Steering Lock? Can I leave it out?

I will agree if a thief wants something bad enough they will take it from you. But the big picture is why the locking devices were their in the first place. Being; safety feature and theft deterrent, safety feature being the up most importance. Case in-point a true story I remember this well. Mother had us kids in the car, sister and I in the back seat and my ratty brother in the front, about three years old, me about five, my sister in her early teens. Mother pulls into the front of the store, this was back when stores didn't have the 10 acres parking lots they have now. Mother pulls the keys out of the dash, and turns around and says, “Watch your brother I will be gone just a few minutes”. Well 15 seconds later, Chip is jumping up on down on the bench seat, gets behind the wheel does the twist falls down, grabs the column lever and now we are rolling backwards into the traffic. So now the car with *** end is blocking a full lane of traffic, and thank the heavens we did not get hit. I am sure after several law suits filed against the automotive industries changes had to be implemented. Hence, locked steering wheel locked shifting linkage, safety first, theft deterrent, ….well if “they” say so.

My Dart has the locking steering wheel, reverse lock-out and clutch safety switch, they work and will always work correctly. We can play “what ifs” all day long to prove a point. Do as little or as much as your lively hood can withstand. That pesky safety switch under your lawn mower seat, please tell me you didn't by-passed it.