Kissing in cars, feeding stray cats and building sandcastles all banned in Italy

Not so much banned but boy do they ever slam you with a heavy fine.


More than 150 "public security" laws have been introduced since Silvio Berlusconi, the prime minister, granted extra powers to local councils to help them crack down on crime and anti-social behaviour.
In the latest episode in the fight to maintain "public decorum", Vigevano, a town near Milan, this week slapped fines of €160 (£130) each on a young couple who dared to sit on the steps of a local monument.
"It was really hot, so we just sat down for a moment," said Giada Carnevale, 24. "The only other alternative in the piazza is to go to a bar but there they charge you €5 just for a drink. We were just chatting – we weren't eating or drinking or smoking."
But the town's mayor justified the fine, saying the council spent precious time and money each month cleaning up after idlers on the steps.
Passionate Italians caught kissing in a moving car in the town of Eboli, south of Naples, face a €500 fine.

The list is longer than what you see here.It continues at the link.

I think this is a little over the top. Italy is supposed to be very romantic. Besides France, I would say it is the second most popular places to go for couples in love. Kissing is just one way to express that love. It's not like these people are having sex in their cars. (I mean they could be but they are just talking about fines for kissing.)

Not being allowed to sit on the steps of a monument is also absurd. I think we all know italy is a very busy and tourist infested place. A lot of the time there probably isn't anywhere to sit. I can understand being fined if those people were litering, but they were just trying to rest their feet. I would of done the same thing. I wouldn't want to have to pay for something I don't want to drink when all I really want is to sit.

The sand castle ban is just stupid. That's what kids do when they go to a park, they play with sand. I hope they never have a sand castle tournament there because everyone would get screwed. Plus with the clogs, yes I think they are annoying little shoes in the first place, but if you ban those then you should ban high heels as well. When you walk in heels they make the same clicky clacky noise clogs make.

The only thing in this I can agree with is smoking. Yes I do smoke, but I also understand it bothers other people. Do I like being told where I can and can't smoke? No. Do I understand people have laws to help those that don't like it? Yes. As long as there are areas for people to smoke that one can get to easily I don't see a problem. Like in michigan they started the no smoking ban in restraunts. Do I like it? No. I think if the owner of a building wishes to have seperate areas for smoking and non smoking they should be allowed to do that. Do I like that I can't smoke in bars? No because it is enjoyable to have a smoke with your drink. It doesn't kill me to go outside to smoke, but it does get annoying when the entire table wants to go out for one and even though you inform the wait staff that is what you are doing, they freak out thinking you ate and ditched and throws away your food or drink that you didn't get to finish when you walk back in.

And people b!tch about America turning Socialist.

Nothing surprises me about Berlusconi, nothing

Well that's a country off my list of places to see.
I might get a fine for sneezing in the wrong place.

Passionate Italians caught kissing in a moving car in the town of Eboli, south of Naples, face a €500 fine.

I can see good reason behind that if one of said kissers is the driver.


Designated drivers people.

^^But if you look at that law it says, "in a moving car" that could also mean a taxi. They are moving and a couple would be showing affection in the back seat of kissing.

I know the U.S. is far from perfect, but after reading this I am so happy I live here and no where else. LOL

wow. talk about ridiculous! I am so glad that they didn't have those laws in place when I was there a couple years ago or I would have gotten alot of fines for sitting on steps

About a decade ago I heard the Italian parliament, just before national elections, voted to delete a section of law that was created by Mussolini. But they hadn't read the law, this section outlawed dueling. So challenging someone to a duel and killing them was now legal. The next elections were the cleanest and most polite election campaigns in modern Italian history.