World Driving Report

The easyCar World Driving Report 2006

World Driving Report > Chapter 1 - Fast Facts

Fast Facts - 20 things you never knew about driving in...

Australia

When driving around Australia, stock up on water and fuel - it's the world's driest continent, with 44 per cent of its land given over to desert - that's 1.3 million square miles.
Austria

If you take a caravan to Austria, don't pitch up too near one of the country's famous lakes: parking within 500m of a lake is illegal.
Belgium

The lights along Belgium's motorway system make it the only man-made structure visible from the moon at night.
Canada

The world's first white road lines were painted on highway near the Ontario/Quebec border in 1930. John D. Millar, an engineer working for the Ontario Department of Transport, came up with the idea to improve road safety.
Cyprus

Be careful where you hoot your horn in Cyprus - it's strictly illegal near a hospital.
Czech Republic

Don't leave your car on the left hand side of the road in the Czech Republic. Parking is exclusively on the right, with the exception of one-way streets.
Ireland

Dublin's North and South Circular Roads aren't just highways. They're also the definition of a true Dubliner. Only people born between the two can class themselves as a real native of the city.
France

France is the birthplace of the world's first car. Built in 1769 by Nicolas Cugnot, a military engineer in Paris, the steam powered vehicle was used by the French Army to move cannons. Although the 'car' could be cranked up to six km per hour, it was far too heavy and slow to catch on in civvy street.
Germany

Germany is famous for its engineering prowess so it's no surprise that its 'Autobahn' was Europe's first ever motorway when it opened between Cologne and Bonn in 1928.
Greece

Don't bother fitting your car out with the latest musical horn if you're going to Greece. Multitone horns are illegal.
India

Don't think you're king of the road in India. The cow is. It's India's holy animal and, as such, cannot be nudged, bumped or moved if it's blocking your road. Sit tight and wait for the bovine beauty to amble along its way.
Italy

The famous British Minis featured in the 1969 smash-hit film, The Italian Job, were very nearly Fiats instead. The boss of the Italian motor firm offered to donate an unlimited supply of Fiat 500s, plus top-of-the-line Lamborghinis and Ferraris. He even handed over $50,000 to ensure Italian rather than British cars made it into the film. The producers opted for the Minis in the end, in line with the film's Brits versus Europe theme. But they did use the roof of the Fiat factory in one of the famous chase scenes.
Malta

As of Summer 2006, you haven't got as much road at your disposal in Malta. Cycle lanes, a common feature on the rest of the world's roads, have just been introduced on the island.
Netherlands

Driving around the Netherlands might feel a bit cramped: there are more vehicles per square kilometre there than anywhere else in the world other than Japan.
Portugal

If you drive over Portugal's 'April 25th' ('Ponte 25 de Abril') road bridge in Lisbon, you'll be journeying down one of the biggest landmarks in the country's 1974 revolution. The 2.278km long bridge was actually called the Salazar, in honour of Portugal's dictator at the time. His regime came to an end on April 25, 1974. To celebrate his overthrow, the people ripped his name off the bridge and renamed it after that day.
Spain

Be thankful you don't have to take your driving test in Spain. The Spanish highway code has three times as many rules as the UK's, with in-depth sections on first aid, car maintenance and vehicle loads. Plus, you need to splash the cash when learning to drive in Spain: to take your test, you have to pay for three at a time.
South Africa

Don't look puzzled if someone directs you to turn left at the 'robot': that's South Africans' word for traffic lights.
Switzerland

Take a good look at the sky before you drive through Switzerland's Gotthard road tunnel: you won't see it again for another 10 miles. Opened in 1980, the tunnel was the world's longest until Norway took the record with 'Laerdal' in 2000.
Turkey

Turkey boasts the only road bridge ever to host a tennis match played on two continents. Its Europe to Asia Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul saw US tennis star Venus Williams perform a show game with a Turkish player in May 2005. One player stood in Europe, the other in Asia, at either end of the 1.5km long bridge. The event was promoting that year's World Tennis Association's Istanbul Cup.
USA

If you drove at 100mph for four years you would still not cover every stretch of road in the USA.