| The early 1900s saw the dawning of an new era; | | | | This display of innate driving madness was a sign |
| the horse drawn carriage was to be a thing of | | | | of the times, and before long there was a |
| the past and the horseless carriage was making | | | | government department set up to improve road |
| its debut on the roads of the British countryside. | | | | safety. The introduction of headlights, windscreen |
| Back in those early days, there were no tests to | | | | wipers and driving tests all helped to reduce |
| ensure that the drivers of these vehicles were | | | | fatalities on the road, bringing about an era of |
| not endangering themselves or others; and the | | | | sensible driving and road safety awareness. As |
| cars back then were notoriously difficult to handle | | | | vehicles were modified, they became more |
| despite their reputation for being rather slow. To | | | | comfortable; hard topped instead of open topped |
| begin with, these vehicles had a footman with a | | | | cars were the norm, interiors were fabric instead |
| flag that walked ahead of the motor car to keep | | | | of leather and heaters were introduced to |
| the road clear for the oncoming traffic. Now that | | | | prevent windows icing up and drivers getting cold. |
| is slow. | | | | This meant all the Toads on the road ditched the |
| The danger these vehicles posed to the general | | | | driving clothes the way they used to ditch their |
| public as well as the drivers became more evident | | | | cars. |
| as the cars got faster; and like an Aesop's fable, | | | | There were no need for gloves, hats and goggles |
| we can take the good ole Toad of Toad Hall as a | | | | when one was driving in the apparent lap of |
| shining example of the history of the motor car, | | | | luxury, but somehow the fashion held on, mostly |
| car drivers and the birth of driving fashion! | | | | in the social circles of the car enthusiast. What |
| Donning driving gear was as much a part of | | | | was once a safety requirement soon became a |
| driving as the driving itself, albeit out of a need | | | | nod to those in the know; automotive geeks with |
| for safety and comfort. Goggles, gloves and flight | | | | classic cars pulled on soft kid leather gloves as |
| hat all combined to fight off the wind and protect | | | | they set out for a Sunday drive; and it is these |
| from brambles and bushes when the inevitable | | | | safe Sunday drivers, typically of a Volvo loving |
| happened and the car left the road. Toad was | | | | nature, that are responsible for the emblazoned |
| often depicted in his tweed three piece suit with | | | | apparel in car accessory shops today. These |
| accessorised driving clothes; tearing through the | | | | drivers are known for their caution and their |
| English countryside yelling 'pwhoop pwhoop' whilst | | | | understated sensible fashion choices, so typically |
| beeping his horn to warn any poor souls in the | | | | not Toad of Toad hall at all. |
| way that they were to be imminently flattened. | | | | |