法網恢恢,怪令不少

法律是很嚴肅的條例規定，因為一旦有人違反，就要接受相應的懲罰。不過，世界上有些法令奇怪得令人哭笑不得，人們卻不得不遵守！可別馬虎哦！

The more laws and order are made prominent， the more thieves and robbers there will be. Here is a collection of some of the unusual laws in the world. We can laugh， we can gasp1)， and we can only wonder ...

各種法令條例越是家喻戶曉，世上的小偷強盜就越多。以下是一些奇怪的法令。讀完后，我們可能會大笑，可能會倒抽一口氣，也可能只是有點驚訝……

1. Think before you chew

In Singapore， chewing gum is prohibited. This rule was introduced because of the high cost and difficulty in removing stuck chewing gum from public premises2). In particular， chewing gum stuck on the Mass Rapid Transit train doors stopped the trains from moving. It happened a few times and those were a few times too many.

2. Lighten up

Drivers in Denmark are supposed to drive vehicles with their headlights on. You'd think this law would apply to night driving， but it doesn't. It is considered essential during the day as well or drivers may face a fine of up to $100. Studies have shown that this has helped prevent road accidents in Denmark.

3. To fail > to jail

In Bangladesh， children 15 and older can be put in jail for cheating on their final examinations. Every year， the Bangladeshi government takes strong measures to stop cheating and carries out a massive media campaign to forewarn3) students through print and television.

4. Picky4) about chicks

According to the Akron-Ohio Act， \"No person， firm， or corporation shall dye5) or otherwise color any rabbit or baby poultry6)， including， but not limited to， chicks and ducklings. No person， firm， or corporation shall sell， offer for sale7)， expose for sale， raffle8)， or give away any rabbit or baby poultry which has been dyed or otherwise colored.\"

5. Keep the change

In Canada， the Currency Act of 1985 prohibits consumers from using unreasonable9) amounts of coins to pay for purchases. This means you can't pay for an item in all coins (especially if it's over $10). Even the use of dollar-coins is limited. The shop owner has the right to choose whether or not he wants to take your coins but doesn't have to.

6. Sue them for pants!

In France it is still against the law for women to wear pants. The law reportedly has been on the books since 1800. It was amended10) several times: once in 1892 to allow women to wear sport trousers while riding horses and again in 1909 to permit the ladies to wear pants while on bicycles.

7. The law with a flaw

In Georgia no bicycle shall be equipped， modified， or altered in such a way as to cause the pedal11) in its lowermost position to be more than 12 inches above the ground， nor shall any bicycle be operated if so equipped. The question is: Who would ride such a bike?

8. One two three go!

In Massachusetts， at a wake12) mourners may eat no more than three sandwiches. It is one of those laws that was written in the books and never removed since then. Bad manners， one might consider it， but in Massachusetts it is a criminal offense.

9. Impie-ous Christmas

In Britain， it is illegal to consume a mince pie13) on Christmas Day. It is one of the odd old laws on the statute book14)， although rarely enforced by even the keenest police officer. It was brought to existence by Oliver Cromwell15)， Lord Protector of England. Festival traditions that promoted gluttony16) and drunkenness were against righteous Christian ethics， including some Christmas traditions.

1. 三思而后嚼

在新加坡，吃口香糖是嚴令禁止的。之所以設立這項法令，是因為清除粘在公共場所的口香糖既花錢又費事。特別是粘在捷運系統地鐵門上的口香糖曾致使地鐵停運過。這類事故發生過幾次，但是光這幾次就已經夠多的了。

2. 上路請開燈

在丹麥，司機開車必須打開頭燈。你可能以為這項法令只是針對夜間駕駛而定的，可其實不是。司機在白天開車時也必須打開頭燈，否則將面臨高達100美元的罰款。研究表明，這項法令在避免丹麥的交通事故上起了大作用。

3. 坐牢事小，作弊事大

在孟加拉國，15歲及以上的青少年如果在期末考試時作弊，將有可能被判入獄。孟加拉國政府每年都會采取強硬措施制止學生作弊，還會通過報紙及電視等發起一場大規模的媒體宣傳攻勢，提前警告學生不可作弊。

4. 小雞也挑剔

根據《阿克倫-俄亥俄州法令》，“任何人、商行或者公司不得給兔子或者幼禽(包括但不限于小雞和小鴨)進行染色或者涂色。任何人、商行或者公司不得銷售、公開發售、拍賣、抽獎銷售或丟棄任何已被染色或涂色的兔子和幼禽。”

5. 硬幣您自個兒留著吧

加拿大1985年實施的《貨幣法》禁止消費者使用超出情理的大量硬幣付款。這意味著你買一樣東西不能全用硬幣付款(特別是商品售價超過10加元的時候)。即使是面值超過1加元的硬幣，花的時候也是有限制的。店主有權決定是否接受你的硬幣，而不是必須要收。

6. 穿褲子有罪！

在法國，女性穿褲子仍是違法的。據說從1800年起，律法中就有了這條法令。它被修訂過數次：1892年修訂為允許女性在騎馬時穿運動褲；1909年再次修訂，這次允許女性騎自行車時穿褲子。

7. 此法令有毛病

在美國佐治亞州，任何自行車不得通過組裝、改動或者改造使其踏板的最低位置距地面超過12英寸(約35厘米)，且任何這樣改裝后的自行車不得上路。問題是，有誰會騎這種自行車呢？

8.“吃”不過三

在美國馬薩諸塞州，送葬者在守靈時最多只能吃三個三明治。這條法令自從制定后從未廢除過。你可能認為這只是禮節問題，但在馬薩諸塞州，這可是違法犯罪行為。

9. 圣誕節吃肉餅，不敬！

在英國，圣誕節吃肉餡餅是違法的。雖然這是法令全書上怪異的古老法令之一，但即使是執法最嚴明的警察也很少會真的執行。這條法令是由自詡為英國護國公的奧利弗·克倫威爾頒布的。那些助長了暴飲暴食或酗酒的節日習俗，包括圣誕節習俗，在當時都被認為有悖正統基督教的道德觀。

1.gasp [ɡɑ#720;sp] vi. 倒抽氣；喘氣

2.premises [#712;prem#618;s#618;z] n. (企業、機構等使用的)房屋連地基；生產場所

3.forewarn [f#596;#720;#712;w#596;#720;n] vt. 預先警告

4.picky [#712;p#618;ki] adj. <美口> 吹毛求疵的；愛挑剔的

5.dye [da#618;] vt. 給……染色

6.poultry [#712;p#601;#650;ltri] n. [總稱] 家禽

7.offer for sale: 公開發售

8.raffle [#712;raelig;fl] vt. 以兌獎辦法出售

9.unreasonable [#652;n#712;ri#720;zn#601;bl] adj. 超越情理的；過分的；過高的

10.amend [#601;#712;mend] vt. 修改，修訂

11.pedal: 參見P45注釋1

12.wake [we#618;k] n. (葬禮前的)守夜，守靈

13.mince pie: <主英> 肉餡餅

14.statute book: 法令全書；法規匯編(指由立法機關通過的一系列法規，通常分成很多冊，形成完整的官方記錄)

15.Oliver Cromwell: 奧利弗·克倫威爾(1599~1658)，英國軍人、政治家、獨立派領袖，內戰時率領國會軍戰勝王黨軍隊，處死國王查理一世，成立共和國，任英格蘭、蘇格蘭和愛爾蘭護國公。

16.gluttony [#712;ɡl#652;t#601;ni] n. 暴食；暴飲