As a driver, it is always a good idea to refresh your knowledge by keeping up to date with the rules of the road. However, that does not mean you’ll necessarily know your car by heart. This is clearly something many drivers related to after some made a new revelation about a specific car feature in a Reddit post.
If you’ve ever wondered what the small slot next to the steering wheel is for in certain cars, you’re not the only one. A Reddit user posted a picture of the slot to find its purpose. The user asked: “Does anyone know what this little slot is for? Located next to the steering wheel. I’m inclined to say it’s for coins, the car is from early 2000s.”
Other users were quick to respond to the query, including one who confirmed: “Pound coins we used to use it back in the 80s/90s, for parking meters mostly haha.”
Another user added: “Same dashboard is manufactured for all models. On higher spec models this hole would have been for a switch on an extra ancillary electric system.
“On lower spec models it would usually have a blanking plug. Some manufacturers made their blanking plugs into useful coin holders for loose change, that was often used for parking meters and road tolls.”
A third user assured that the told is “definitely for coins for parking meters” while a fourth noted it “should fit a couple of pound coins or euros exactly.”
Although many seemed to agree that the small slot was made to hold coins, some users guessed entirely differently. Some guesses included “ejector seat button,” “cigarette holder,” and that “it’ll be for where a switch would be on a higher trim model.” Another user even joked that “it’s a shelf for a single Babybel.”
People also questioned the purpose of the slot on the American social question and answer website, Quora, where it was also claimed to be something used for coins.
One person said: “People used to carry change around everywhere they went. There were coin holders in cars, mechanical coin dispensers you could attach to your belt, and all women (and many men) had a ‘change purse.’ Carrying and using cash necessitates having a way to organise it.
“People used to be able to make change in their heads, and anyone over 40 probably remembers getting the stink-eye from a cashier when you tried to pay a $10.03 bill with a $20…’ come on, man, you gotta have 3 pennies, or at least a nickel.’ Coin holders in cars were very handy for paying tolls or using any drive-up windows.”
