" Sometimes , I make a cup of coffee bean in my office kitchenette and walk over to the post office drinking from it . This is a regular , albeit large , ceramic mug . It ’s not a travel mug , there ’s no lid . The other twenty-four hour period , my daughter was with me , and she was scandalized . ' It FELT illegal ' was incisively how she described it . "
It’s a feeling that’s hard to describe — but probably you know it well: You’re doing something that’s part of everyday life and you’re like, “This feels strangely…illegal.”
U/klausiboyrecently asked the people of Reddit, “What feels illegal, but isn’t?” Maybe some of these answers will make you think a little differently about your day-to-day goings-on:
1.“I’m a Brit that lives in Germany. Here you can go to a supermarket, see a six-pack of cola, rip it open, and take one. You don’t do that in the UK. I know it’s not illegal, but every time, I think I’m going to get yelled at and be made to buy all six.”
— u / stonke12
2.“Going through airport customs.”
— u / PluckPubes
3.“Walking through a store and leaving without buying anything. I always imagine I’m about to be tackled on the way out.”
— uranium / LobsterB0y2020
4.“Editing a contract, signing it, and sending it back to the person who sent it to you so they can sign it.”
— u / AdNorth9228
5.“Owning a flamethrower. You can do this in 48 states — and I’m not talking about a lighter and aerosol spray. I’m talking about an actual military-grade flamethrower. Yes, it’s legal to own.”
— atomic number 92 / Vinny_Lam
6.“Simply being around a cop feels illegal, even though you likely haven’t broken any laws.”
— atomic number 92 / Seburber22
7.“Breaking up banana bunches at the grocery store to get the exact number of bananas you want. I know there’s nothing wrong with it, but I feel like I’m going to get tackled by the banana police every time I do it.”
— atomic number 92 / schnit123
8.“Walking into a restaurant, changing your mind, and walking back out.”
— uranium / avocadosontoastedbun
9.“A mortgage being cheaper than rent, and rent being 70% of peoples' income.”
— uracil / critter0139
10.“Card counting in a casino. It’s totally legal within the law, but the security and management will make you feel like a criminal for doing it.”
— u / Issualave
11.“Leaving work on time.”
— u / d1r1tywh1teboy
12.“Holding eye contact with a stranger.”
— u / i_drink_paint_daily
13.“German criminal law does not know any fundamental prohibition of a prison break. Also, there is no penalty for running away from the police as long as I don’t resist them in the process. Both things I haven’t done yet, but just the idea feels extremely illegal.”
— u / Nessel4
14.“Sometimes, I make a cup of coffee in my office kitchenette and walk over to the post office drinking from it. This is a regular, albeit large, ceramic mug. It’s not a travel mug, there’s no lid. The other day, my daughter was with me, and she was scandalized. ‘It FELT illegal’ was exactly how she described it.”
— u / The_Wyzard
15.“Going to a urinal and not pissing within five seconds of unzipping your pants.”
— u / Whatacoolkid-
16.“Telling your barber that you don’t like the haircut.”
— u / xojifa4666
17.“Not working or doing anything productive on my days off.”
— uracil / Angy - rose-colored - ringlet
18.“I pull out my notepad and act like I’m taking notes about various aspects of the store. That usually attracts a staff person who asks if I need assistance. I just answer that I’m just taking a few notes. It’s dumb, but I’m easily amused.”
— atomic number 92 / musememo
19.“Being followed by a police car.”
— uracil / got_got_need
Note : Some responses have been edited for distance and/or lucidness .
