Debunked: It’s technically not illegal, but take care all the same.
At the time of writing no Australian state or territory has a written law to directly ban barefoot driving. There’s also no law dictating which footwear you must wear while driving.
But before you zoom away minus shoes or in double-pluggers, remember: you could still be held responsible if you cause an accident and it’s found your footwear - or lack thereof - played a part. A loose strap or slip could be all it takes to make an error, and unsecured footwear in the driver’s footwell could become lodged behind the pedals. So common sense prevails on this one.
Myth #5: Horsepower means the speed of a horse
Debunked: Rather than speed, horsepower measures the rate of work done by a motor.
Back in the 1700s, the Scottish engineer James Watt designed some improvements to the steam engine and needed a way to communicate the power increase. He decided to compare the output of steam engines with the other prime mover of the day: heavy horses.
When you hear about a car’s horsepower (or hp) this isn’t referring to speed, but rather the engine's ability to maintain speed and efficiency as the car drives.
How much is one horsepower?
This depends whether we’re talking imperial or metric, as the details used to calculate each are different. One mechanical (imperial) horsepower is around 745.7 watts, while one metric horsepower sits at around 735.5 watts.
Of course, given we measure things by the metric system in Australia we often refer to power output in kilowatts - a unit named after our friend James Watt.
And how much horsepower does a horse have?
Probably more than one horsepower! Watt deemed one horsepower as the rate of work a draft horse could achieve over a day. In years since it was calculated that a horse could achieve around 14.9 horsepower at its fastest. And in 2023, YouTubers used a modified dyno to calculate a draft horse’s horsepower at 5.7 hp.
Myth #6: Bigger cars are always safer
Debunked: Size doesn’t always correlate with safety.
You needn’t look far to find exceptions to this myth. Some small new cars with five-star ANCAP safety ratings include certain models of the Mini Cooper, Hyundai i30 and the zippy Volkswagen Polo. Meanwhile, some larger SUVs and vans have scored as low as one or even zero stars.
So how do you find a safe car? Whether shopping for a used car or new, try searching the make, model and year on the ANCAP website. ANCAP provides independent ratings based on key safety aspects for occupants, road users and safety assist technologies. Every car has different safety strengths and weaknesses, so it’s worth checking.
Hot tip:
On Carma, it’s easy to search for second-hand cars in Sydney by ANCAP safety rating. Check out these five-star models that are ready for delivery or pickup.
Myth #7: It’s difficult to find a quality used car
Debunked: To be fair, this myth can sometimes be true. But with Carma’s online search you can easily find near-new used cars in Australia and enjoy the buying process with peace of mind.
Carma has a thorough pre-sale checklist before each car is listed online. You get a 3-month warranty, plus 7 days to return the car if you don’t love it.
Ready to find your next ride? Start exploring second-hand cars in Sydney.
