Let’s discuss everything, from driving barefoot to the MOT renewal “grace period”! You’ve probably heard driving myths that are simply untrue, and we’re sure you’ve heard worse than the ones we’re about to list here (in fact, we’d love to hear them if you’re prepared to share them).
False: Eating while driving is prohibited!
Any misunderstanding may have arisen as a result of the association between eating while driving and careless or inattentive driving. You will be fined and prosecuted if you cause an accident and, for whatever reason, you were not paying attention.
Imagine you were trying to open a packet of candy or unwrap your pre-packaged sandwiches from the highway service when you veered out of your lane and collided with another car. That is “reckless driving,” which is punishable by law. If you’re consuming a Mars bar or your morning coffee while maintaining complete focus on traffic? You have the right to enjoy them as long as there are no negative consequences.
False: Driving while wearing stilettos or flip-flops is prohibited
It is not against the law to wear certain shoes while operating a motor vehicle. However, you must always be in charge of your car. Therefore, if you choose footwear that doesn’t give you full control, you could get into trouble.
It’s conceivable that you may be penalized for your footwear choice if you get into an accident because you lost control of your automobile and subsequently discover a flip-flop jammed under the brake pedal or that the heel of your 6″ stilettos snapped off.
Read More: Driving without shoes – is it illegal?
False: Driving is permitted during the MOT’s (overdue) grace period
The time was two weeks ago when you had one of those “When does my car’s MOT run out?” moments. However, Jeff from the pub assured you that there is a grace period for MOT expiration. You’re correct, aren’t you? Does a MOT have a grace period? Not actually, but kind of. You have a whole month to have your MOT done. But it isn’t a grace period; it’s the month prior to the expiration of your MOT, not afterwards.
Your replacement certificate will still have 12 full months from the date of the prior certificate’s expiration if you get your MOT performed within 30 days of its expiration. There is therefore no justification for waiting until the last minute. The “grace period” for operating without a MOT is a pure hoax. According to the MOT due regulations, the only time you are permitted to drive without a MOT is if you have scheduled a MOT and are driving the car to the shop.
Before you go, make sure everything is ready, because if the police stop you on the way, you will need to show them proof. How soon may this be done once the MOT is due? for as long as you’ve kept your automobile off the road in storage. But keep in mind that you might not be able to insure a car without a MOT and that you cannot legally store or operate a vehicle on public roads without insurance.
False: It’s forbidden to use a phone at a gas station
This one is almost your grandmother’s age. The idea that a cell phone interacts with gas pumps and causes them to generate inaccurate readings has been disproven for a very long time by the Petroleum Equipment Institute. But that’s a shame. especially with the price of gasoline today!
False: After two pints, you can still drive safely
Individuals will have different tolerance levels for alcohol. You need to have more than 80 mg of alcohol in 100 ml of blood to fail the drink-drive test. Nobody can precisely impose a limit on the amount they can ingest to reach this measurement. Weight, build, height, age, sex, and many other variables can all have an influence on an individual’s readings, including how much alcohol it takes to make you intoxicated. If you’re going to drive, it’s best to abstain from drinking to stay within the law. The danger isn’t really worth it.
False: There is a 10% waiver for exceeding the speed limit
The National Police Chiefs Council advises that police issue fines for exceeding the speed limit by 10% plus two miles per hour. The allowable speed for 30 mph would be (30 + 30/10 + 2) = 35 mph.
However, it is merely a suggestion made to account for the fact that not all speedometers are always 100 percent accurate. According to the legislation, exceeding a road’s posted speed limit is against the law. Even if you are caught driving at 31 mph, 32 mph, or 33 mph, you might still face charges. Crossing your fingers that the officer in charge didn’t get out of bed on the wrong side of the bed that morning is all that is necessary.
False: Using a Sat Nav while driving is illegal
Although using a sat-nav system is legal, how you use one might be against the law. The regulations in the issue cover both using the smartphone manually while driving and obscuring your vision (with screen-mounted alternatives).
You shouldn’t use the gadget again until you drive into a secure place once you’ve set your path. You will be charged with reckless driving if you need to change your path and get into an accident while doing so.
False: It’s OK to use a cell phone when stopped in traffic
The golden rule is that using a portable phone while driving is prohibited if your motor is running. Options for speakers, hands-free, and headphones It’s acceptable to use these capabilities while driving to free up your hands, but you must always maintain full control of the car.
We are all aware that using a phone, regardless of how you hold it, may be a distraction, and if it can be proven that this distraction caused a crash or other event, you might still face legal consequences.
False: You don’t need to wear a seatbelt if you’re just driving down the street
There are several situations in which it’s OK to drive without a seatbelt, but it’s not one of them when ordinary people are travelling nearby.
- When reversing or supervising a learner driver who is reversing, you are not required to wear your seatbelt.
- If the vehicle is being utilized for police, fire, or rescue services, you are not required to wear a seatbelt when driving.
- if you operate a delivery truck with stops no more than 50 yards apart.
- A taxi driver who is “plying for hire” or who is transporting people may unbuckle them.
In the case of a medical exemption, you will receive a certificate. No one is exempt, pregnant or disabled, so fasten your seatbelt!
Hold on, fuzzy dice in your rearview mirror will cause your MOT to fail! That one is real! Anything that blocks your vision through the windscreen by more than 4 cm may be illegal and subject to legal action. Those fluffy dice? At 4 cm, they’re not much larger than a 50p coin. They should never be done. Put them to rest. and stop embarrassing your children.
This is all from us for today. We hope you had fun reading our take on driving myths! Drive safe & Stay safe.