GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Yesterday as I opened the window blinds I spotted my neighbour backing up our mountain road, on the wrong side of the road, at about 60kph. My first reaction was admiration, because I couldn’t back up a car that fast, in a straight line. My second was concern – we do get traffic on this road.

My third was surprise: I learned an hour later that since 1 January what he just did is simply illegal in Switzerland because we are no longer allowed to back up on a road unless there really is no alternative.

The new rule is one of several odd changes to the law that Comparis, the consumer price comparison group, published this week. Another is that the minimum speed for using the passing lane on the autoroute is now 100kph, up from 80.

And if you’re a cyclist, rather than a car driver, you can celebrate by taking your feet off the pedals: until this year, you weren’t legally allowed to do so.