A fascinating thread. Having lived in several countries, I've seen my share of electrical near-disasters.
The "best" one was my house in Jakarta, where the supply to the house was three-phase 240 v. Because it was a new house, I decided to check the electrical outlets. Some of them had been wired across two of the phases, instead of one phase and neutral!
The installers had also circumvented a problem with the distribution-panel box being too shallow, by cutting holes in the panel door, to allow it to close. All very well, except that live terminals of the main fuses were now sticking out of the holes!
Avitor,
You were being UK-centric in your comment about bathroom switches! You should have said:
"
In the UK, one will never see a switch lower than ceiling level and with a hanging cord.
Everywhere else, one will see normal switches in normal locations."
