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AIBU?

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Original poster

You are given the power to make three things illegal. What would you choose?

705 replies

SpringSunshineanddaffodils · 27/04/2025 08:40

I know people will post silly things that irritate them but think seriously. What three things would you make completely illegal right now?
Here's mine:

  1. The right to buy your council house
  2. Owning more than one property.
  3. Not keeping your cat contained in your own home. With hefty fines if it is caught killing any wildlife.
OP posts:
Simonjt · 27/04/2025 10:31

ChocolatesAndRainbows · 27/04/2025 10:24

Abusing animals is illegal

Show quote history

Is it? In that case why are people paying people to keep pigs in tiny metal pens, chicken in sheds so small they can’t move, mincing male chicks alive, electrocuting chickens to death, slitting the throats of lambs?

TroysMammy · 27/04/2025 10:30

Cherrytree86 · 27/04/2025 10:13

Everyone saying chewing gum?? Why?? So long ask it doesn’t end up on the pavements what’s wrong with it? Better than having stinky breath and it’s good for your teeth!

Because some people (for example football/sport personnel at the sidelines) who chew gum it makes them look deranged.

1Ivebeenthinking · 27/04/2025 10:30

fast fashion
UPF food
Manipulating, lying and cheating

Barbadossunset · 27/04/2025 10:29

Salmon farming should be made illegal. It’s is horrible for the fish and very bad for the environment.
It’s surprising how few people are aware of this appalling practice.

Barbadossunset · 27/04/2025 10:28

BeeCucumber · Today 09:17
I would make it illegal to use the phrase “reaching out”. You contact people.

Yes!!! Contact or get in touch.

ProfessionalPirate · 27/04/2025 10:28

SpringSunshineanddaffodils · 27/04/2025 08:40

I know people will post silly things that irritate them but think seriously. What three things would you make completely illegal right now?
Here's mine:

  1. The right to buy your council house
  2. Owning more than one property.
  3. Not keeping your cat contained in your own home. With hefty fines if it is caught killing any wildlife.

Number 2 - How would the requirement for private rental homes be fulfilled without some people owning more than one home? Or are you naive enough to thinking that there is no requirement between home ownership and social housing?

alphabetti · 27/04/2025 10:28

1 not paying a standard amount of child maintenance to ensure your child is provided for.

2 landlords taking rent from people when property is not a good standard.

3 Companies making huge profit whilst paying their workers less than a proper living wage meaning those workers require benefit top ups.

Ineedthesun80 · 27/04/2025 10:27

Spitting in public

having more than one car per household

chopping down perfectly healthy trees

OurChristmasMiracle · 27/04/2025 10:27

1- charging extortionate rent- there would be rent caps dependent on size of property and facilities- ie garden would increase the cap

2- electric bikes/scooters/ adult bikes on pavements. Especially the electric ones which go quite fast.

3- not paying child support or avoiding declaring correct income.

thebluerose · 27/04/2025 10:26

Giant cars, and cars with blinding lights.

Smelly food and mobile phones on in cinemas.

Vaping in public.

ThreeTescoBags · 27/04/2025 10:26

NineteenSeventyNine · 27/04/2025 10:17

  1. single-use plastic
  2. fast fashion
  3. unsupervised internet access for children

Completely agree with this list. But to add, opaque supply chains should be illegal.

Every consumer product sold (particularly in the garment industry) should be traceable by the consumer to its origins. Cheap products are cheap because the cost is paid by people exploited in the supply chain and, in general, end consumers are not required to have a conscience about it because it's so easy to ignore due to a lack of transparency.

SlimeSuspect · 27/04/2025 10:25

MidnightPatrol · 27/04/2025 08:41

The one about cats is the most bizarre.

Pet cats are responsible for a huge decline in birdlife and small mammals, Unlike foxes, they torture and play with their prey (rather than needing it as a food source). Some districts councils in Australia have implemented cat curfews, and in some places total indoor cat ownership.

Popsicle1981 · 27/04/2025 10:25
  1. cats outdoors
  2. elderly being allowed to choose to drive with poor eyesight, cognitive impairment and/or physical disability because ‘rights’ and ‘independence’
  3. nimbyism
  4. the act of going into a shop doorway, approaching a turnstile or walking on a pavement and then just stopping for no reason
Havanaknights · 27/04/2025 10:24

adviceneeded1990 · 27/04/2025 09:23

  1. Smart phones for under 16s
  2. Porn
  3. The postcode lottery for fertility treatment - everyone should have access to NHS IVF as many times as they need.

Postcode lottery for anything, really. Especially healthcare.

Agree about the smartphones. I'd add having a social media account under 18, and putting your children on one as content.

ChocolatesAndRainbows · 27/04/2025 10:24

Simonjt · 27/04/2025 08:44

Abusing animals, this would include paying other people to abuse them on your behalf, so paying someone to keep in a pig in poor conditions, paying someone to mince male chicks, paying someone to kill an animal etc.

Producing jars, bottles etc without having a deposit scheme available to increase the likelihood of them being recycled.

Sunbeds.

Abusing animals is illegal

Bonjovispyjamas · 27/04/2025 10:22

Smoking

Having your nose buried in your phone and not looking where you're going as you walk along the street

Moaning about cats and dogs 😜

Enigma53 · 27/04/2025 10:22
  1. Selling live animals on scumtree
  2. Leggings which show EVERY bum crease
  3. Chocolate cereal ( for the chocolate cereal hater poster last week 🍫🥣 ) 🤣
AInightingale · 27/04/2025 10:21

I'm a bit confused by your cat-hate OP. For centuries people in this country have kept cats for vermin control, and they weren't neutered until recently. We had a country teeming with wildlife and wild birds. Since the late 20th century, we've become grossly overpopulated, car-dependent, and small farms have disappeared, as have traditional hedgerows, ponds and indeed gardens that contain grass rather than tarmac. Don't you think those factors contribute more to the dearth of wildlife? But of course, let's blame cats. 🙄

DogsandFlowers · 27/04/2025 10:21

Kardamyli2 · 27/04/2025 10:14

Pet dogs are a complete PITA

Show quote history

Well I bloody love them
As so many of us

Havanaknights · 27/04/2025 10:18

Simonjt · 27/04/2025 08:44

Abusing animals, this would include paying other people to abuse them on your behalf, so paying someone to keep in a pig in poor conditions, paying someone to mince male chicks, paying someone to kill an animal etc.

Producing jars, bottles etc without having a deposit scheme available to increase the likelihood of them being recycled.

Sunbeds.

Sunbeds for sure! I don't know how they're legal

NineteenSeventyNine · 27/04/2025 10:17
  1. single-use plastic
  2. fast fashion
  3. unsupervised internet access for children
Moier · 27/04/2025 10:17

Not many council houses.. they have been taken over by housing associations . Our city has for last 15 years.

ChaToilLeam · 27/04/2025 10:17

phones and other devices on loudspeaker in public
people moaning about cats and dogs (unless it's regarding shit, which is fair)
thong swimwear

Enigma53 · 27/04/2025 10:15

ItsBouqeeeet · 27/04/2025 08:44

  1. Posting bizarre things like the cat one on Mumsnet. Lifetime ban.

🤣🤣 had to laugh at that!

whengodwasarabbit1 · 27/04/2025 10:15

SpringSunshineanddaffodils · 27/04/2025 08:54

I am deadly serious on number 3.

I have no idea why you are bringing up strays. I said "your cat" as in owned cats. I am very clearly not talking about strays.

Of course there are several naturally occuring wildlife predators. They are a complelty different kettle of fish though, aren't they?

Domestic cats are being cared for and fed by humans, they have their medical needs met. This means they occur in FAR greater numbers than they would occur naturally, and have a completely unfair advantage over native wildlife. Plus, they kill for fun, rarely for food. They are endangering birds, hedgehogs and many other rodents. They are a serious problem.

Show quote history

What about the meat in your cat's food, does that 'nature' not count? Or is ot OK because you can't actually see the form of the dead animal?

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