Do you have an adventurer in your life? Whether your favourite adventurer likes getting out and about in a car or on their trusty bike (or two!), Christmas is a great time to fuel their indulgence for travel and the outdoors. But what do you buy the intrepid adventurer who has everything?
While none of us need more ‘stuff’ in our lives to have to find homes for, gifts which encourage us to get out into the outdoors and enhance our travel experience can only be a good thing. With these gifts you’re giving motivation, inspiration, and the enhanced enjoyment of travel, and while a round-the-world ticket could be an amazing gift for someone, it might need a few more Christmasses before that one can be afforded!
So here’s our guide to realistic but still appreciated travel gifts for Christmas.
Halfords have these very handy Bikehut bike storage tents which are perfect for storing bikes in when on a camping trip. They can store up to three bikes. It’s easy to pitch and has UV protection.
If your adventurer’s choice mode of transport is more four-wheeled than two, how about this car boot organiser? This is a durable storage system with space for all of your adventurer’s treasures (or junk). It also has a built in red warning triangle, which could come in very useful when they get into a tight spot.
Talking of cars, have you seen the winter range from KUNGS? We are one of only a few retailers in the UK selling these top-quality Finnish products – they’ve been developed and tested in Finland, a country that knows a thing or two about motoring through wintry weather. This could be the most money you’ve ever spent on an ice-scraper but with good reason. This gloved ice-scraper is a real boon on cold mornings.
For the camping lovers, this pop-up emergency camping light could be a key piece of camping kit. This folds down to take up minimal space and can be used as either a lantern or a torch. Don’t forget the batteries!
Last but not least, we LOVE this scratch off map (with flags) from TravelNuts. Scratch off each country as you visit and steadily turn the gold area into a patchwork of colour. How many of these countries is your adventurer planning to visit?Are you well-known for your adventuring? We’d love to know what your loved ones bought you to help along your wanderlust this Christmas.
The time has come for freshers all over the country to relocate to their new home at university but there’s no denying that the move to uni is a big operation.
No matter how light you try to pack, it’s inevitable that there’s going to be a lot of stuff you need to take with you to set yourself up in your new accommodation, so we’re going to be sharing with you some top tips to help you organise your move and get as much in the car as possible.
Pack Your Stuff in Bags/Boxes You’ll Use at Uni
The classic cardboard boxes may be a practical option for packing up your stuff but packing like that can not only get expensive with having to buy all the boxes but will also be a nightmare when it comes to unpacking at the other end.
What do you do with all those cardboard boxes when you get your new room? Bin them? Shove them under your bed? Make your parents take them back with them? The best way to utilise the space in the back of the car and in your new room is to pack your stuff in bags and boxes you’ll use when you’re at uni.
Pack your clothes in suitcases because you’ll need those for trips with your course or when you come home to visit. If you’re taking storage boxes to decorate your room with, fill them with your stuff instead of random plastic boxes you won’t need once you’re unpacked.
This tip helps maximise room in the back of the car and reduces how much stuff your parents will be lugging back with them.
Unbox/Unwrap Anything with Excess Packaging
Things like bedding, new storage units and so on, they’re probably all wrapped in so many layers of unnecessary packaging that is not only bulky and makes things twice the size for packing but you’ll also have to get rid of all that packaging when you’re done unpacking in your new room.
Unboxing or unwrapping new things you’ve bought will reduce them in size and make them easier to pack, leaving more room in the car for other things.
Invest in a Roof Box
We’re more talking to the parents reading now, desperately wondering how they’re going to cram all their child’s belongings into the boot before making the cross-country drive – don’t worry, we’ve got the ultimate car storage solution.
The HandiRack and HandiHoldall are the ultimate pair to help you get everything you need in the car ready for the journey ahead. There’s going to be a lot of stuff, so we’d recommend going all out with the HandiRack and 400-litre HandiHoldall bundle to provide yourself with the optimum amount of room.
The HandiRack is an inflatable roof rack that fits to most cars with a hard roof and no metal roof bars and can be attached in minutes whilst the 400-litre HandiHoldall is our largest capacity soft roof box that can hold plenty of belongings and is totally waterproof, hence these two items are must-have accessories for the university move.
Pack Your Heaviest Items into the Car First
Try and be methodical when packing the car and don’t try and throw suitcases full of clothes on top of that new mirror you’ve bought, you’ll soon hear a smash.
When you’re getting ready to start packing, bring everything out the house in order, starting with the heaviest items as they need to go in first. Don’t be fooled though, the heaviest items aren’t always the largest, so you’ll have to pick everything up and go off how it feels opposed to how big it looks.
Getting to university and realising half of what you’ve brought is broken because you didn’t pack properly is not a great start.
Use a Check List
Whether you download a ‘what to pack for university’ list off the internet or simply write out your own with all the things you want and need to take, having a checklist to use as you’re loading up the car will stop you realising halfway down the motorway that you forgot something you either really wanted to bring or really needed.
Check off your list as you’re packing your stuff into bags and boxes and then check it all off again when you’re loading up the car, this way you can be 100% sure you’ve got everything you could possibly want or need.
The university move can feel pretty overwhelming but hopefully, with the help of these top tips, you’ll be able to make light work of heading off to your new home!
Have you got any top tips for moving to university? Share them with us on Twitter or Facebook!
Schools all across the UK are heading back this week if they’ve not already which means for parents everywhere, the dreaded morning school run that just hasn’t been a worry for the last 6 weeks is going to be coming back with vengeance.
The first couple of weeks back can be tough, everyone is out of their usual routine, no one remembered quite how tight you were for time on weekday mornings and generally, you just can’t get your head around where the last 6 weeks have gone but with these top 5 tips, you’ll never be late for the morning school run again.
Pack All Bags the Night Before
Every parent who does the morning school run will be familiar with the struggle of finding everything you need and getting it into the school bag or the sports bag or the lunch box, all whilst running around trying to do everything else that needs doing, so the simple solution is, pack all bags the night before.
Whether it’s putting their pencil case in their book bag, filling up their drinks bottle and putting it in the lunch box or making sure their PE kit is packed, make yourself a checklist for everything they need for each day and make sure it is ready the night before.
Set Designated Places for Everything
Whether it’s lost shoes, missing ties or coats that just seem to not be in the house anymore, the struggle of trying to find all the clothes your kids need to put on in a morning for school somehow turns into a real challenge when you’re in a rush, so setting designated places for everything makes life a lot easier.
If you make sure that everything is returned to its set place the night before it will ensure everyone knows exactly where to find anything they need and should make your morning a lot calmer.
Keep Essentials in the Car
Most parents will be able to recall an occasion where they’ve made it to the car, think they’re ready to go and then realise they forgot to brush the kids’ hair or they’ve got toothpaste around their mouth and if you’ve not got a stash of essentials in the car, that can easily escalate into a stressful situation.
We recommend getting a back seat organiser like the ones we have available here at HandiWorld and stocking it up with things like hairbrushes, wet wipes and tissues, so even if you do forget to do something, you can sort it in the car!
Quick and Easy Breakfasts are a Must
As much as we’d all love to spend hours in the kitchen preparing hearty, nutritious breakfasts for our kids before school, not many of us have the time but it is important that children get a good breakfast before the school day starts, so quick, easy and healthy breakfasts are a must.
Cereal and toast with fruit is always a go-to but things like overnight oats, homemade breakfast bars and egg muffins are quick and easy to do and will keep children full all morning. Buzzfeed have done a whole article with over 20 different healthy breakfast ideas which is great for inspiration.
Don’t Wake the Kids Up TOO Early
You might have thought that the earlier you all get up, the more time you’ll have to get ready and the less likely you are to be late but waking your kids up too early can actually have the opposite effect.
A top tip for parents is to get yourself up and ready for the day before you wake the kids up and once they’re awake, you can focus all your attention on getting them ready and out the door as you’re already sorted, helping to eliminate the stress of rushing around trying to get both them and you sorted.
Waking the kids up too early can also end up with them spending more time watching TV or playing than actually getting ready.
Take the stress out of the morning school run by following these top 5 tips for keeping your school mornings calm and easy.
Do you have any top tips for making the school run a breeze? Share them with us on Facebook and Twitter!
We might be best known for our one of a kind inflatable roof rack but we’re forever expanding our product range here at HandiWorld to introduce new, innovative items that perfectly fit with our brand and we’re going to be introducing you to some of the newest members of the HandiWorld family today.
From inflatable hot tubs to car seat organisers, we’ve entered new territory with some of our latest additions but we’re confident our customers will love them.
400 Litre HandiHoldall
Before we move on to some of our new products that are a little different to our regular items, let’s start with a product that is something we’re very well known for and that’s the HandiHoldall.
Our selection of soft roof boxes has had a bit revamp over the last few months; seeing the introduction of our most compact HandiHoldall yet, the 175-litre version as well as bidding goodbye to our original 320-litre HandiHoldall.
We’ve added the new 330-litre HandiHoldall to the range to replace our standard sized version but we’ve also supersized things to bring you the brand new 400-litre HandiHoldall. Designed with over-packers and big families in mind, this new soft roof box is the highest capacity version we’ve ever launched and we’re proud to say it’s got all the best-loved features of our original roof boxes on an even bigger scale!
A fully waterproof roof bag that can hold up to 50kg worth of cargo, the new 400-litre HandiHoldall takes just 10 minutes to fix to your car, meaning more space doesn’t cause you any inconvenience.
We’ve been providing the kayaking community with innovative, game-changing products for a while now such as the HandiRack and the HandiKart but we’ve decided to go back to basics and provide kayakers with their most important bit of kit and that’s their kayak.
We’ve started stocking two inflatable kayaks from INTEX, the Challenger K1 and the Challenger K2. These high-quality inflatable kayaks are available in one and two person sizes and are designed to see you through all your water sports adventures. Not just great looking kayaks but functional too, these inflatable kayaks are suitable for low profile lakes and mild rivers, so aimed towards the more leisurely kayaker.
Both the K1 and K2 have a weight capacity of 100kg and have a number of additional features such as supportive seats, vinyl floors and inflatable side chambers, making these the ultimate choice for kayaking novices.
Everyone dreams of having a hot tub but for most of us, we do a little research into the price of having one put in the garden and soon realise that it’s not going to work with our budget but thanks to the INTEX PureSpa inflatable hot tubs, you get all the benefits of having your very own home spa without breaking the bank.
Available in a 4 and 6 person size, the INTEX PureSpa Bubbles are made for socialising. The temperature range goes from 20-40 degrees Celsius and both have over 100 heated bubble jets for the ultimate hot tub experience.
These luxurious, high quality home hot tubs are the ultimate garden accessory.
As well as joining up with some great brands to bring you brand new, innovative products, we’ve also expanded our own brand range to include a selection of car travel and organisation accessories that offer ultimate convenience for affordable prices.
Meet the car seat organiser, car boot organiser and dog seat cover, all from the new HandiWorld Car Travel Accessories range. All made with durable, reliable materials and doing the optimum job possible, whether you want to keep your car clean and tidy or super organised, these products are here to help.
Made with families who travel in mind, all three of these products are road trip essentials, especially if you’ve got children and pets on board.
As much as we don’t like to think about it, if you’re heading out on a long road trip, you need to be prepared for every eventuality, including emergencies on the road and as much as we all like to think we’d know what to do if we were faced with a problem, when it comes to it, you might not.
We’ve put together a go-to guide to dealing with any emergency on the road, so no matter what problem occurs on your journey, you know how to handle it!
Always Turn Your Hazard Lights On
The number one thing to know when it comes to dealing with emergencies on the road is to switch on your hazard lights if your vehicle has come to a stop.
The only time this doesn’t apply is if you’re injured but if you’ve broken down on the hard shoulder, you’ve broken down and are blocking traffic, you’ve had an accident but aren’t injured or you’ve stopped to assist with someone else’s emergency, you need to turn your hazard lights on to let other drivers know that your vehicle is stopped and that something has happened they need to be aware of.
Always Carry Your Car Warning Triangle
It’s not illegal to travel without a warning triangle in the UK but as we mentioned in our Car Safety Tips blog post, it’s advisable to have a warning triangle in your boot at all times, whether you’re heading on a long or short drive.
Your warning triangle should be placed at least 45 metres to the rear of your car but never use a warning triangle on a motorway, even on the hard shoulder as this could obstruct emergency vehicles from approaching you safely. Warning triangles can be used on all other roads, including dual carriageways.
Dealing with Losing Control and Skidding
Losing control of your vehicle most commonly happens in snow but can happen in perfectly dry weather if there is oil or other slippery substances on the road, so you need to know how to deal with this situation.
If you feel your car beginning to skid out of your control, Churchill recommend that for a front wheel skid, you steer into the spin but for a rear wheel skid, you need to carefully steer into it but either way, you need to take your feet off all pedals to allow engine braking to take over and most importantly, stay calm and don’t panic.
Once your car has stopped skidding, don’t try and drive off immediately as you’re likely to be shaken up and this could lead to further problems on the roads, so if you and your car are unharmed, move your car to a safe place out of the way of traffic, turn the engine off and take a moment to calm down before trying to drive on.
A Basic Breakdown
There’s a multitude of reasons why cars break down while you’re driving and your priority when this happens is not to try and figure out what’s happening but to get to a safe place and call the professionals.
If you get a warning light come up on your car that signals a problem, pull over immediately; being reactive to warning lights can help avoid breaking down and allows you to get to a safe place and get help before the problem becomes a bigger issue. Once you’re out of the way of traffic, if you have roadside assistance for your car, call your provider and follow their advice from there. If you don’t, you’ll need to ring a local mechanic and ask if they can come and look at the problem and recommend a solution.
If your car breaks down when you’re driving and you can’t move to the hard shoulder or out of the way of traffic, you’ll have to put your hazard lights on and call a recovery company to come and assist you. You’ll also need to call the police to let them know your vehicle is obstructing traffic.
If you break down on a motorway and aren’t on the hard shoulder, stay in the car with your seatbelt on and switch hazard lights on. Do not try and get out and stand on the road as it isn’t safe to do so.
What to Do if You Have an Accident
No one likes to think about the possibility of having a car accident but you have to know what do if the worst happens.
The AA has a great guide to follow which outlines step by step what to do if you have an accident, be it big or small and it highlights the following points:
Stop the car and turn off the engine as soon as possible
Switch your hazard lights on immediately
Check yourself and passengers in your vehicle for injuries, if you’re all ok and everyone in the other vehicle is too, get out, swap details and claim through insurance.
If anyone is injured or the road is blocked, call the emergency services you require
Always stay calm and never apologise or get into an argument with the other driver
If you don’t need to call the police at the time of the accident, The AA suggest that you call the police and report an accident within 24 hours if the other driver leaves the scene without stopping, you believe the other driver was under the influence of drink or drugs or has no insurance or if you believe the accident was caused deliberately.
How to Deal with a Car Fire
Car fires aren’t the most common kind of road emergency but they happen, so if you’re driving and your car sets alight from the bonnet, the first step is to turn the engine off and get yourself and everyone else out the vehicle immediately.
Do not open the bonnet or go near the area of the fire; if you have a dry powder or foam extinguisher in your car and can get it safely, aim that through the radiator grille to try and put the fire out but if you don’t or it isn’t safe to do so, get as far away as possible and call the fire service immediately.
Once the fire is put out, you’ll need to ring your roadside recovery as your car won’t be fit for driving without further assessment and may not be safe to drive at all, so do not attempt to continue driving once the fire has been put out.
Emergencies do occur on the roads but the best way to deal with them is to stay calm and think logically, panicking and reacting wrong can worsen the situation, causing a bigger problem.
Have you got any top tips for dealing with emergencies on the roads? Share your tips with us on Twitter or Facebook!
The summer holidays are often filled with long car journeys for both children and adults; from travelling to your UK holiday destination of choice to heading to a day trip location miles away, at some point in the summer holidays, you’re likely to be sitting in the car for a good few hours and that’s when some entertainment is highly appreciated.
We’ve all heard of the classics such as ‘I spy’ and ‘who can stay quiet the longest’ but if you’re looking for some new ways to keep yourself and the kids entertained in the car on those long journeys, here are some ways to do so:
Games on Your Smart Phone or Tablet
Not a popular choice with all parents but a reliable one nevertheless, if you want to keep your kids entertained for hours or even keep yourself busy for a while, playing games on your smartphone or tablet is an affordable and easy way to do that.
There are so many games you can download on your smartphone or tablet that are suitable for both adults and children to play and as they’re normally so addictive, you know you’ll be entertained for hours.
Some of the most popular games available on the Apple App Store that are suitable for adults and children to have a go at include Best Fiends which is a virtual puzzle game with hundreds of levels, suitable for ages 4+, Bloxy Puzzles which has over 30 mini puzzles to work through, creating rows and lines in the right order to move up levels, also suitable for 4+ and Looper! which is all about tapping the right beat at the right time.
If your children have got their own tablet and you want to keep it safe in the car when not in use, the HandiWorld back seat organiser has a space fit for a standard sized tablet to keep it secure when not being used!
Road Trip Checklist
This free game can be quickly organised in advance of your journey and is guaranteed to stop the dreaded question ‘are we there yet?’.
Provide your child or children with a sheet with a long list of things on they will probably see on your journey; you can add generic things you see on every drive and things that are more specific to where you’re travelling to and the places you’ll pass on the way. All your kids have to do is keep an eye out on the journey for the things on their list and whoever has a fully completed list once you reach your destination gets a prize!
It’ll keep them occupied for the whole journey if you plan it right and gets them interested in the world around them too!
Turn ‘I Spy’ On Its Head
A well made point from Telegraph journalist, Ben Hatch who wrote an extensive article on how to keep kids entertained on the road, Ben highlighted that ‘I Spy’ is actually not the best game as in reality, there’s not a lot to see out of a speeding car window, so flip the game on its head and play ‘I don’t spy’.
It’s simple, instead of saying ‘I Spy’ and the answer being something you can actually see, mix it up and say, ‘I don’t spy…’ and allow the answer to be pretty much anything you want. By changing things up and doing the game this way, it’ll last much longer and be much more entertaining for everyone involved compared to the original version.
Guess Who
Guess Who may usually be considered a board game but this version involves nothing physical, just the ability to ask lots of questions to figure out who someone is. This can get everyone involved, no matter how old and as much as you may have a teen who isn’t too keen, we promise that eventually, they’ll get into it.
One person needs to think of a person; it can be someone in the family or a celebrity that everyone is familiar with and one by one, everyone else will ask questions to try and figure out who it is and to make things even more appealing, offering a small prize to the winner is bound to keep everyone interested.
The Music Quiz
If you’re a driver that gets easily distracted by the radio, this may not be one to try but if you’re at a standstill on the motorway, a music quiz is a great idea.
Whoever is in control of the AUX line is responsible for playing a song for 10 seconds and everyone in the back has to write down the song and artist and after however many songs you choose to do, reveal the answers and find out who’s won.
It gets everyone involved and passes time when the traffic isn’t moving.
Staying entertained on a long car journey doesn’t have to feel daunting when you’ve got activities and games like these ready to use at any time!
Have you got any go-to games for long road trips that always keep everyone entertained? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter!
We love a road trip here at HandiWorld. The perfect chance to pack up the roof box, jump in the car and head off to explore somewhere new and with the summer holidays well and truly upon us, now is the perfect time of year to take on these adventures as a family.
We’re going to be sharing with you the best UK road trips out there that we think everyone needs to experience, so whether you’re from England, Scotland or Wales, we’ve got a road trip for you!
Scotland’s North Coast 500
A recommendation from Rough Guides, Scotland’s North Coast 500 trip is a 4-7 day journey made up of around 800km of single track roads, so maybe not one for the nervous driver.
The route passes Inverness, the Black Isle, Caithness, Sutherland and Wester Ross, so you certainly won’t be lacking on scenery to enjoy.
The best thing about this trip is that the likelihood of getting stuck in traffic is next to none, so if you’re an urban family looking to escape to the depths of the countryside and coast, this is the one for you.
Southwest of England’s Atlantic Highway
The southwest of England is known for being stunning, so why not take 4-5 days out of your busy summer holiday and explore the best the area has to offer by road.
This route covers around 275km of coastal roads, covering some of the best parts of Devon and Cornwall along the way and there’s also plenty of pit stops to be made to please all the family like National Parks, great fish and chip shops and even better beaches.
Another pro to this route is that although the track will weave you in and out of popular tourist destinations, sorting out accommodation on this road trip will be easy if you do it in advance or if you’ve got a campervan or touring caravan, find sites along the way to save yourself some money!
Black Mountain Pass
A perfect route for our Welsh readers or residents of other parts of the UK wanting to explore Wales this summer, Black Mountain Pass is one of the best-known road trips in Wales and takes you on a twisting and turning journey along the black mountains.
Around 23 miles long, Black Mountain Pass starts at Gwuan-Cae-Gurwen and passes through Brynamman, over the black mountains in the Brecon Beacons, returning to more civilised roads in Llangadog before finishing in Llandovery.
This truly rural route reaches heights of 493m and allows for some incredible photo opportunities if the weather is clear but be warned, this isn’t one to tackle in winter, you want fair weather for a safe and enjoyable trip.
The Wild Atlantic Way
Wild Atlantic Way is probably fairly described as one of the most well-known and established road trip routes in the UK, with its own website to help visitors plan their journey and make the most of every bend and turn the track has to offer.
The total route is 2,500km in length which is simply impossible to tackle in one trip, so the trip has been split into 6 possible mini-routes, including the Northern Headlands, the Surf Coast and the Bay Coast, so you can choose depending on what kind of scenery you want and what kind of drive you’re after.
There are 9 counties to be enjoyed along the way, so this is definitely one to put on your bucket list and chip away at over the years, taking on a different route year after year until you’ve got the full set under your belt.
Buttertubs Pass
A shorter route for those looking for something to do on a day trip to Yorkshire, Buttertubs Pass is a 5.5 mile trip from Thwaite to Hawes and is known for being a personal favourite of Jeremy Clarkson.
Although this C-road route is only short, it packs everything in you could possibly want on a road trip, including exhilarating descents, breath-taking flats and adrenaline-fuelled climbs, as well as some unmissable scenery along the way.
Although still challenging in parts with tight turns and bends, if you’re new to road tripping and are building up your driving stamina, this is a great place to start.
The Snake Pass
Another well known English road trip is The Snake Pass, an exhilarating drive along a stretch of the Peak District between Sheffield and Manchester, ideal for northern road trippers.
Thought to be around 14 miles in length and 512 metres high at points, many drivers pair Snake Pass with an infamously risky road, The Cat and Fiddle to test their driving skills and take themselves high into the Peak District scenery.
Not just popular with car drivers but bikers and motorcyclists too, this route has a lot of hairpin bends, high climbs and dramatic drops, making it an intense but breath-taking route. This is a fair weather route and not advised on wet or icy days.
Cheddar Gorge
A tourist attraction in its own right, the Cheddar Gorge road trip is made up of 14 miles of twisting and turning open roads through the West Country, ideal for the road trippers who are on the hunt for scenery.
Starting at Cheddar and working across to Ashwick, the Somerset roads in the middle of these two locations have plenty to offer in terms of great driving and even better views, offering something different for both the driver and the passengers.
An easy one day route, there’s plenty of time for stops on this route, ideal for embracing the culture along the way.
A686 from Penrith to Haydon Bridge
A popular route in the north of England, the A686 road trip will take you from Penrith in Cumbria to Haydon Bridge via 35 miles of great scenery, enjoyable driving and even some great pit stops along the way.
Often split into two sections to be a more manageable drive, Driving for Pleasure recommend driving from Penrith to Alston and then treating Alston to Haydon Bridge as a second leg. The two halves of the route offer something different but both to be experienced by any keen driver.
From dramatic descents to risky roads you certainly wouldn’t tackle in winter, any seasoned road tripper will feel right at home on this route.
Abergwesyn Pass
Not one for the fainthearted, you need to have nerves of steel and an extremely responsive car to take on Wales’ most tricky road trip, Abergwesyn Pass.
A relentless series of hairpin bends along a 20-mile track is referred to as ‘The Devil’s Staircase’, and that is a perfectly suited name as this single track, often open-sided road is risky to say the least but if you’ve got the driving skill and calm temperament to tackle it, you’re in for a once in a lifetime experience.
The Wicklow Mountains
If you want to take on Ireland in a spectacular road trip, the Wicklow Mountains National Park route is the right choice for you.
A 117km trip that will last around 3 hours with no pitstops, you’ll be free to explore the open countryside and mountainous zones while still getting some exhilarating bends and twists along the way.
If you’re wanting to make more of a day out of this route, there’s plenty of places to hike along the way if you want to get out the car and embrace some fresh air for a bit.
So, there you have it, 10 equally as incredible road trips across the UK to keep you busy this summer.
If you give one of these a go, we’d love to know how you get on, so let us know on Twitter or Facebook!
All drivers are familiar with the basic laws of driving; give way to the right on a roundabout, wear your seatbelt, don’t drive with a bulb out and so on but there are some more unfamiliar and plain weird driving laws out there we bet you’ve never heard of.
We’re going to be sharing with you 10 pretty weird driving laws that surprised us and we’re sure they’ll come as a shock to you too…
No Splashing Passers-by
Here in the UK, it isn’t polite to splash a pedestrian by driving through a puddle and it isn’t illegal but if you get caught doing that in Japan, you’re in big trouble.
Because of what they believe to be common courtesy in Japan, it has been deemed illegal to splash a passer-by with water or mud from the road, even if it’s an accident.
To Drive Wearing a Dressing Gown
A lot of us Brits have probably driven in our dressing gown once or twice for whatever reason but if you’re a woman and you do that in California, you’re actually breaking the law.
We’re not too sure of the reasoning behind this but if you’re driving around California and you’re female, make sure you change out of your pyjamas first!
Your Car Has to Be Clean to Be Driven
According to car dealers Wilsons, you can actually be fined if you drive around Moscow in a dirty car.
In the UK, you can be pulled over the by police if your visibility from the front or rear window is hugely blocked but in Moscow, you’re in trouble if your car is dirty at all.
You Have to Slow Down or Stop for Herds of Livestock
If you live in the countryside then you’re probably familiar with having to slow down for horses or stop for cattle crossing the road but in South Africa, you can actually get fined if you don’t slow down or stop when required for passing herds of livestock.
Women Can Own a Car but Not Drive One
Thankfully only a law in one country around the world but in Saudi Arabia, women can own cars but not drive them.
This doesn’t make much sense to us but that’s what the Saudi Arabian law states.
You Can Never Run Out of Fuel
This isn’t the case in this country but in Germany, if you run out of fuel on the autobahn, that is actually illegal and you will be in trouble if you haven’t been organised and kept your car properly fuelled up.
You Must Always Be 50m from Pedestrians
In Singapore, you must be at least 50m from pedestrians at all time and if you get any closer, you’ll be breaking the law and will be punished if caught by the authorities.
You Have to Wear a Top when Driving
According to Confused.com, if you’re in the driver’s seat of a car in Thailand, you have to wear a top.
No matter how hot it gets and Thailand can be pretty warm, if you’re the driver, you have to wear a top.
No Driving Blindfolded
We imagine you’re probably thinking ‘what?’ as you’re reading this but yes, in Alabama there is a genuine law that states you can’t drive your car blindfolded.
We’re unsure why there is any need for this kind of law but the Alabama authorities are clearly taking no risks.
Check for Children Under Your Car
We’re not sure whether there is some kind of problem with children hiding under cars in Denmark but it is a well known driving law over there that before setting off, you need to check under your car for children.
Whether they are sleeping, hiding or playing, if you’re setting off in your car in Denmark, you need to check there are no children under there.
There are some pretty strange driving laws out there and after reading all those, we’re feeling grateful for our straightforward British driving laws!
Have you heard of any unusual driving laws from around the world? Let us know on Twitter or Facebook!
The summer holidays are just around the corner now which means you’re about the have the kids in the car a lot more than usual. Whether you’re planning a UK holiday, plenty of day trips or just bringing the kids along for your daily errands, they’re likely to spend a fair portion of their time in the car over the next few weeks, so you’re going to want to keep things organised.
We’re going to be giving you a helping hand in keeping your car tidy by sharing with you some top organisation tips, including some of our new car organisers, that will help keep your car clean and tidy throughout the summer break.
Car Boot Organiser
If you’ve got kids then you’ll know that the boot of your car can easily become a bottomless pit for pretty much everything and anything. Toys, clothes, shoes, everything gets thrown in the boot and eventually, you’ve got no room for what you actually need to store in the boot.
Using a car boot organiser is the ideal way to keep things tidy, ensure you’ve got all the essentials you need in one place and thanks to the carefully thought out size and shape of the new HandiWorld car boot organiser, you can easily fit prams, scooters or bikes in the boot alongside it.
Split into sections to help keep things organised, you’ll be able to find everything you need in the car quickly and easily, stopping any potential dramas when you’re on the go!
Invest in a Car Bin
Whether you buy a specialist car bin, a cheap bin from the local shop or just make a DIY one with things you have at home, having a designated place for rubbish is one of our ultimate hacks for keeping the car clean and tidy.
You can’t be mad with your kids for leaving rubbish lying around the car if there’s nowhere else for it to be put but if you’ve got a car bin, you can help your kids learn the importance of tidying up after themselves and keeping things tidy!
Back Seat Organisers
Kids seem to want and need everything in the back of the car and then it’s you that has to try and keep all that stuff tidy but with the help of one of our new back seat organisers, you can have a place for everything in the car.
Designed to hang over the back of the front seats, our organisers have various sized compartments and pockets for things such as pens, books, small toys and snacks which will help you ensure you’ve got everything on board before you head off and keep things in one place when you’re out and about.
Organise Your Glove Box with Wash Bags
The glove box is another area of the car that seems to become a dumping ground for bits and bobs you want to keep in the car but don’t have a place for, oh and old parking tickets, sweet wrappers, etc.
The glove box gets easily disorganised but is actually a valuable storage space in the car for on the go essentials you want to keep on hand at all times, so keep it organised with the help of wash bags.
If you want to keep some medical supplies, personal hygiene essentials or even some snacks, you can split everything into wash bags to keep them together and easy to find in your glove box when you need them.
A Place for Parking Tickets
When you think of your car and what’s making it look a bit messy, the first thing we imagine will come to mind is all the parking tickets on the floor and in your door pockets, so having a designated place for these will help instantly keep your car tidy.
Some people need to keep their parking tickets for financial reasons, some of us just need to bin them but whether you keep or throw them, having a small sandwich bag in your driver’s door pocket can become a parking ticket bin.
Simply pop every parking ticket in the bag once you’re done with it and either take them in the house with you when you need them or when the bag gets full, bin the tickets and put the bag back in your car. If you’re heading on a UK holiday or lots of trips, there’ll be lots of parking tickets, so keeping these tidy is a good first step to keeping your car looking tidy and organised!
If you’re desperate to get the mess in your car under control or you’re dreading the state your car will become over the summer holidays, we hope these car organisation tips and hacks will help you out!
Have you got any car organisation tricks of your own? Let us know on Twitter or Facebook!
Staying safe on the roads is so important, no matter how far you’re travelling but it’s fair to say that the further you’re driving, the more safety issues you could incur.
Every driver knows the basic safety checks to do before leaving the house to ensure their car is in working order but not all of us bother and we’re certainly not all as clued up about what to do if we face a safety issue on the go.
The summer holidays are soon to commence if yours haven’t started already which means everyone is about to hit the road for some great summer adventures, so here are the car safety tips and tricks we think every driver needs to know!
The 20p Tyre Test
You should really check the depth of the tread on your tyres regularly anyway but especially before heading off on a long journey. A lot of people avoid testing the tread on their tyres because they think it’s time-consuming but with this handy hack, it’ll take seconds to check if your tyres are safe and road legal.
Tyre Safe have put together a whole article on how to use any 20p coin you’ve got lying around to check your tyre tread depth and it really is genius! In short, all you need to do is place a 20p into the main tread groove of the tyre and if the whole depth of the outer rim of the 20p is inside the groove, your tyres are legal but if any of this outer band of the coin can be seen, they’re not.
Don’t Forget Your Warning Triangle
Hands up if you don’t have a warning triangle in the back of your car? It’s not a legal requirement in the UK but it is highly recommended to keep an emergency warning triangle in your vehicle in case you break down and it could actually help you if you do find yourself stuck.
In terms of your own personal safety, having an emergency warning triangle will help you warn other drivers that you’ve broken down and your vehicle is not going to be moving, this means other road users can easily avoid your vehicle and give you plenty of space to stay safe while having to stand on/near the road.
Having your emergency warning triangle will also help make you visible to the recovery company or mechanic you’ve called, meaning you’ll get the help you need quicker.
Always Take Your Free Car Seat Demonstration
As a parent, you’re not just responsible for your own safety in the car but your child’s too and making sure they’ve got the right car seat and that it is fitted properly is a big part of this.
One of our top hacks for ensuring the best level of car safety for your child is to take the free demonstration many car seat retailers will offer you. Whether it’s showing you how to use the seat in-store or actually fitting it in your car for you, there are many UK car seat stores that offer free demos both before and after buying a car seat and this is a great way to ensure you’re using this car seat to the best of its ability.
Never Put Your Feet on the Dashboard
Anyone who has ever ridden in the car as a passenger is guilty of putting their feet up on the dashboard while grabbing a quick nap before you get to where you’re going but this can actually be really dangerous and one of our top car safety tips would be to avoid doing this at all costs!
An American woman’s story went viral in 2017 after she spoke out about the injuries she sustained after being in a car accident while her foot was on the dashboard and it is now more known than ever before why to not put your feet on the dash! If your car is in an impact, the airbags will go off, one of which is in the dashboard and if your body is in direct contact with this, it could lead to injuries, so be sure to keep your feet off the dashboard!
Choose Your In-Car Playlist Carefully
Most of us like a bit of in-car entertainment and many of us will opt for a bit of music but did you know that some songs are actually proven to be dangerous to listen to when driving?
From being too loud and intense to just downright distracting, Confused.com shared the top 10 songs that are known for being dangerous to listen to whilst driving and unfortunately for some, there’s Guns N’ Roses, The Black Eyed Peas, Kanye West and more of some favourite famous faces on the list!
The experiment conducted by Confused.com revealed that certain types of music led to more aggressive driving whilst others led to driving quickly and some drivers even found classical music led to more erratic driving!
For the safest drive possible, its recommended you choose music that mimics the rhythm of the human heartbeat which is 60-80 beats per minute.
Secure Belongings Down That Could Move Around
There’s nothing more dangerous than overfilling your car and then having your belongings rolling all over the car. If you have to brake suddenly in an emergency, you could see your possessions fly to the front of the car and if the impact was strong enough, through your windscreen.
It’s so easy to organise your car storage and keep everything secure, so that nothing could move and hurt someone, including moving your bulky luggage into a roof bag on the top of the car. We have a range of soft roof boxes in varying capacities, making it easy for you to find the one that can perfectly hold all your belongings.
Staying safe in the car doesn’t have to be difficult if you plan ahead, so follow our top car safety tips and you should be in for a smooth and successful journey.
Have you got any top tips for staying safe behind the wheel? Share them with us on Twitter or Facebook!
