Auto or Standard

[Darth Servo]

Automatic. I have plenty of other things to worry about when I'm on the road. The fewer steps involved in driving, the better.

[Malecoda]

It bugs me a little to see people say to concentrate on the road in front of you. It's certainly true, but it isn't the only thing to concentrate on. It's equally important to watch the side mirrors (both of them--a good instance is, when you turn the wheel, you need to check the mirror in that direction. Side mirrors are more useful than the rearview, which can't show you blind spots. If you lean forward, you can see the blind spot in the side mirror, while not looking away from the front), keep an "out" so you can swerve if you need to, and pay attention to the engine. If you can't do that while keeping your gear in mind, then you pbly shouldn't be driving. Sticks are better because engine braking is better than wheel-braking--it's what the gear box is for, not just going forward--and wheelbrakes are meant to supplement the engine braking, not supplant it. You have MUCH better control over your speed with a stick--you can slow down extremely rapicly by downshifting in tandem with braking, and you can accelerate faster and drive more efficiently. The Toyota may have 100 hp and a lower top end than the wagon, but it can get off the line faster. This is important for defensive driving. People need to learn about passive safety, that way you can move briskly and aid your own defensive driving. It drives me insane to see old fucks driving 35 on the expressway because "it's safer". You need to keep up with traffic so you can evade stuff coming into your lane. An auto won't prevent you from doing that well, but like I said, you have finer control with a stick. Sticking becomes pretty automatic, and after a while you don't even think about it. It's a natural combination of thought and motion, which is pbly why it's been such a successful invention. I bet that if everyone who drove were required to use a stick to get their license, the roads would be safer. It's a matter of competence. Our wagon is an auto, but it also has a good trans, a big motor, and it can haul ass. Lastly, autos have this big, heavy, complicated device that overheats if you shift it in an out in any attempt to engine-brake. Sticks=less parts, no funky valve-and-ductwork, and easier repairs.

If sticks are sexier, that's pbly a side effect of being able to control your speed well. You can't reach back and smack your kids if you have to shift. The auto is pbly better in Seattle, bec it's hilly and we have stupid transportation infrastructure problems. But again, if you can't control your stick on a hill, then you shouldn't be behind the wheel. I am also glad that buses have automatic drives.

[Colonel Olrik]

I agree that for a middle age woman who is frightned of driving autos are better.

Or for someone who spends most of his time in heavy traffic and city driving in general, or for someone who just wants to get from point A to point B with a minimum of fuss ..

In the daily city routine house-work, I only commute by underground, adding to that a 20 minutes walk. I take almost the same time I used to take by car, and it's healthier and cheaper. Of course, I don't have kids, and my city is well suited to do this.

To an young, agressive alpha male.. Manual's are more fun, you feel the power and impress the chicks with your driving skills. In short, manual rulez.

When I want to demonstrate my driving skills to my wife, I'm not in my car

My Lord, you are one lucky bastard

[Cpt_Frank]

Manual all the way.

[CmdrWilkens]

Standard for a couple reasons similair to many presented:

1) Learning to drive stick teaches you to be a BETTER driver. If you can drive a stick this means you have the ability to perorm multiple actions all of which require some thought. This ability to do things quickly together is the kind of thing that makes you more aware in critical situations.

2) If you leanr standard you can drive anything on the road, thoguh nowadays if I drive an Auto I usually tend to start mashing the floorbaord whenever I come to a stop.

3) Standard transmission is superior in bad weather. In icy, snowy, or rainy conditions you can actually start your car in 2nd gear which gives you fewer RPMs and thus less whell slippage even when the same power is being applied. Alternatively downshifting enables you to slow the car without hitting the brakes and, potentially, locking the wheels briefly. Also the ability to downshift can give you the power neccessary to mow through small piles of snow and slush that might rob an auto of its power and control.

4) Standard gives you more power, yes that's a young male typical response (though in my corner of (he world Women speed more than Men btu okay) but that raw power has uses much as I mentioned above.

5) Standard is more fuel efficient. Because the gears on an auto have to cover a wider range the highest gear doesn't have, normally, as good a ratio as 5th or 6th on a standard.

6) Standard is more fun .

Now there are drawbacks primarily for people who spend a great deal of time stuck in traffic since the neccesity to depress both the clutch and the brake to stop makes more effort out of simple stop and go traffic.

[Malecoda]

Yeah, though I've been noticing that the new car handles just as well--I would have to drive very aggressively in the stick to accelerate as fast as the Volvo does, so I'll have to retract my previous statement as I reevaluate my perceptions Though, in situations in which I would normally ds, I feel like "whoa, all I have is the brakes to slow me down." It's three controls versus two. And to be so close to equal to a standard, I see that the auto has to have 3 computer programs bringing it up to standard performance.