Hi there,

my wife made her drivers license in Gremany 1980 on an automatic but she has
to take extra driver training later to drive a shifter. There was at this
time a restricted drivers license for automatics.

Hartmut

----- Original Message -----
From: Joy Hecht <jhecht@ALUM.MIT.EDU>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Wednesday, March 17, 2004 1:03 PM
Subject: Re: Auto Trans vs. Manual Trans

> Don't know about Japan or special licenses for automatics - but a British
> friend was just telling me that somewhere in Europe (I forgot where, of
> course) you can't drive a manual with a license for an automatic, and
> licenses for automatics are roughly  one step up from learner's permits.
>
>
> Joy
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM]On Behalf
> > Of Eric Zeno
> > Sent: Wednesday, March 17, 2004 7:21 AM
> > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> > Subject: Re: Auto Trans vs. Manual Trans
> >
> >
> > "I find it keeps me in tune with what's going on around me"
> >     This is all to true. I purchased my first automatic
> > vehicle, (so that an X-girl friend would have a backup
> > car), about 2 years ago.  I don't drive it much.  When I
> > do, I find other things I'm easily distracted by, don't have
> > a very good idea as to my speed.  I don't seem to have
> > much "road feel".  I guess this was the idea.
> >    Is it true that you need a special drivers license in
> > Japan to drive an automatic?
> >                               Eric
> >
> >
> >
> > tabe johnson wrote:
> >
> > >I asked this same question not too long ago when shopping
> > >for a Westfalia.  It sounds like it's more a matter of
> > >personal preference than anything else.
> > >
> > >The automatics are easy and relatively cheap to rebuild;
> > >the standards are not.  It sounds like the RPM per
> > >MPH are about the same at highway speeds for both the
> > >manuals and autos.  Mileage on all vans is about the
> > >same -- the overriding factor here is that you're driving
> > >a big square brick around, not the relatively small percentage
> > >of efficiency the autobox robs.
> > >
> > >For ME, I'm used to driving manuals.  (More than once,
> > >when I've rented cars, I go to push the clutch in when
> > >I stop, and accidentally hit the edge of the brake pedal!)
> > >I prefer the control the manual gives me - if I see a
> > >hill coming up I can downshift when I want to, and
> > >when I'm going downhill I can choose a gear based on
> > >if I want to speed up or slow down.  Also if you have
> > >a dodgy battery or starter you can push start a manual,
> > >not an auto.  I don't find shifting a chore; I find it
> > >keeps me in tune with what's going on around me.  Also
> > >at low speeds on back roads I can pick the most appropriate
> > >gear.
> > >
> > >If you're a lazy shifter, I suggest the auto.  If you like
> > >to shift, I suggest the manual.
> > >
> > >Good luck!
> > >
> > >--tabe johnson
> > >xtabe @ yahoo . com
> > >
> > >PS Religion and all other personal details about listmembers
> > >are completely irrelevant to our discussions.  Please make
> > >this guy go away.  I'm so glad politics is hardly ever discussed
> > >here!
> > >
> > >______________________________________________________________________
> > >Post your free ad now! http://personals.yahoo.ca
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >