Public shaming is back on the agenda. From fears of being photographed eating on the tube, to apps that erase pics from the night before – the spectre of public criticism looms large. Has social media revived this age-old mechanism of control? Or can shame be a force for positive change?

Many people aspire to leave their mark on the world, but some individuals take it a little too literally. Mount Everest has been plagued by graffiti left behind by tourists for too long, and the Chinese government has resorted to shaming them to reign in this bad behaviour.

In France, it's not motorways that drivers should be wary of; its highways are among the safest in Europe, thanks to radar speed traps. But it seems that there are serious issues of speeding and reckless driving on rural French roads, making them five times as dangerous as motorways.

Driving without a valid license is illegal, right? Not if you're driving a VSP in France. Anyone over the age of 14 can take these tiny two-seater vehicles out for a spin without any prior experience or even a license. So if you plan to frappe la rue – or hit the road – you'd better beware.