4 ms·

As a Czech citizen, I thought for a long time that allemansrätten or "Freedom to Roam" is the most natural and ordinary thing. Only when I started traveling aro

by Scea91 6y ago

As a Czech citizen, I thought for a long time that allemansrätten or "Freedom to Roam" is the most natural and ordinary thing. Only when I started traveling around I began to appreciate how unique that right is. According to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_to_roam https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_to_roam there are 11 contries in the world with this law (Scotland, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Austria, Czech Republic and Switzerland).

ck425 6y ago
Same here. I recall the story of a Texan heiress you bought a golf course in Aberdeen, North Scotland. One day she came across hikers respectfully crossing 'her land' and the golf course. Went out with a shotgun and threatened then while the hikers calmly explained their rights. Eventually she called the police and was promptly arrested herself.
Ndymium 6y ago
Note that at least in Finland, it's not codified in law. It just has been the "way of the land" for so long that there hasn't been much need to write it down. Some of the aspects can be derived from different laws but mostly it's an unwritten, commonly understood set of principles.
- vidarh 6y ago
  It used to be similar in Norway as well. It was considered so self-evident that despite Norwegian law otherwise being fully codified, courts took it into account. It was codified in the 50's I think.
- yxhuvud 6y ago
  Same in Sweden. They intentionally don't codify it to allow for flexibility.
- tuukkah 6y ago
  There is no single "freedom-to-roam law" but many laws codify exceptions to keep freedom to roam legal. The main codification seems to be that you are allowed to infringe on others' exclusive rights to their property (outside their yard and plantations) as long as the harm is minor: wearing down surfaces by walking and cycling on them, flattening grass and meadows by (briefly) camping on them, picking berries etc. Here's a good treatment of the relevant laws, published by the ministry of environment (in Finnish): https://helda.helsinki.fi/bitstream/handle/10138/38797/SY30_2012_Jokamiehenoikeudet.pdf https://helda.helsinki.fi/bitstream/handle/10138/38797/SY30_...

by Scea91 6y ago

ck425 6y ago

Same here. I recall the story of a Texan heiress you bought a golf course in Aberdeen, North Scotland. One day she came across hikers respectfully crossing 'her land' and the golf course. Went out with a shotgun and threatened then while the hikers calmly explained their rights. Eventually she called the police and was promptly arrested herself.

Ndymium 6y ago

Note that at least in Finland, it's not codified in law. It just has been the "way of the land" for so long that there hasn't been much need to write it down. Some of the aspects can be derived from different laws but mostly it's an unwritten, commonly understood set of principles.

vidarh 6y ago
It used to be similar in Norway as well. It was considered so self-evident that despite Norwegian law otherwise being fully codified, courts took it into account. It was codified in the 50's I think.
yxhuvud 6y ago
Same in Sweden. They intentionally don't codify it to allow for flexibility.
tuukkah 6y ago
There is no single "freedom-to-roam law" but many laws codify exceptions to keep freedom to roam legal. The main codification seems to be that you are allowed to infringe on others' exclusive rights to their property (outside their yard and plantations) as long as the harm is minor: wearing down surfaces by walking and cycling on them, flattening grass and meadows by (briefly) camping on them, picking berries etc. Here's a good treatment of the relevant laws, published by the ministry of environment (in Finnish): https://helda.helsinki.fi/bitstream/handle/10138/38797/SY30_2012_Jokamiehenoikeudet.pdf https://helda.helsinki.fi/bitstream/handle/10138/38797/SY30_...