Poland is a safe, civilised, wonderful country. You can have an awful lot of fun here in world-class cities without bags of cash or the worry that something is going to go wrong. Sometimes simple mistake leads to a huge problem in a different country. Something that is legal in USA, may not be necessarily legal in Poland or anywhere else.
I put together a list of few most important things you should keep in mind, before you decide to spend some time in my beautiful country of Poland! First thing my husband noticed about my friends behavior in Poland was that they never drove after drinking most of them :. Random checks are as real possibility.
Note that Polish drinking and driving laws also apply to bicycles. It might sound like a fun idea to rent some bikes and ride around town after a few afternoon beers, but it could prove a lot more expensive than anticipated. Be aware of strip clubs and brothels! While it is true that there is no law against an individual selling sex, brothels are completely illegal. Polish cops have long, long experience of public drunkenness and they know exactly how to deal with it β by locking you up in a bare cell until long after you have a very sore head.
How about crossing the street? Wandering across the street anywhere you like, even when there is no traffic in sight, is illegal. Some pedestrian crossings have lights and a recorded voice to tell you when you can cross. Crossings without lights must be treated with caution. Polish law says cars only have to stop if there is somebody already on a crossing, not if they are waiting to cross. Far better to wait for a big gap in the traffic than blowing your beer money on an intensive care unit bed.
Always remember to stamp your ticket while using public transportation! This means finding a validating machine on the bus or tram you are travelling on. The machine will stamp it with the date, time and your route. But wherever you buy your ticket, you must validate it, even if you just bought it on the bus or tram you are on.
