The woman at the wheel – archive

While the advent of the side-car is the cause of a marked increase in the man driver, the cheap four-seater is responsible for a large number of competent women who are their own chauffeurs. The cheap four-seater has brought the motor within reach of people of moderate income, who yet could not afford to add to the price of its upkeep the cost of a professional chauffeur.

People of moderate income mostly have to work for their living, and thus the man of the family has not much time for convoying his family about the country. Unless, therefore, the women of the family take matters into their own hands the motor is not likely to be of very much use to them except perhaps at week-ends, and even then they are dependent upon the activity of someone else.

Thus a whole race of amateur chauffeur is arising who, despite the charge of reckless driving by women, are noticeable both for their skill and their moderation.

The truth is, of course, that women are naturally rather good drivers. They show nerve and they show coolness. The new machines are not very difficult to manage, and do not mean heavy work, except, of course, under conditions of congested traffic, when in any case a cheap car does not show to advantage. Also women drivers are unusually careful as a whole.

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Here and there there are isolated cases of carelessness - as also among men chauffeurs. As a rule, however, women have too much to lose by careless or reckless driving. No woman is desirous of being smashed up herself, and she has peculiar care for those who are with her. She also takes a certain pride in successful driving, which may abate somewhat as more of her sex distinguish themselves in that direction. Further, she has the very greatest dislike to fines and penalties, and is ordinarily more inconvenienced by paying them than are men. Whatever the case for or against her, the woman driver has come to stay, and it seems probable that the motor will prove for her an instrument of emancipation almost comparable with the now despised bicycle.