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Both of my vehicles have manual. More fun to drive. I feel like manual gives me better control when there's a snowstorm or ice.
If I bought a new vehicle today, though, I'd probably go automatic. Shifting's become tiresome as I get older, and I'm mostly in city traffic any more.
My vehicles are 2002 models, so I haven't looked in a long time. But, it seems like last time I looked, it was actually something I had to order special. I guess automatics have become so reliable and perform so well, there's not really a reason to go manual any more.
That being said, I think having the skill is useful. Never know when you'll be somewhere that you need to drive a stick.
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I miss my manual, hope to get one for my next car. I have a motorcycle and its manual, so I'll be okay.
Hogan
Hogan
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Mohibur Rashid wrote: android phone
Not quite, I'd say more like C# vs C++
See, if manual would be an Android phone I wouldn't want it if I am constantly on heavy traffic. And I always want it.
On the other hand:
C# (automatic): Like heavy traffic, tedious or relaxing ride. Less control over the bear metal.
C++ (manual): Like driving for fun, even on a race track. Needs to extract performance by taking advantage of some control skills.
To alcohol! The cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems - Homer Simpson
Our heads are round so our thoughts can change direction - Francis Picabia
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I have been driving Manual transmission cars since I got out of the Navy in 1973 and bought a VW Beetle. My wife's car (I got married then too) has always been an automatic transmission. I currently drive a 2004 Honda Accord V6 Coupe with 178500+ miles on it and it still has the original clutch.
Living in New Orleans it is no problem. When I have to drive through Atlanta, however stop and go on the interstate is a MAJOR hassle. Those living in the Atlanta area know what I am talking about.
That said, given the choice, I will always buy/drive a car with a manual transmission.
Old programmers need work and love too...
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I only drove manuals from 1963 until 2013. Then my wife decided she needed a Merc. I'm still trying to get used to those silly plastic flappy things on the steering wheel for changing gear. They are not as satisfying as a good solid gear stick.
We're philosophical about power outages here. A.C. come, A.C. go.
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I know what you mean. My wife's Acura has the floppy paddles and I just don't bother when I drive her car.
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My dad tried for a year to teach me to drive a standard in 1971. I have an aspergian level of clumsiness and it came down to I can drive well and pay attention or I can shift gears and hit something. When asked to move a standard my usual mode of operation is: Engage Clutch - Shift Gear - Let clutch out gently while subtly increasing gas - Restart engine after it dies. Repeat until car is moved to where desired by small jerks. People do not ask me twice.
Seven years later the military spent two months trying to teach me to drive a standard. I did just fine as long as there were no hills and I was on ice. When summer came I couldn't get the thing to move to save my life. Ended up driving an armored personnel carrier... automatic transmission and I already had the 11-ton license... to carry my computer system in the field, instead of the jeep.
Now I am 63. Except for occasional problems with a truck rental company for moving... yes, I want the automatic... I've been stuck with automatics for all those years. You know what? Some folks simply do not have the coordination to drive and shift... and I have a perfect driving record. You are much safer with me on the road, and with me on an automatic.
In the same vein, I cannot drive a horse, either. I've tried several times, they buck me off.
I can't dribble a basketball, catch a fly ball, or kick a football. But women love me and I can
code like the devil himself, from assembler and Fortran to Java and Android aps... I've done several.
And thanks to forty years of karate, I can walk without falling over, most of the time.
So... some folks NEED automatics. I am very happy for those who are more concerned with their "driving experience" and the feeling of power, control, and masculinity that their operation of a vehicle brings. Me, I just want to get there in one piece.
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Quote: "The only people who would buy an old-fashioned gearstick manual are the sort who choose not to have a washing machine because they prefer to clean their clothes in the local river."
Jeremy Clarkson
So there you have it.
Cheers,
Mike Fidler
"I intend to live forever - so far, so good." Steven Wright
"I almost had a psychic girlfriend but she left me before we met." Also Steven Wright
"I'm addicted to placebos. I could quit, but it wouldn't matter." Steven Wright yet again.
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There was a time people enjoyed Manual transmission(now a days, fewer people enjoy, less than 5%). But the need of easy learning and easy use Automatic transmission got popular.
Here is a future that I predict, the demand of self driven car will rapidly increase. At some point people would feel the requirement of having a car that can drop off kids to school and then drive back to school to pick up the kids. or in simple, people will rather enjoy doing something else than bother with driving at all. Government will have to force people from not driving on the road, because voice of people who would love driving by themselves would be weaker than the voice of the rest(Just like now, 95% people in japan and in USA use Automatic, and get surprised when they hear that I am learning Manual). Government will look at road safety differently.
This is far fetched. But there will be a time when driving by human will be obsolete. Required driving skill will reach the level of Driving a train. Driving would be job of absolute professional who would do rescue task on the road after accident or off the road special assignment.
May be that would be the time, when I will accept this analogy 
I do not fear of failure. I fear of giving up out of frustration.
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How about no transmission. My electric car is all direct drive. What phone is that one?
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I understand people who prefers the manual transmission to feel they control the machine
(this discussion is similar to the robotics/handcrafted issue, or the vynil/CD DJs,...). Personally I prefer to put my attention in other things: the environment, the traffic or the route and not to worry in mechanical issues.
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"Ancient kingdom in a barren landscape produces a fighting ship after dropping a junction." (9)
Good luck, pretty easy I recon.
Andy B
modified 16-Aug-17 5:50am.
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Destroyer
Desert minus a t and troy
We can’t stop here, this is bat country - Hunter S Thompson RIP
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Well done pkfox, it's your turn tomorrow!
Andy B
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@Brisingr_Aerowing
Have a great day! ![Beer | [beer]](https://codeproject.global.ssl.fastly.net/script/Forums/Images/beer.gif) ![Jig | [Dance]](https://codeproject.global.ssl.fastly.net/script/Forums/Images/jig.gif) ![Badger | [badger,badger,badger,badger...]](https://codeproject.global.ssl.fastly.net/script/Forums/Images/badger.gif)
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
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Yes happy birthday, have a great day.
How do we know when there's a CP birthday?
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Memory. Or in my case, "Google Calendar" 
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
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That's odd, I looked in my Google Calender and no mention of a @Brisingr_Aerowing birthday, odd and I have no memory for birthdays either.
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Yeah, I've bought a lot of memory over the years but I keep forgetting things.
I'm retired. There's a nap for that...
- Harvey
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Yes, the gryphons rule
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Just back from Holiday.
Last Sunday I was touring with my Motorcycle in Les Vosges (France) (la route des crêtes) enjoying the views and the hairpin turns ... and then my clutch cable snapped.
Luckily for me, my sixth sense warned me something seemed to be going ill and we weren't in any hairpin section. Double "luck" for me I was smart enough to have myself insured for the trip. If it would have snapped in a hairpin I would probably have fallen (best case) or driven in a ravine (worst case). Unlucky for me, it was Sunday and both Monday and Tuesday, garages were closed.
A lot of phone calls later and a taxi-train-taxi trip home (with my motor gear  ) I'm safe and sound, yet my bike is still there. I really, really hope they can tow it back to my place instead of me having to fetch it.
For the curious among you, it is a Honda Transalp (2008)
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A lucky escape for you, and hope the insurance covers the recovery costs. That happened to me years ago, but in a car, and fortunately I had just stopped in a small town. Half an hour later I would have been in the middle of nowhere without a mobile phone.
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It happened to me too, many years ago in my car I drove the 20 miles back home, is it not possible to do that on a motorbike?
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Not so easy as with a car - the gearbox only has one neutral position, and it's between 1st and 2nd.
It's fairly easy to get up the box by crashing it with a quick dip in the throttle to release the pressure on the gears, but going down is a lot worse as it horribly easy to lock the rear wheel. Plus ... emergency stops become a nightmare.
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
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Thanks OG, having never owned one, I wasn't sure what the issues would be.
I imagine you could stay in 1st or even 2nd on a bike and do a few miles home or to the garage, basically the same as I did in my old Escort MK1 1300GT (XVX 604L), Its worth a bit of money now, sadly I don't own it now.
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