Shelf and safety

In his report on the Honda Civic (Our Cars, 20 September), Mark Pearson makes a thing of the parcel shelf because ‘it’s not strong enough to hold anything’. This is because it’s not a parcel shelf but a cover to hide belongings in the boot (as he notes).

Anyway, who puts stuff on a parcel shelf? It distracts in the mirror, reflects in the rear screen, slides when you corner, and catches a passenger smartly behind the ear if you have to brake suddenly. Joe Oldaker Nuneaton, Warwickshire Is it not law to travel with a straw boater and a box of tissues on your car’s rear shelf? – MB