenager?"
I was such a "good" kid. I wish I had been more mischievous.
Downloading...
Cartoon Spinning GIFGiphy"13 year old me was convinced I was going to get in trouble for downloading Pokemon ROM hacks."
Manaphy12
"Uhh I’m calling Nintendo…"
Bruh-momento10101
Don't Point
"We would point at cops and run. When you do this, they chase you. If they catch you, they’re pissed."
Something_Etc
"We would walk out into the street when they were coming, stop like a deer in the headlights and then run in the opposite direction. Lights, sirens and backup usually while we hide in bushes. Huge adrenaline rush at a young age."
bobby-potus
Stretford...
"Broke into Old Trafford when we were 15. We had a football in a bag and intended to score a goal at the Stretford end. We got to the pitch but the joke was on us. The goals weren't up and we got taken home by the police. Didn't see the outside for a couple of weeks after that one!"
NewWorlds84
The Homepage...
"Accidentally used inspect element on the google homepage at age 9, thought I deleted google and was going to get arrested. I was waiting for the sirens to show up."
Remarkable_Whole
"My 5th grade son isn't allowed to use computers at school because of this. Well, that and because he was 'hacking' into other kid's profiles (weak passwords/kids are stupid and don't protect them) and changing their avatars to hamsters."
JayPetey238
Soldering...
Soldering Mechanical Engineering GIF by AirspeederGiphy"We might or might have not soldered every door lock of our school shut during summer closing time."
next_redsteppa
I never would of thought of half of these things. I missed out.
The 22nd Floor
Happy Fun GIF by gunnarollaGiphy"Walked into a huge hotel like we owned the place, took the elevator to the top and then forced a door to find a way to the roof, sat on top of the edge of a 22 floor hotel tasting the view having drinks and food with friends. It was great."
Mr_stabbey
“teenage bravery”
"My buddies and I lit a bush on fire near someone’s house. We didn’t know there was dry brush and somehow when it caught fire it ran upside the house to a dead tree and lit the house on fire. There was no one home, but all 5 of us broke into it and ran inside to check and called the 911 to tell them we broke into the house because we saw it was on fire and tried to save anyone who may have been inside."
"People who got house burned got a nice check from their insurance and a brand new home, and we got our names in small local newspaper for 'teenage bravery.' Oh man."
erikturczyn30
Under the Lights
"Me and a couple friends (back at like 11-13, all girls) played a game of truth or dare that ended up with us doing something like this. I guess it was technically illegal, too; it WAS past curfew. We were all in skimpy costumes from playing dress up, and someone got dared to throw a tampon in the window of a passing car on the main road half a block from my friend's house. Missed, and a couple rounds later I got dared to go get it back from the road and put it up my nose?"
"Now imagine three scantily clad tween girls standing under a street lamp on a corner peering out into the street when a cop drives by. Flipped on his lights and flipped a U-turn while we BOOKED it back to her house and hid behind the car in the driveway while the cop went up and down the street with his spotlight. 🤣"
wilddreamer
Fill in the Blanks...
"When I was 6 or 7, my friends and I saw a whole slew of blank lottery forms sitting by the entry way to a store (the kind you had to use a Pencil to select your numbers so the machine could read it). We grabbed them and ran away thinking we had absconded with thousands of free lottery tickets we could sell or use. Yeah, not so much."
Debaser626
37 different viruses...
"Besides getting music illegally while also giving the home computer 37 different viruses? I once broke into a water park with a bunch of friends during the winter months. For those that don't know, water parks drain all the water to prevent ice from forming in the pipes. We infiltrated the park in long sleeves and long pants to prevent fiberglass burns while going down the slides."
FusedByFire
The NFL
No Way Smh GIF by Atlanta FalconsGiphy"Used telecast, pictures, descriptions and accounts of the game without the NFL's express written consent."
mineral_water_69
Being 8
"When we were 8-9... then we would go around to the houses on the east side of town that had really nice gardens out front and pick flowers out of their front yard. Then go over to the west side of town and sell bouquets of flowers door to door for $5 each. Those old ladies ate that shit up and funded my arcade and pizza all summer long."
WhiskeyTangoFoxy
Impossible
"When I was in my late 20s I met with a childhood friend whom while catching up on life, confessed to me that while our family were away on a camping trip, him and another friend broke into the back garage of our house when they were about 11 or 12, basically crawled under the alarm laser sensor (which they knew about on the entry way)."
"Like f**king mission impossible and stole beers out of my dads bar fridge. I actually distinctly remember my dad a bit pissed mentioning that his friend who he asked to come in to water the plants while we were away, was free to help himself to a few drinks, but not clean out his whole beer inventory."
tatsumakisempukyaku
We were dumb
"There was a rail road crossing where if you had any speed you could catch air... I launched my jeep from that xing more times than I care to admit.... actually breaking my rear leaf springs too. Looking back on it I could have very easily killed myself or someone else... and this was before the time of social media where people did crap for likes... we did crap because we were dumb."
mnfriesen
Ballers
Phone Call Hello GIF by Shalita GrantGiphy"Me and my friends would go to a pay phone and call some call girl and the friend with the deepest voice did the talking because we were 13 at the time ...Lmao not really illegal but we felt like absolute gangsters."
SnikkerLikker
On the Roof
"A store in our area had giant fiberglass mascots on the roof. one of them had a big cigar. I climbed up on the roof and unbolted the cigar. (made of wood and had a threaded bolt going through the head) A few months later they replaced it. not nearly as well made, a cut off baseball bat that had been painted and glued in place, took 30 seconds to get that one. about a year later the tried again. Didn't last. soon after that the chain made the character a non smoker."
draco6x7
Jumpers
"When I was younger my friends and I thought it would be funny to jump out from behind a building and shoot our cap guns off at a police car. Never ran harder in my life than the moment after when the police thought we were actually shooting them and came after us."
Dirty_Gurdy
Robin is Here
"A local drug dealer got sent to prison when I was 10, me and my friends knew he had a load of stolen goods in the house. We broke in, scored 8 new PS2s, I had a serious lack of enterprise and gave them out to local kids like some sort of digital robin hood. I also fed his goldfish whilst I was in there."
SpillingerSA
Zoo Time
San Diego Lol GIF by San Diego Zoo Wildlife AllianceGiphy"We regularly jumped the fence at our local zoo when we were high or drunk. Not to vandalize anything, just a fun place to be at night when you were shitfaced. Once we jumped the wrong fence at wound up in the ostrich area. Holy crap are they big. Never ran so fast in my life."
Crack_Ulla
Oh the secrets our pasts hold. We really are dumb at a young age.
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