I have to agree with Chris, though i do wonder if even then I'll let go of the knob. They'll have to cremate it with me. But then i grew up in Europe where automatic transmission was considered a luxury for fat wealth. (please don't take offense)�

i never touched an auto transmission until the age of 35 when i came to America. It's my personal opinion, learning to drive stick should be manditory to getting a license. (That n parallel parking.) Auto is just too easy and convenience corrupts the mind.

Taught to drive by fighter pilots n precision race car drivers, as hyperdriving prius' wizcock thru rush hour traffic, lane changing with just inches to spare; proving displaced sense of self importance and questionable understanding of the Prius purpose (to wit, both slam to a snail's pace two car links ahead), i think of my teachers' words, "U won't find a race car driver speeding in traffic. We leave that to the race track."�

And one might ask, "Why r all race cars manual?" Hmmm...�

Personal opinion again, still, �auto transmission is for those who don't really enjoy the art of driving; the sensuous feel of motor in hand; the calming affect of focus to which one becomes part... U won't c a manual driver primping or texting at 35 or 65 mph. �Not even with voice activated technology. Drive time is their's, alone. Even with passengers present. �

U will find them seemingly blended as one with their car; a satisfied grin on their face; they more then person, but also machine; feeling every vibration; planning every maneuver; hearing only their own thots despite surrounding chatter. (That's right lovers. If u want to be heard, save it for when they're out from behind the wheel.)�

Manual driving for the truly initiated is better then sex. (And often lasts longer.)�

Purpose aside, I'm so sorry to hear u've been forced to surrender ur manhood to the world of automaton, though commendable retrieval is attempted �thru exercises of auto manipulation futility. We learn from everything so all is not lost. Still, u haven't convinced me. Here's to many happy returns.

In joy,

eve

Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android

From:"Dave Mcneely" <mcneely4@COX.NET>
Date:Fri, Sep 11, 2015 at 9:47 AM
Subject:Re: Automatic vs Manual trans. ( Friday )

The only two automatic transmissions I've had extensive experience with are:

1.� The 1965 Ford Falcon my wife had when we married.� I hated it, having been used to manual transmissions.� It jerked and lurched when it changed gears, and would not downshift on a hill without stomping on the accelerator, then I would have to back off, resulting in the vehicle lurching forwarding then seeming to bog down again as it inappropriately� upshifted.� I never learned to get it to shift smoothly and maintain speed in that circumstance.

2.� My current Toyota Prius, with continuously variable transmission and dual electric/internal combustion power.� It is extremely smooth, but of course is no "performance" vehicle.� The only problem with the transmission I have experienced is that the constant speed device caused it to downshift on hills to a very low gear ratio.� That also caused over consumption of fuel.� Once I learned to drive without that, I found I could maintain speed on hills without it, and without the transmission downshifting so far.� I started getting much better highway gas mileage then.� Of course, sometimes I "hypermile" with the Prius, if I am alone and there is little traffic.� I don't do it with my wife in the car because it annoys her.� I can get 65 mpg highway if I can hypermile for most of a 250 mile trip.� That is measured by miles driven and fuel used, not the digital readout on the dash.

David McNeely