Fun Driving Facts

We love these fun driving facts by Evans Halshaw we hope you enjoy them too.

The average person spends over £206,000 on cars in their lifetime

It’s a fact that cars are expensive to run,  insurance, tax, servicing, parking, fuel, it all adds up but who knew it would be that much … over £206,000!

But don’t worry we can definitely save you money on the purchase! 

 

UK motorists drive the equivalent of Nottingham to Sydney every year

On average, we each drive about 8000 miles a year. School runs, weekend food shops and work commutes add up to roughly the same distance as jetting (or driving) off to Sydney for a holiday in the sun … makes you think!

Maybe it’s time to start thinking about changing to an electric vehicle! (add link to EV story on website)

A Cheetah runs at motorway speeds

We’re sure you already know that the cheetah is the fastest land animal on earth but did you know that they can sprint at over 70mph, meaning you might have to exceed the motorway speed limit to overtake one.

The world’s first speeding ticket was given to someone driving at 8mph

Back in 1896, the speed limit in Britain was a meagre 2mph (slower than most people’s walking pace) and cars had to have a chap walking in front with a red flag to warn pedestrians of their approach. So imagine the stir caused when Walter Arnold raced through the streets of Paddock Wood, Kent, at four times the speed limit.

He was chased for 5 miles by a police constable on a bicycle before being caught, and was fined one shilling.

So the next time you’re caught by a speed camera for going a couple of mph over the limit, spare a thought for Mr Arnold.

Splashing a pedestrian can get you a £5,000 fine

Most of us have done it at some point, whether intentionally or not, and you might have been the one receiving an unpleasant drenching at times as well. But did you know that you could land yourself a very hefty fine by splashing someone?

Under section three of the Road Traffic Act 1988, it is illegal to splash someone as it amounts to driving “without reasonable consideration for other persons.”

Normally a £100 fixed penalty and 3 points will be issued, but if you are deemed to be driving in a manner that “amounts to a clear act of incompetence, selfishness, impatience, and aggressiveness” then the maximum punishment of a £5,000 fine could be levelled

No next time you’re accelerating towards a large puddle and there are pedestrians nearby…you might want to think again.

For more crazy driving laws in the UK click here  

Robbie Williams can’t drive

He might have  over 75 million records worldwide, had 7 UK Number 1s and is worth £149 million… but Robbie Williams can’t drive a car!

And by the way, neither can ….

Noel Gallagher

Mariah Carey

Kate Beckinsale

Spike Lee and many more besides.

So, good to know that whilst they are all  a lot richer and more successful than most of us, there’s one thing most of us can do that they can’t.

The engine noise from many cars is fake

Hard to believe, we know!  Many new cars pump artificial engine noise into the cabin through speakers for extra driving fun.

Why is it fake? For years consumers wanted cars to become quieter, with a lack of intrusive engine noise being a desirable quality. Refinement is still valued, but many cars (especially hybrids and electric cars) have become so quiet that they lack a bit of excitement. Engine noise is also useful for gear-shifting and for warning visually-impaired pedestrians of a car’s rapid approach. So, manufacturers started pumping noise back in.

It’s illegal to pay with your phone at a drive-thru

You may be used to paying for stuff with Apple Pay and Android Auto in all manner of everyday situations, but a drive thru is one place you, strictly speaking, cannot.

The law around using mobile phones whilst driving applies to everything, not just calls or texts, so next time you go to pay for your McDonald’s order with your phone, you might want to think again.

The inventor of cruise control was blind

The inventor of cruise control, Ralph Teetor, was not a driver at all. In fact, he was completely blind. Yet his enhanced sense of touch enabled him to become an engineering genius, and his chauffeur’s jerky accelerator foot inspired him to come up with a device that would keep a car’s speed constant.

Chrysler first offered ‘Speedostat’ in 1958, and it was renamed ‘Cruise Control’ shortly after. And it’s still around today.

We spend 5 months of our lives waiting at traffic lights

No surprise there then!!

 

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