Low-geared steering

Sir,
I am delighted to find an articulate ally, for I, too, am an anti-twiddle monger.

Not long ago I wrote to B.M.C. to expostulate about their ridiculous steering in the 1100 and, to my surprise, got a civil letter back, the content of which was that most people don’t grumble, and that to offer alternative ratios would not be economic. I cut my motoring teeth on direct steering in a pedal car (circa 1917) with half a turn of its 6 in. steering wheel from lock to lock. A 1928 Austin 7 and a Morgan were not so very different either.

It seems to me that most, though not all, retrograde fashions emanate from America, and this steering fetish evidently stems from their matriarchy; it being maintained that women require this leverage. This regrettable trend makes reversing impossible except at a snail’s pace, and is dangerous as any loss of adhesion is impossible to “catch.” Perhaps the bolt-on goodie boys will market a fur-trimmed knob to go with their steering wheel gloves. Sorry, I can’t go on, I feel somewhat nauseated.

Staplehurst. G. Simmons.