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Driving with wellies, loud music and hayfever can all land you fines – motorists warned ahead of festival season
According to Compare The Market, nearly two thirds (63%) of motorists are unaware that driving with severe hay fever symptoms could land them with a fine or penalty points.
Unlimited fines for driving with hayfever symptoms? Who knew.
With tens of thousands of people set to descend on festivals all across the UK this summer, motorists travelling there are being warned of five little-known driving laws, reports The Manc.
Summer is well and truly here, and nothing says summer quite like a festival, right? The North is gearing up to host major festivals like Leeds Festival, Creamfields, Tramlines, Lytham Festival, Kendall Calling, Bluedot, and so many more - not to mention our own Leeds Festival.
There's absolutely no shortage of opportunities for us to soak up the sunshine in a field listening to some good tunes surrounded by their mates over the coming months.
But ahead of what is undeniably the country's biggest and most iconic music festival, Glastonbury, kicking-off this weekend, festivalgoers hopping in the car to make their way to any event this summer are being warned to keep an eye on some driving laws they may not be familiar with.
New research from Compare the Market has revealed the top five driving regulations relating to festivals that "often slip under the radar".
Most of the laws on the list will see unsuspecting motorists handed penalty points on their license or hit with hefty fines they'll have to pay - and some even come with fines that have no limit to them.
Top 5 Festival Driving Laws
Festival Driving Laws
Potential Fines
Potential Penalty Points
Driving whilst listening to loud music
Unlimited fine
3-9 penalty points
Driving in wellies
£1,000
3 penalty points
Driving with hayfever
Unlimited fine
3-9 penalty points
Taking drowsy allergy tablets
Unlimited fine
3-11 penalty points
Driving in distracting/restrictive outfits
£1,000
3 penalty points
Results based on research by Compare The Market
Taking top spot on the list is cranking the music up while driving, which seems to be a given for many as they either make their way to the festival, or try to cure the post-festival blues on the way home, while driving with hayfever symptoms or on drowsy allergy tablets also rank highly.
According to Compare The Market, nearly two thirds (63%) of motorists are unaware that driving with severe hay fever symptoms could land them with a fine or penalty points.
Elsewhere on the list, apparently under two in five motorists could also face a fine of up to £1,000 for driving in the absolute festival essential that is a pair of wellies, and 28% risk penalties for splashing pedestrians in rainy weather - which probably would've been good to know after the torrential downpours we had at Parklife this year.
Motorists warned of little-known driving laws ahead of summer festival season / Credit: Flickr | Rawpixel
"Staying up to date with the latest version of the Highway Code is the easiest way to avoid fines and penalties while driving," Julie Daniels, Car Insurance Expert at Compare the Market, advised as the festival driving laws research was released.
"Even having just a few penalty points on your licence could cause issues for you, as they stay on record for at least four years and make it more difficult to get good car insurance deals.
Inside Hyde Park Picture House ahead of huge reopening THIS weekend
"In fact, our data shows that having between 3-5 points on your license could increase your insurance premium by up to 4% on average, while having 6-8 points could increase premiums costs by up to 62% on average."
Featured Image - RAC
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Inside the Leeds factory that makes and supplies classic jukeboxes
This Leeds-based family-owned business is famed for supplying pubs, clubs and even ordinary people's homes with classic jukeboxes.
Started up in 1978, Sound Leisure really is a local business like no other, creating and distributing classic jukeboxes to over 40 countries.
This music-machine-making company notes that 75% of the jukeboxes they manufacture and sell throughout the year are bought for everyday homes.
The remaining 25% of orders are for the all-expected hospitality venues like bars, clubs and hotels, with the jukeboxes sometimes bought for company headquarters and retail outlets too.
Although there are other jukebox manufacturers, especially across the pond in the US, Sound Leisure is the only factory in the world that creates jukeboxes to play out across all formats: CD, vinyl and digital.
This jukebox business even runs the world's only 'Custom Shop', which is a design service that offers any music lovers the chance to personalise their pristine player.
So whether you're after a themed jukebox, customisable nameplate or even a bespoke design, this jukebox company's website states: "If you can dream it, we can build it".
One of Sound Leisure's prized products is the music machine inspired Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band-themed jukebox which any fan of The Beatles would dream of being its lucky owner.
And there really isn't anything they can't do, as alongside creating classic jukeboxes, the same team even make pinball machines, football tables, LED signs and more.
With CD and vinyl jukeboxes from £5,000 and digital jukeboxes quoted from upwards of £12,000, we're going to need a fair few rainy days to save up our money.
However, you can still marvel at these magnificent music machines without having to dip into your savings, with guided tours starting from just £15.
If you're up for learning a little bit more about music technology or simply after admiring these classic jukeboxes in all their glory, you can find out more about the factory and book your guided tour ticket HERE.
An independent one-day festival run by local businesses is returning to Leeds this summer
Clementine Hall
Bramley’s independent festival is back after a sell-out first year.
Three local businesses, no corporate sponsor, one big day.
That's the motto of Mill Fest - an indie festival returning to Swinnow Grange Mills in Bramley after a sell-out debut that brought more than 600 people through the gates.
Mill Fest began as a shared idea between three Bramley businesses who fancied putting on a proper day out for the area, and we're so glad they did.
Last August it turned Swinnow Grange Mills into a full day of live music, street food, flash tattoos, market stalls and cold pints in the sun. We can't think of a better way to spend the day to be honest.
Images: Supplied
This year Mill Fest is back and taking place on Sunday 2 August, and the plan is simple - keep what made it work and build on it.
There will be a full day of live music, the return of the flash tattoo day, more independent traders, street food and local beer. This time the team is keen to bring in more businesses and faces from around the area, and the full lineup and programme will be announced over the coming weeks.
Images: Supplied
Owen Wilson from Against the Grain Bar said: “We started this because we wanted to put something on for Bramley, run by the people who actually work here. Last year went better than any of us expected. The place was full, the sun came out, and it felt like the whole area showed up. We can’t wait to do it again.”
Danae Miller from Grays Salon said: "The aim for this year is the same day people loved, just a bit bigger. We’d love to get more local businesses and artists involved, and to see even more familiar faces down at the mill. If we get the weather, it’ll be another one to remember.”
The Hoot -
27th June 2023 
