Independent Reading Post 6

Prompt: 2
Chapters: 11 & 12

"On top of that, the Swedes and Norwegians have shackled themselves with some of the most inane and restrictive laws imaginable, laws that leave you wondering what on earth they were thinking about. In Norway, for instance, it is illegal for a bartender to serve you a fresh drink until you have finished the previous one. Does that sound to you like a matter that needs to be covered by legislation? It is also illegal in Norway for a bakery to bake bread on a Saturday or Sunday. Well, thank God for that, say I. Think of the consequences if some ruthless Norwegian baker tried to foist fresh bread on people on the weekend. But the most preposterous law of all, a law so pointless as to scamper along the outer margins of the surreal, is the Swedish one that requires motorists to drive with their headlights on during the daytime, even on the sunniest summer afternoon. I would love to meet the guy who thought up that one." (page 121)

These laws confused me just as much as Bryson was confused by them. In America I think some laws are quite ridiculous, but I guess I can't complain until I live in Norway. These confusing laws spurred me to research more of Norway's laws and see if they were just as ridiculous. In Norway you are not allowed to drink in public, which even encompasses your own balcony if people can see you. Alcohol is also extremely pricey in Norway and a glass of wine/beer in a restaurant can be in the range of $12 (http://iguide.travel/Norway/Drinking). All of these laws puzzled me just like they puzzled Bryson. Who would ever think of these and why would the public allow them to rule? It will be interesting to see if Bryson runs into any other such situations in other countries.