Strange Driving Laws & Most Expensive Tickets
Can you imagine receiving a fine for swearing in your own car? What if you were told it is legal to tie an alligator, elephant or goat to a parking meter, as long as you paid the meter fee? What would you do if you received a six-figure speeding ticket? These are just a few examples of the strange driving laws and expensive speeding tickets that exist in the U.S. and other countries.
Ten weird international driving rules
In Finland, taxi drivers have to pay royalty fees to the Finnish Copyright Society in order to use their car radios with passengers inside.
Australian taxi drivers are required to carry a bale of hay in their trunks.
If you own a car in Switzerland, you are not allowed to wash it on Sundays.
If you’re driving in Manila and your license plate ends in the number one or two, you cannot drive in the city on Mondays from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Beware when driving in Bangkok because most of the one-way roads change direction during certain hours of the day.
In Belgium, drivers turning left through oncoming traffic have the right of way, unless he/she slows down or stops.
When driving in Denmark, if a horse drawn carriage is trying to pass you and the horse becomes uncomfortable, you must pull over.
You may not ride a streetcar on Sundays in Toronto if you’ve been eating garlic.
If you stop at pedestrian crossings in China, you will be fined or receive a warning.
If you’re driving on the German Autobahn, make sure you have enough gas. It’s illegal to run out of it.
Ten weird national driving rules
It’s illegal to jump from a car traveling at 65 mph in California.
If you are passing another car from the left in Ohio, you must honk your horn.
You may not leave a sheep unattended in the cab of your truck in Montana.
Shooting game from a moving vehicle in Tennessee is prohibited; however, it is perfectly legal to shoot a whale.
A great way to earn 30 days in jail for a misdemeanor in Derby, Kansas is to screech your tires.
Swearing in your vehicle is strictly prohibited when driving through Rockville, Maryland.
It’s illegal for your vehicle to leave dirt or sticky substances on any road in Minnetonka, Minnesota.
If you’re driving on the sidewalk in Oregon, you must yield to pedestrians.
You may not drive while blindfolded in Alabama.
When driving along country roads at night in Pennsylvania, you must stop and send up a rocket signal every mile, then wait 10 minutes. This is to ensure the road has been cleared of livestock.
Most expensive speeding tickets
While the strange driving laws listed above are sure to land you a fine, the most expensive tickets are usually the result of speeding. According to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), the record for the most expensive speeding ticket currently belongs to Anssi Vanjoki, a senior executive a Nokia. Vanjoki was caught driving his Harley-Davidson motorbike at 75 km./h (47 mph) in a 50km./h (31 mph) zone in Helsinki. In a system that determines speeding ticket penalties using your current annual income, Vanjoki was ordered to pay a fine of $103,600.
Canada recently introduced a 10,000 Canadian dollar ($9,305) fine for driving 31 mph over the speed limit. The reasoning behind this high figure is that such speeds trigger street racing penalties.
Some states in the U.S. are known for their expensive speeding tickets as well. According to Forbes, the 10 worst offenders are Virginia, Georgia, Illinois, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Utah, Oregon, Kansas and Maryland.
While it’s unlikely you will be fined for swearing in your car, obeying posted speed limits should prevent you from paying the fines associated with expensive speeding tickets. Plus, having a safe driving record may make you eligible for auto insurance discounts. To save money on your car insurance coverage, get a free, no-obligation auto insurance quote from a company you can trust, such as Nationwide.
Article sources: www.dumblaws.com, www.dmv.org and the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA)
