Warning: Controversial beliefs regarding motoring
Driving is no simple task, it’s an art. Although it may seem simple, there are infinite layers of depth to the act of travelling from one place to another via automobile. We’ve all argued with our family, friends and colleagues about driving at one point or another, and some of these things are probably the reason those arguments started.
You should always be in the centre lane when going “straight over” a roundabout
Sometimes, this rule does apply, but at the same time there are many instances where it doesn’t apply. You’ve been told by your driving instructor, you’ve been told by your parents, you’ve even been told by Google…and yet you still don’t know which lane you should be in when “going straight” at a roundabout. That’s probably because they’ve all told you different things!
There’s always that one tricky roundabout that has cars almost bumping into each other because no one really knows which lane is the “correct” lane. Why can’t someone just set the record straight for a definitive rule of correct lane positioning? We need a “one rule fits all” situation. We need the DVLA to come out and say “you should always be in this lane when going in this direction”.
The only problem with this is that there are an infinite amount of types of roundabout. Variables include the number of exits, number of lanes, the shape of roundabout, traffic lights on the roundabout, size of the roundabout, road markings etc. etc. The sad truth is, we’ll never be able to all agree on which is the correct lane to be in!
The 10% speed limit rule
Have you ever heard someone say that you’re allowed to exceed the speed limit by 10% of 10% plus 2 mph? Some believe that speed cameras and police officers will honour this “rule” meaning that you’re allowed to go up to 33 mph and up to 77 mph on roads with a 70 mph speed limit…that doesn’t sound right, does it?
It’s hard to give a simple “yes” or “no” for this one because many police officers will allow you a bit of leverage when speeding, whereas some will not. The Association of Chief Police Officers have said on record that there is a particular leeway margin that police forces are advised to use. However, there’s likely no rule set in stone. The only rule that is set in stone regarding speeding is that the speed limit should not be exceeded!
As for speed cameras, there is a definitive allowance of 10%+2 mph. Although you are still liable as soon as you go 1 mph over the limit, so I wouldn’t risk it.
Coasting is bad
The act of letting your vehicle roll in neutral is often argued to be a method of saving fuel, but others argue it’s not good for the car (or whatever else you’re driving). If you’ve ever had this debate with someone you’ve probably heard that it damages the clutch or the gearbox, others will say it doesn’t damage anything. Some say that you’re not in control of the vehicle, others say it makes no difference. What do you think?
You should let your car warm up before setting off
No matter how much evidence there is for or against this argument, we’ll never all be able to agree on this one. If you go back a few decades, you did have to let your car warm up for a minute or two when it’s particularly cold. However, modern cars are very different and are fitted with fuel injection and an array of air-fuel ratio sensors. Gone are the days of thick heavy oil, carburettors and chokes. Despite all this, you’ve got to admit it just feels right to let your car idle for a minute on a cold winter’s morning.
Automatic cars are less fuel efficient
Funnily, people’s opinions for this hot topic are usually dictated by what kind of car they own. Automatic owners will proudly defend modern transmissions and claim they’re just as fuel-efficient as manual transmissions and manual car owners will preach that their cars have unbeatable mpg. Again, this myth is becoming out of date as it was based upon older automatic cars that only had 3 or 4-speed transmissions. Nowadays, automatic cars don’t change gear too late, aren’t limited to 4 gears and don’t burn fuel like there’s no tomorrow.
It’s illegal to drive barefoot, in heels or flip flops
Your parents probably told you about this heinous crime, but it turns out there is no specific law against this. Despite this hard truth, we all know how criminal it feels to do so, just as it feels to drive with the interior light on. Don’t listen to those goody two shoes, as long as you’re perfectly in control of the vehicle, you can wear whatever you like on your feet.
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