When I had to buy a car last year, I had a hell of a time convincing the sales staff at the Volkswagen dealership that I really did want the smallest, fuel-stingiest vehicle they could find. Wasn’t I afraid of being crushed in a collision? Didn’t I want to impress people with a brawny ride? Well, yes, in fact I am kinda scared of being crushed in an accident, but I know that’s actually more likely in a boxy, top-heavy truck-type vehicle with stiff steering and awkward sight-lines. The Golf I bought impresses with its ease of extraction from snowbanks.

In re: dog licences — Whaddaya mean, “reimpose” the dog licence? You don’t have to tag your dog in Britain? Since when?