The Strange History of Motoring

Have you ever wondered about when important landmarks were reached in the history of motoring? Maybe not but I thought I would point some out for you anyway. Here are a few selected highlights of the history of motoring for you to chew over…

1902 The First Speeding Ticket

Photo credit: NRMA Motoring and Services

I had no idea that those wretched speeding tickets had been around for more than a century. The first one was given out when most vehicles were really rather slow. This was also the year in which a chap called Dr E H Lehwess attempted to drive round the world. This first ever attempt to drive across the globe started in London but ended in the snow of Russia.

1903 The 20mph Speed Limit

It must have seemed really exciting to raise the speed limit in the UK from 12mph to 20mph.

1906 The Import of Cars

What was the import and export situation like in the UK at the start of the 20th century? Well, we know that we imported 400 cars a month from France in 1906 but how many were exported to there? Ahem, a measly 2.

1927 The First Electric Traffic Lights

It’s not long now before we can celebrate the 100th birthday of electric lights. This historic moment happened in Wolverhampton so you might want to plan to spend your 2027 holidays there. I am sure it will be a giant party with inflatable traffic lights and people dressed as traffic lights all round the place.

1930 Our Old Friend Insurance

So, this was the year in which everyone on the British roads had to get third party insurance, was it? Since 1930 we have been paying for insurance. In fact, I wonder who has been paying it the longest without ever having a claim. There must be someone with 50 or 60 years of accident free driving out there. This was also the year in which the 20 mph speed limit was finally ended in the UK, after years of being ignored by most motorists anyway.