WOMAN PICKS THE CAR

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 18 June 1932, Page 3

WOMAN PICKS THE CAR

WHERE THE BACHELOR SCORES Sir Herbert Austin on 9th March drew attention to thcjp-cat influence of women on the choice of the family car and on revolutionary changes in motor car design. Ho also paid a high tribute to woman’s ability as a worker in his factories, and said that as a driver she was no better and no worse than men. Sir Herbert was speaking at tlie third “Buy British” luncheon at the. Forum Club in London. At his works, he said, ho had found that in many directions women were more satisfactory than men. He went

on: “I want to assure you that they are no less competent in the mechanical duties they perform. Wo consider that female labour in many respects is much more efficient and much moio satisfactory than male. Again—and this is a very important point—women do not require so much supervision. .. “The woman of tho family is the final arbiter in the choice of the car. It is one of man’s vanities that lie alone of the family should be. regarded as tho authority on mechanical matters. It is very" often an illusion that tlie man’s views on mechanical transport carry weight. “Tho man who takes a model, of which his wife disapproves is a rarity. This is one of the occasions on which the bachelor lias all the advantages. “Radical changes in car design followed the advent of the woman motorist. Controls were made more accessible and more easily operated, and the body lines changed. Waists are now worn further hack.” Motor car designers were rapidly becoming fashion experts. But in his opinion the tendency for the colours of cars to be changed with the changing fashion in dress was to bo deplored.

“Though the woman has become more mechanically minded she is apt to judge a car by its appearance moic than on its performance. The industry is urging women to become still more mechanically minded and to study car performance. “My experience shows that the woman driver is no better and no worse than the man. There are good and bad drivers of both sexes. Of the women 1. should say, ‘When she is good she, is very, very good, and when she is lmd’— you know what follows.”