Excluding the 50/50 first-time driving-test pass rates for both men and women aged 50 (Report, 23 November), a quick calculation shows that the average first-time pass rate for women aged between 17 and 35 years is 22% less than male first-time pass rates for these age groups. DVSA statistics reveal 79% of driving test examiners are men while 21% are women. It may be a coincidence, but as a correlation it’s hard to ignore.
Andy Ashenhurst
Canterbury
• Has the Oldham West and Royton byelection been cancelled, or is it just that you are not covering the campaign?
Chris Birch
London
• In an otherwise laudably comprehensive survey of actor Keith Michell’s career (Obituary, 21 November), you neglected to mention arguably his most successful and popular stage role, playing the eponymous Robert (Browning) in the musical, Robert and Elizabeth, opposite June Bronhill, which ran for more than 900 performances in London after opening in October 1964.
Quentin Falk
Little Marlow, Buckinghamshire
• Howard Smith (Letters, 25 November) incorrectly states that “North Americans celebrate a group of religious fundamentalists” at Thanksgiving. This may be true for American Thanksgiving, but that other lot from North America, the Canadians, do not celebrate Thanksgiving for this reason. Canadians celebrate to be grateful for the harvest and for what we are fortunate to have.
Robbie Goodings
Los Angeles, California, USA
• So it’s “crunch time” for the Pringles, eh (DNA result could turn accountant into Scottish baronet, 25 November, and letters, passim)?
Hugh Darwen
Warwick
• Does the expression “I’m good” count as two words (Letters, passim)?
Duncan Grimmond
Harrogate
• Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com
