Tourists visiting hot-spot have one question about new law that bans you from urinating in sea
Authorities in Spain might be left scratching their heads after people have asked a very good question about the ban on urinating in the ocean.
No, it’s not a joke- the really unique law saw people being warned about having a piddle in the open seas as a way to curb anti-social behaviour.
The new rules in Marbella on the Costa del Sol mean that tourists and locals can be fined than £1,200 for taking a leak in the sea.
If you’re caught doing it for the first time, you could be fined whopping €750, which is roughly £635 to you and me.
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But if you have the cheek to get caught doing it more than once, that's €1,500 out of your pocket.
But it’s not just tourists who are up in arms about this weird rule, as Spanish TV presenter Nacho Abad criticised it and admitted he always goes to the loo in the sea, even taking down his shorts to make sure he’s not tainting his clothing while in the water.
"I recommend doing it that way, otherwise your swimsuit smells terrible," he said.
While many have laughed about the ludicrous rule, others have brought up a very interesting point: how the hell can they tell you’ve widdled in the sea and how can they enforce it?
People on Facebook took to the comment section of a LADbible post where we initially broke the news about this new ban, and of course (because they’re our readers), they were quick on it.
One person wrote: “Who patrols it.the peeee police," as a second penned a lengthy complaint: “Okay but how are they going to enforce that? How would they even know?
"And I mean every single thing that's alive in the ocean is already p*ssing in it. What they should be worrying about is the garbage that humans dump in the oceans and the sewage that people dump in the oceans, always worrying about the wrong sh*t.”
Another commented: “I’m doing as nature intended, good luck putting it back up there when I’m done.”
Someone else said: “Does that go for marine life too??? they have been urinating in the sea forever !!!!”
And my personal favourite: “They taste sea water if it's salty you will be arrested.”
But before you get up in arms, there’s a little bylaw that you need to read.
The Marbella city council clarified in a statement to The Guardian: "The bylaw does not impose a sanction for peeing in the sea.
"It will not be applicable. The bylaw regulates possible antisocial infractions on the beach, just as any such acts are regulated in any public space such as on the city’s streets."
The new Marbella decree will also ban dogs swimming anywhere in the ocean, with new zones to be set out for the pups to roam.
So, you’re all good to have a wee in the ocean, you just can stand on a port or dock and wee out into the ocean like a fire hose.
Let’s be honest, if you saw someone doing that, you’d want to fine them too.
Britt Jones