My recent trip into France (the third this year) gave me an interesting viewpoint on French vs. US law and corresponding freedom. Once upon a time I heard that it was "illegal" to use a personal stereo on US ski hills. This is because if you're wearing one, you're automatically at fault if you have an accident.
In France, someone told us the same thing was true there. Handily, we got chatting to a liftie and his mate in a bar, so we asked a more authoritative source. The two of them wound us up for a moment saying we'd get deported after a month in jail/work with the Foreign Legion, etc etc. Then of course told us "this isn't the US".
So who has the greater freedom? Laissez-faire France, or "the Land of the Free"?