Denver (iStock)
If you thought Britain had it bad when it came to obscure driving laws and harsh fines, spare a thought for the drivers that must abide by these sanctions.
Recently The Sun Online has looked into a number of incidents where drivers in the UK could be slapped with hefty fines for minor offences such as splashing a pedestrian or running a red light when moving out of the way of an emergency vehicle.
But when it comes to bizarre road laws, Britain doesn’t even make our global top 10.
Here’s our list of the most unusual offences from around the globe that will find drivers on the wrong side of their nation’s traffic law.
1. Driving with a blindfold on in Alabama is not allowed
It seems basic common sense you shouldn’t obscure your own sight while driving a vehicle.
But apparently somewhere along the line this notion became a bit blurry for someone in Alabama, and the state found it necessary to outlaw blindfolded driving.
2.You can be fined for driving topless in Thailand
According to Thai law, it is never okay to take your top off while on their roads.
Despite the country’s often blistering heat, anyone caught operating a car, bike or tuk-tuk while topless will be slapped with a fine.
3. You must check for children hiding under your car before setting off in Denmark
The Danes have a rather unusual law designed to protect anyone that may be working underneath a vehicle.
To avoid being fined, drivers in Denmark must check to make sure there is no one under their car before starting the engine.
This includes mechanics, or small children playing hide ‘n’ seek.
4. Dirty cars attract fines in Russia
If you are the kind of car owner that cares little for the car wash, thank your lucky stars you don’t live in Russia.
Moscow police have the power to dish out fines to any motorist with a car that is deemed to be too dirty.
And it is entirely up to the officer to decide what counts as not clean enough.
It’s not quite as severe but Brits can land a £1,000 fine if your number plate is too dirty.
5. You can’t drive on Monday in Manilla if your registration ends in 1 or 2
In a bid to restrict the heavy traffic build up in the Philippines capital, authorities have imposed restrictions on which cars are allowed in certain areas of the city.
Based on the last digit of a cars number plate, certain vehicles are prohibited from the city on a particular day of the week.
For example, any car with a number plate ending in 1 or 2 is banned from driving in Metro Manila on Mondays.
6. It is illegal to drive a black car in Denver, Colorado on Sundays
America is notorious for bizarre, outdated laws – and Denver is near the top of the list with this odd sanction.
State traffic law dictates it is unlawful to drive a black car on a Sunday in Colorado’s capital.
Clearly a very old fashioned restriction, while it is still a legal requirement, it is a near certainty that this is no longer enforced.
7. Hefty penalty for running out of petrol on a German Autobahn
Despite their lack of speed limits, Germany’s world-famous Autobahns still come with strict rules. Anyone that runs out of fuel on one of these high-speed roads will face a fine, and could even receive a driving ban in the more serious cases.
8. San Francisco bans the use of used underwear to buff or dry a vehicle
One of the more liberal cities in America, San Francisco is rather picky when it comes to the car wash business.
For commercial businesses, you can be cited if you are seen buffing or drying a car and you chose to re-purpose a pair of used underwear as a rag.
But for private car owners keen to give their car a scrub, they are free to use as many pairs of stained tighty-whities as they like.
9. Every car in Luxembourg must have windscreen wipers, even if it doesn’t have a windscreen
Luxembourg makes it a legal requirement for every car to have windscreen wipers, even if the car in question doesn’t have a windscreen – much more common among vintage cars.
It is perfectly legal to drive without a glass shield for the driver, but miss the wipers and you’ll be awarded with a fine.
10. Headlights must be used 24/7 in Scandinavia
Drivers must have their headlights on at all times when their car is running in Scandinavia, even when the sun is out.
While handy for increasing safety during their notoriously foggy weather and short days, the law is largely designed for periods in winter where there is no daylight for weeks on end.