Dare you cross the street in a straight line?

[jumpy]

As it's friday and I found this slightly amusing:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/6251431.stm

The officer asked for identification. The professor asked for his, after which Officer Leonpacher told him he was under arrest and, the professor claims, kicked his legs from under him, pinned him to the ground and confiscated his box of peppermints.

Were they al-qaeda peppermints? :rotfl:

I wonder why we don't have this in the UK... oh right, a sense of personal responsibility and common sense! (supposedly)
Some of the comments are classic.

I remember being in Luzern, Switzerland, waiting at the crossing of a barely used access road by the train station, together with about 10 locals. With not a car in sight, I strolled across - to the audible gasps of the people behind me. I turned around and one young woman exclaimed "it's red!" in German, with a look of utter disbelief on her face.

like you just strangled a kitten or something

I can understand dawdling across a busy road being frowned upon, but being wrestled to the ground by 5 officers of the law does seem a bit much.

Have any of you yankee doodles had your collars felt by the law for something like this or other equally bizzare public orders?