Flawed law
The world can be a pretty strange place. You probably don’t need proof of such a statement, but, if you do, you need look no further than some of the driving laws in force around the world. Did you know, for example, that in Alabama there’s a law that specifically forbids driving while blindfolded? No, honestly - there is. Which is a shame, really, because here at desperateseller.co.uk, we’re planning a blindfolded tour of the US. Looks like we’ll have to give Alabama a miss.
Or, again, did you know that, in Russia, you can be fined up to 500 roubles if your car is dirty. We’re not sure what’s defined as ‘dirty’, but we know one thing: the 6-year old Land Rover Discovery that’s always parked in our street would qualify. It’s so dirty that someone has scrawled ‘Don’t wash, plant seeds’ on the side.
But, before we get carried away with describing lots of strange motoring laws from around the world, it’s worth reminding ourselves that the UK has some, too. Actually, to be fair, ours aren’t so much weird, as simply obscure: most (not all) of them do make some kind of sense, it’s just that they’re either (a) so old, or (b) so rarely used, that they just seem weird. By way of example, here are just few of them.
Don’t ask
You know the feeling: you need a pound coin for the parking meter, and – isn’t it always the way? – you’ve only got a £100 note in your pocket. So you ask a passing stranger if they have change. And, in so doing, you’ve broken the law – you can be charged under the Vagrancy Act 1824, which makes begging for change illegal, no matter what the purpose.
Slowly, slowly
OK, so you know it’s an offence to drive too fast. But did you know you shouldn’t be driving too slowly either? It’s not illegal to stay below the speed limit, you’re just not allowed to drive too slowly. What’s meant by “too slowly”? Good question. It’s if you’re thought to be causing a risk to other drivers. So, there’s some sense behind the law. All the same, prosecutions under it must be pretty rare. Do you know anyone who’s been caught by it?
No splashy splashy
If you’ve ever soaked a pedestrian by driving through a puddle, either by accident or on purpose, you risked a fine and points on your license. Under the Road Traffic Act 1988, it’s an act that’s deemed ‘careless and inconsiderate driving’ on a road or in a public place.
Don’t drink and park
The act of drinking and driving is, rightly, a serious offence. But you can also be charged if you’re parked up and boozing, especially if there is evidence that you intend to drive your vehicle after drinking. In order to avoid a drinking and driving charge, you need to prove that you have absolutely no intention of driving – which, in practice - means taking the keys out of the ignition and putting them away somewhere.
Keep it to yourself!
Most of us have done it at some time or other, haven’t we? Flashing oncoming drivers to warn them of a speed trap, we mean. Well, you may not be aware that, in doing so, you’ve committed an offence and could be charged under Section 51 of The Police Act 1964. Now this one is a bit strange. After all, the point of speed cameras is, ultimately, to slow people down, and if warning others slows them down, then – surely? - job done. The law, however, argues that you’re obstructing the police. Oh well, whatever. The fact is, it’s against the law and you can get fined and even receive a prison sentence.
