7 More Interesting Car Facts
We took a look at some interesting car facts back in July, and here we are with more bits of car trivia in the event that you need to impress somebody with your fascinating (albeit random) car facts. So nod your head and feel proud that you know this or gawk in amazement that such things actually happen.
1. The town of Churchill, Canada, is also called the polar bear capital of the world. Hundreds of polar bears gather there to wait for the freeze. How does this relate to cars? It’s not uncommon to see a polar bear on the road, and residents of the town leave their cars unlocked to offer an escape for pedestrians.
2. The world’s first speeding ticket was issued in 1898 when one Walter Arnold decided to go for a joyride in London. A policeman found that undesirable, pulled him over, and issued him a speeding ticket. He was caught going at FOUR times the speed limit, 8 miles per hour in a time when cars were not allowed to go beyond 2 miles per hour (That’s approximately 12km in a 3km per hour zone.
3. Cruise control was invented by a blind engineer named Ralph Teetor in 1948. The story goes that the inspiration for the idea was borne out of his frustration for his lawyer’s poor driving, who kept speeding up and slowing down when he was talking and driving.
4. We’ve had the first, now we have the highest speeding ticket ever issued. In Switzerland, your fine is based on how much you earn (and of course, your speed). In 2010, a Swede behind the wheel of a Mercedes SLS AMG was caught doing 180mph (equivalent to almost 300km/h) and was slapped with the maximum of a 650,000 Euro fine (That’s around RM3,000,000). Police in the case say that the man needed over half a kilometer of road to come to a halt.
5. It is legal in South Africa to attach flamethrowers (specifically called the Blaster, or BMW flamethrower) under the doors of cars as protection against carjackings. Flip a switch and fire (pun intended) flames to discourage would-be car thieves.
6. The most stolen car in the United States is the 1997 Honda Accord. Older cars that do not possess the smart key technology are at a much higher risk so if you’ve one in the USA, make sure your car insurance is paid!
7. Theoretically, an F1 car produces enough aerodynamic downforce (approx. 3.5G of cornering force – 3.5 times its own weight) at high speeds that would allow one to be driven on the ceiling. Practically, there are a number of considerations before such a feat could be undertaken but the theory at least is sound.