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  • pinchvalve

    Nov. 16, 2009 5:34 p.m. pinchvalve UltraDork

    It just occurred to me that the proliferation of automatic transmissions has had a deadly side-effect. Hundreds of people die every year due to eating and drinking while driving, texting while driving, operating GPS systems while driving, and messing with their iDrive while driving. All of these tasks were made possible by automatic transmissions that freed the driver's right hand. With a manual transmission, you have to shift, so your right hand is occupied and you are less distracted.

    Manual Transmissions Save Lives!

  • cxhb

    Nov. 16, 2009 5:40 p.m. cxhb Reader

    Tell automakers that before everything becomes that manu-matic junk. Hate those.

  • EastCoastMojo

    Nov. 16, 2009 5:42 p.m. EastCoastMojo SuperDork

    I think it is the lack of common sense that is killing people.

  • wayslow

    Nov. 16, 2009 5:43 p.m. wayslow New Reader

    I agree 100%. I learned how to drive on a standard and that's all I ever owned for the first 15 years of driving. My wife was the same way. Both of our fathers felt it made you a better driver by forcing you to pay more attention to what the car was doing.

    My eldest will be getting her licence next year and she'll be learning on a standard as well.

  • jimbbski

    Nov. 16, 2009 6:21 p.m. jimbbski New Reader

    I agree! I got my license back in 1970. I was given my first driving lesson in an old Chevy PU with 3 on the tree by my father. My first car I bought myself was a stick, and every car and 1 truck since has been with the exception of my last two trucks which I use to tow my race car & trailer with.

  • Bobzilla

    Nov. 16, 2009 6:32 p.m. Bobzilla HalfDork

    I can still do all those things with my manual trans. What are you talking about?

  • oldsaw

    Nov. 16, 2009 6:38 p.m. oldsaw HalfDork

    Automatics aren't killing people - it's Toyota's floor mats.

  • integraguy

    Nov. 16, 2009 6:43 p.m. integraguy HalfDork

    My current car (a '97 Civic with manual tranny), also does without powered steering....the last year a DX Honda was available without power steering. I think the same "indictment" of automatics as part of a "killing machine" could also be levelled at power steering.

    BTW, I learned on a car without power steering or brakes, and owned several cars that when new did not have power steering. Unfortunately, cars are so heavy now that it's pretty much impossible not to have power steering standard.

  • Tommy Suddard

    Nov. 16, 2009 7:28 p.m. Tommy Suddard SonDork

    I agree. I think manual trannys make you pay more attention to the road and what the car is doing.

  • Appleseed

    Nov. 16, 2009 7:43 p.m. Appleseed Dork

    More like killing people's souls.

  • Drewsifer

    Nov. 16, 2009 10:47 p.m. Drewsifer New Reader

    Ask my wife about how I eat while driving a stick. Words like 'holy' and 'E36 M3' and 'if i make it out of this alive I'm divorcing you' come up. I probably shouldn't do that any more.

  • oldsaw

    Nov. 16, 2009 11:41 p.m. oldsaw HalfDork

    Drewsifer wrote:

    Ask my wife about how I eat while driving a stick. Words like 'holy' and 'E36 M3' and 'if i make it out of this alive I'm divorcing you' come up. I probably shouldn't do that any more.

    Eat before you drive, or leave the wife at home........

  • Trans_Maro

    Nov. 17, 2009 12:12 a.m. Trans_Maro HalfDork

    You need the wife to hold your coffee or sandwich while you shift gears and operate your "Driving finger".

    I can operate a manual gearbox and eat with no huge amounts of drama. I haven't tried soup, tacos or ribs yet.

    Shawn

  • MitchellC

    Nov. 17, 2009 12:45 a.m. MitchellC HalfDork

    There's really nothing better than eating fondue at the wheel. That's what the 12 volt outlets are there for, right?

  • f86sabjf

    Nov. 17, 2009 5:53 a.m. f86sabjf New Reader

    mmm ribs but you might look a little strange licking the steering wheel when the officer pulls along side

  • f86sabjf

    Nov. 17, 2009 5:55 a.m. f86sabjf New Reader

    MitchellC wrote:

    There's really nothing better than eating fondue at the wheel. That's what the 12 volt outlets are there for, right?

    correct but you have to be careful cutting the bread on the dash

  • Gearheadotaku

    Nov. 17, 2009 7:25 a.m. Gearheadotaku Reader

    Phone, burger, road map, shift, steer, it's all in a days work

  • SillyImportRacer

    Nov. 17, 2009 7:33 a.m. SillyImportRacer New Reader

    Gearheadotaku wrote:

    Phone, burger, road map, shift, steer, it's all in a days work

    Add in an Eaton-Fuller 10 speed, a 53' trailer & you've got an idea on how my day goes.

  • 4cylndrfury

    Nov. 17, 2009 7:57 a.m. 4cylndrfury Dork

    EastCoastMojo wrote:

    I think it is the lack of common sense that is killing people.

    voted up for troooooth

  • 93celicaGT2

    Nov. 17, 2009 8:00 a.m. 93celicaGT2 SuperDork

    I can eat soup and drive a stick at the same time. I've done it many a time on long trips.

  • Duke

    Nov. 17, 2009 9:39 a.m. Duke SuperDork

    EastCoastMojo wrote:

    I think it is the lack of common sense that is killing people.

    Tell me again why they call it "common"?

  • EastCoastMojo

    Nov. 17, 2009 10:23 a.m. EastCoastMojo SuperDork

    Duke wrote:

    EastCoastMojo wrote:

    I think it is the lack of common sense that is killing people.

    Tell me again why they call it "common"?

    berkeleying optimists.

  • slefain

    Nov. 17, 2009 10:37 a.m. slefain Dork

    I had an insurance adjuster ask me once if I was paying attention when the accident occurred. Never mind that I had been T-boned my a woman running a red light. I replied to the adjuster "ma'am, I drive a stick shift, if I don't pay attention I don't go anywhere....".

  • TJ

    Nov. 17, 2009 10:51 a.m. TJ HalfDork

    I agree that automatics require less driver involvement and promote alternative activities that compete with the driver's attention, but I would also add (along the lines of power steering mentioned earlier) that automakers have gone to such great lengths to make cars so comfortable, quiet, and smooth with the apparent goal of insulating the driver from the road and the process of driving that it goes way past transmission type and more to the entire design of modern cars.

    People in general do not realize (or think about) the fact that driving is the single most dangerous thing that most of us do on a daily basis. They do not consider that they are piloting a 2 ton missile when they climb behind the wheel of their SUV. I wonder if cars were more elemental and forced drivers to be more involved in driving if we would be better drivers and maybe cars wouldn't require so much safety equipment.

  • EastCoastMojo

    Nov. 17, 2009 10:58 a.m. EastCoastMojo SuperDork

    Graduated lisence system. Real driving tests. Real consequences when we berkeley up. That's really the only thing that will change the trend.

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