Jim Chandler writes:

On Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:35:26 -0800 (PST), TwoGuns
wrote:

Just switching off the engine WILL NOT WORK with the steering column
locks on almost all cars since 1975 or so. I'm sure you said that and
hit send before thinking about it Chris.

Apparently you are not familiar with the fact that the OFF position is
the first detent out of on and the LOCK is the second and requires the
wheel to be in a certain position to lock. Try it sometime. Turn off
your engine with the wheel turned to one side or the other. It will
not lock until the wheel is turned to a specific spot. Therefore, the
argument that the wheel will lock if you turn off the ignition is not
valid.

Since it turns out the car had a keyless ignition this is losing
relevance, but -- on all the cars I own, you do have to move the wheel
to one of a number of specific spots, but there are enough of them that
normal movement of the wheel to drive down the road would be certain to
hit one (more relevant would be that there is an intermediate key
position).
--
As we enjoy great advantages from the inventions of others, we should
be glad of an opportunity to serve others by any invention of ours;
and this we should do freely and generously. (Benjamin Franklin)