The Steering Column
Left Hand Drive from our President

A couple months ago I mentioned that Chicago can be a funny place. Well, it looks like this month will be no different.

A couple weeks ago we had our annual Halloween Rally, and I don’t know who Reinout pays, nor how much, but I’m glad he does, because the weather was absolutely beautiful. This is what I was thinking this afternoon, as I was driving home, from the PADS oil change. Unfortunately, the drive home was a bit of a challenge, as the roads required ice-skates rather than rubber. And while the snow pounded down, reducing visibility to something just slightly beyond the hood of my car, and slowing traffic to something less than a crawl, I had plenty of time to think. Luckily I wasn’t in the MG, but in something a bit more modern -- with heated seats, and real, working heater, and wipers. Did I mention heated seats? Whoever invented those sure was a bright cookie, whom I’d happily buy a beer.

So as I was sliding hither and yon down Northwest Highway, I started wondering if maybe Reinout forgot to pay the nice-weather bill this month. This being Chicago, I wouldn’t be too surprised if there was somebody he’s paying!

We had the last club meeting of the year the other night, and we have a healthy turnout, which is always nice to see. We’ve had the Fall Tune-down, the PADS oil change, and the historic Cruise to the Rock. The next event is the Christmas Party, and then before you know it, it’s New Years, and then the Amtrak trip.

 Looking back, this year has gone by very quickly it seems. We’ve done a lot as a club, we’ve had some great drives, some great times, and some Chicago weather, by which I mean sometimes great, sometimes terrible! But I think we’ve all had a lot of fun along the way.

Although I’m already looking forward to spring and summer! Which reminds me, I need to put the top up, and tuck the B in for the winter. <SIGH>

-- Dave Novak

	The Steering Column
	Right Hand Drive   from our Vice-President

I was driving to work the other day in my daily driver. The weather was cool, rainy and windy. Not a good day for driving a LBC roadster. As I was driving I started to realize that the new cars are living rooms on wheels. The creature comforts of the newer cars, power windows, power brakes, an all encompassing sound system, a heater that works, air conditioning and the quiet that comes when driving in an enclosed car. Some have movie screens for passengers. They are now developing a car that drives by itself. What a shame. These cars will rob future generations of the thrill of driving. They will not know the feel of the road. The feeling of freedom as you tool along enjoying the experience. The drivers of tomorrow will sit back, read, watch a movie or television, text, wait, they do that now. This will be a welcome site for some of my friends that hate driving. They must be doing something wrong not to like to drive. For me, I enjoy driving. I especially enjoy driving Maggie (AKA Little Red).

I don’t miss the creature comforts on a nice summer day. I am not crazy about driving in the snow or rain but I do not hate it. I even enjoy my LBC in the winter when it is feasible to drive with no snow. I am sure you all enjoy driving, so during the winter do your LBC a favor and take it out for a little drive. It is good for the car and good for the soul.

I am not mechanically inclined, but for those who are, the next few months will give you an opportunity to make repairs so that you can keep driving like God intended and leave the living rooms on wheels to the future riders (they will not be “drivers”).

~~ Ray Hansen & Maggie     (AKA Little Red)