Weirdest traffic laws from liberal Germany to UAE where camels have right of way

Home Top

The stunning multi-coloured light show created by air traffic control boss that represents 3,000 planes flying over southern England from five major airports
Frozen in time: Inside the space age TWA terminal at JFK built in 1962 that is soon to be turned into a boutique hotel
Get him to the Greek! As bookings plummet, holiday boss reveals Brits could bag discounts of up to 30 per cent in the troubled country
Don't put your gorilla in the backseat and carry a weapon if you're wearing a bikini while driving: The weirdest traffic laws revealed
Eau de tiger! Siberian big cat marks its territory by turning its back on zoo visitors and spraying them with its scent
Revealed: Londoners are the most adventurous tourists while the Welsh prefer a staycation (and Scots are lured by food)
It's all about Location, Location, Location: Phil Spencer set to name Britain's beach hut of the year
Carnival's luxurious giant cruise ships to set sail for Cuba - but passengers will have to volunteer when they arrive there
Forget crisps and a can of Coke: The world's most over-the-top hotel mini-bars offer everything from oxygen canisters to aged Japanese whisky
Angry passengers arrested after upgrading themselves to business class and refusing to move in protest at three-hour flight delay
A spot on the red carpet at the Oscars and a round of golf at Augusta: The luxury concierge that can get you inside the world's most exclusive events
We'll drink to that! In-flight 'Air Hook' gadget eliminates the need to put down a tray table to rest a cup on
The provocative images of 7/7 bombings and 9/11 it's hoped will prevent a Tunisia tourism boycott in wake of terror attack
Terrifying video captures planes tilting sideways and bouncing off the tarmac as pilots battle strong crosswinds while coming in to land at Birmingham Airport
'Scariest landing in my entire life': Panic of passengers on flight forced to return to Denver with a BLOWN TYRE
The ultimate summer holiday packing hack: The secret to folding T-shirts to the size of a burrito revealed
Don't point with your finger, avoid physical contact and NEVER give them room number four: The customs hoteliers should learn to lure more Chinese tourists revealed
An Inspector Calls: Making a big Deal of Bear's Well - a family home turned pretty small hideaway on the east coast of Kent
No tasteless pasta here! The elite dining of Michelin-star first class airline cuisine revealed, menu by menu
Thousands of travellers face summer flight chaos as easyJet aircrew consider strike in payrise row
All bets are off: Inside the haunting remains of Romania's crumbling ghost casino
British tourists vote yes! Holidaymakers ignore financial crisis as searches for flights to Greece soar by 16%
A Mediterranean cruise with a twirl in every port: A fabulous European voyage to Ephesus, Nice, Sicily, Santorini and beyond
Five-figure payout for holidaymakers from Thomas Cook after they were ravaged by BED BUGS at Caribbean resort and suffered severe rashes and blisters

Bikini-clad drivers in Kentucky must carry a weapon for self-defence
Laws are more liberal in Germany, where Nude driving is permitted
People who urinate at the roadside in England must be touching a car
In the United Arab Emirates, camels are given the right of way

Published: 02:30 EST, 7 July 2015 | Updated: 02:51 EST, 7 July 2015

View
comments

One of the most exciting things about travelling abroad is discovering new customs, but tourists need to be careful so not to run afoul of local laws.

While laws against serious crimes are consistent around the world, some countries have bizarre or obscure rules outlawing behaviour that is perfectly acceptable at home.

With some of the weirdest ones relating to the open road, these are 10 driving laws that holidaymakers should be aware of if they’re planning to explore a country by car this summer (although the odds of them being enforced may be next to nothing).

Women are allowed to wear a swimsuit while driving in Kentucky if they are carrying weapon for self-defence

Wearing a bikini? Carry a weapon

Kentucky is a landlocked state in the US, but it has its share of beaches and public swimming pools.

Women are allowed to wear a swimsuit while driving, but only if they are carrying a weapon for self-defence.

Failing that, they must be accompanied by two police officers, according to travel search website Kayak.co.uk, which curated the list of quirky driving laws.

No clothes, no problem

Those who enjoy feeling the wind in their hair may want to head to Germany, where a car counts as a ‘private space’.

That means nude driving is permitted by law.

However, a driver runs the risk of losing their insurance coverage if he or she is involved in a crash while driving barefoot.

Hold on when nature calls

Drivers in England who can’t make it to the next service station when they need to use the loo can relieve themselves at the roadside without penalty.

But there’s a catch.

They can only urinate on the side of the road if they are beside the car’s rear tyre and have their right hand touching the car.

In the US state of Massachusetts, gorillas are only allowed to travel in a car if they are in the passenger seat

Gorillas in the passenger seat

Another quirky traffic law in the US comes from the state of Massachusetts, where gorillas are allowed to travel in a car.

However, they can only ride in the passenger seat.

Drivers face a fine if they allow a gorilla to ride in the backseat.

Buckle up your pup

Drivers who take their dog on a road trip in Italy are required to fasten their canine companion’s seatbelt.

In Germany, dogs and other pets are considered cargo.

While there is no safety belt rule, pets must be protected against slipping and falling in the vehicle.

Yield for camels

Camels are a common sight in the United Arab Emirates and they have priority when they are out on the roads.

They are always given the right of way in thoroughfares.

No road trips in China

China is a massive country with many great sights, but tourists are banned from driving.

Only locals are allowed to drive a car, forcing tourists to rely on public transport and taxis.

They can, however, rent a car with a driver.

Car hire agencies in Iceland recommend taking out insurance for potential damage from volcanoes

Insurance against nature

With volcanoes and hot springs, Iceland is a popular country for a road trip.

But half of the island is only accessible by four-wheel drive and the weather can be unpredictable.

Local car hire agencies recommend taking out insurance for potential damage from volcanic ash or extreme wind.

Top up your tank

For safety reasons, drivers in Croatia are prohibited from having a full petrol can in the car.

A spare set of headlight bulbs is a legal requirement.

The same law applies in the Czech Republic.

Speeding tickets in Austria

In speed zones of 30km/h or less, traffic police in Austria use their own judgment to estimate the speed of a car.

Their ‘trained speeding eye’ means drivers may be at risk of a speeding ticket even if there is no speed camera in sight.

Depending on the officer’s guess, the driver may receive a ticket even if they are travelling under the posted limit.

Meanwhile, Kayak.co.uk is predicting record numbers of Britons hitting the roads across Europe this summer.

It said it has noticed a 64 per cent increase in searches for car hires to European destinations this summer compared to last year, with Norway being the most popular spot for a road trip.

Kayak.co.uk spokeswoman Loella Pehrsson said: ‘If you are hiring a car this summer, either home or away, it is worth brushing up on your local driving laws so that you can hit the open road with confidence and won’t risk driving illegally when you put your pet gorilla in the back seat.’