{"id":4189,"date":"2021-06-07T09:00:09","date_gmt":"2021-06-07T08:00:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scrapcarnetwork.org\/news\/?p=4189"},"modified":"2025-02-27T00:51:53","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T00:51:53","slug":"we-debunk-5-more-of-the-most-common-driving-myths","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scrapcarnetwork.org\/news\/we-debunk-5-more-of-the-most-common-driving-myths\/","title":{"rendered":"We debunk 5 more of the most common driving myths"},"content":{"rendered":"

Considering how much theory and legal regulations all we\u2019ve all got to learn in order to pass our driving tests, it\u2019s slightly disconcerting how fuzzy so many drivers can still be on specifics of the law. It doesn\u2019t always help that plenty of people have their own opinions on exactly what should and shouldn\u2019t be legal, often reinforced by their own personal experiences behind the wheel. Ultimately, all that can lead to a certain amount of confusion regarding certain driving laws \u2013 something we covered on this very blog<\/a><\/strong> exactly at year ago here at Scrap Car Network. We barely scratched the surface with that post though, so now we\u2019re tackling five more. Who knows, maybe a little more specific knowledge will make it easier for you to avoid ultimately deciding \u2013 I need to scrap my car!<\/p>\n

Myth: Driving with your interior light on is illegal<\/h2>\n

This is perhaps one of the prominent myths that has been circulated, and chances are that you\u2019ve probably been in the car with someone who might have reacted more strongly than you thought necessary. So is it illegal? Well, not technically. There\u2019s no specific law against turning on the interior light while moving, but this doesn\u2019t mean you won\u2019t be stopped by the police, if they believe that it\u2019s distracting your ability to drive safely. There\u2019s certainly no doubt that it can make it harder to see the road in front at night if you\u2019ve got your interior light on too. As with so many things around driving, a lot of it comes down to your personal judgement.<\/p>\n

Myth: You can\u2019t be punished for road rage<\/h2>\n

Road rage is quite common, and if someone isn\u2019t driving safely or appropriately, it\u2019s understandable that things may get a bit heated. However, the coolest head is generally the one who prevails on the road, especially given that swearing and obscene gestures can lead to fines. Road rage falls under the category of disorderly behaviour and therefore, the fines can be quite hefty. Whilst the fine does vary from incident to incident, the payment tends to be calculated to around 75% of your weekly income. With a fine of that size, it\u2019s probably worth just taking a deep breath and staying calm, road rage simply isn\u2019t worth it.<\/p>\n

\"\"
\nMyth: You\u2019re not allowed to eat and drive<\/h2>\n

Just as with the interior light, this one is a bit fuzzy. Technically you are allowed to eat whilst driving, but it can often be dangerous, so it\u2019s highly discouraged. It\u2019s probably not something that will get you arrested, but the police are well in their right to pull you over if they think that eating is hampering your ability to drive safely. You\u2019ll be able to get away with popping a Pringle or two for example, but things get more dangerous with stuff that takes you longer to eat, or requires the use of one hand for more than a few seconds at a time, like a sandwich or an apple. Essentially, driving whilst distracted is dangerous, and eating can be viewed as a big distraction, so even though it\u2019s legal to take a snack on the road, we advise waiting until you\u2019re in a safer position to eat and not behind the wheel.<\/p>\n

Myth: You can use your phone if your car is stationary<\/h2>\n

When stuck in traffic congestion, it may be tempting to quickly check your social media or reply to a text. After all, you\u2019re not hurtling towards anything, so it couldn\u2019t do any harm, right?<\/p>\n

Well, while using your mobile at the wheel has been illegal since 2003, the law has been gradually evolving since then in an effort to close any and all legal loopholes. As it stands, as soon as your car engine is running, you can be fined for literally just touching your phone, let alone making calls or filming something on it. The penalty can land you with six points on your licence and a \u00a3200 fine. Using a hands-free device isn\u2019t illegal in the same way, but if you crash while using one, it will be at the discretion of the police or your insurer to decide whether or not it was a factor. It\u2019s far better not to risk it!<\/p>\n

\"Driving\"<\/p>\n

Myth: It\u2019s fine if you splash a pedestrian by accident<\/h2>\n

Given the gloriously unpredictable weather of the British climate \u2013 even in blooming Spring \u2013 puddles are something you\u2019ll come across frequently. This makes them incredibly difficult to avoid, and in some instances, you may have to drive over one, leaving an unfortunate pedestrian soaked. If you\u2019ve ever experienced that as a pedestrian yourself, you\u2019ll know exactly how unpleasant it is. That\u2019s why drivers who are caught doing it (intentionally or not) may be charged with a criminal offence that could leave them with a significant fine, sometimes reaching as high as \u00a35,000, as well as 9 points on their licences. Let\u2019s be honest, dodging puddles is easier said than done in some circumstances, but for these reasons alone, it\u2019s always worth trying.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, most driving laws still give drivers a surprising amount of freedom to use their own judgement when deciding what is and is not safe behind the wheel. But never forget that old adage: just because you can do something, it doesn\u2019t necessarily mean you should.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re not legal experts ourselves here at Scrap Car Network \u2013 but what we are good at is getting you the very best price when you scrap your car<\/a><\/strong>. All you need to do is enter a few details into our homepage, and we\u2019ll provide you with an instant online quote! Curious to see how much your car is worth?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Considering how much theory and legal regulations all we\u2019ve all got to learn in order to pass our driving tests, it\u2019s slightly disconcerting how fuzzy so many drivers can still be on specifics of the law. It doesn\u2019t always help that plenty of people have their own opinions on exactly what should and shouldn\u2019t be […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":113,"featured_media":4245,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[16],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n