1224: A Case of the Thursdays

[DWarrior]

Originally Posted by Blitzgal

My first car was a stick shift, but I've had automatic so long now that I'd have to re-learn if I did get into another manual. And of course every one that you step into is slightly different so you have to learn where that sweet spot on the clutch is, etc. They suck in stop and go traffic and hilly areas. Even if you're good at driving them you still end up killing it every once and awhile. I'm definitely an automatic girl now.

I don't think I ever killed my car after the first month of driving it.

Also, trying to tie driving ability to masculinity is retarded, IMHO.

IMHO, it's not:



Also, don't cite the studies that men are more likely to have accidents, those are false because they're not normalized for hours driven.

[Todd]

Originally Posted by archicat

A lot of it is to do with the car type. In USA it is common to have much larger cars... etc.

Nah. It's just wicked hard to flip off other drivers with one hand on the wheel and the other on the stick shift.

[Lanfear]

Originally Posted by archicat

This is true, I've only ever met one person with an automatic in the UK and that was my grandmother when she got old and it was easier to handle.

A lot of it is to do with the car type. In USA it is common to have much larger cars generally which a conventional automatic transmission works best with. Given the american penchant for massive engines, it is not surprising they choose auto. The smaller cars, with smaller, but more highly-tuned engines that are preferred in Europe are not ideal for fitment of a conventional automatic transmission. A manual transmission is lighter, cheaper to build and has greater mechanical efficiency (so the car has lower fuel consumption) than an automatic transmission. (Also gas or petrol is more expensive in Europe than in the US).

Also in the UK at least (not sure about the rest of europe) if you take your driving test on an automatic then you can only drive automatics. If you take your test on a manual you can drive both. The result of this is that nearly everyone who learns to drive in the UK does so on a manual.

I think that's generally true for Europe - most cars are manual from what I have seen on travel and when I rented cars on vacation. There are a few automatic cars around but the only one I know that drives one is my grandpa.
I've never driven an automatic so fuck me for assuming its boring but I kind of like the shifting gears - its something to do while driving and you can accelerate faster in lower gears. did I mention we have no general speed-limit in Germany on the autobahn

Originally Posted by Todd

Nah. It's just wicked hard to flip off other drivers with one hand on the wheel and the other on the stick shift.

oh trust me that is easy enough to do

[DWarrior]

It's also more fun to eat sandwiches while driving stick, you get to steer with your legs while you take bites.

[Blitzgal]

Originally Posted by DWarrior

Also, don't cite the studies that men are more likely to have accidents, those are false because they're not normalized for hours driven.

Actually, I was pointing out that anyone who tries claiming a guy is a pussy based on how he drives is ridiculous, but hey if you want to take the bad with the good, go for it.

The most recent statistics I've seen are that women are responsible for more minor accidents while the vast majority of fatalities are men, often due to aggressive driving and flouting traffic laws. So....way to go?

I've been driving for 18 years and haven't had a single accident. I've had one speeding ticket total and also that's the only time I've ever been pulled over as well. I was sixteen.

[King of Assholes]

Originally Posted by slampokes

Why are you so defensive? Jesus, calm down.

American cars are BIG. You know that. And only a real American says "no they're not - everyone else's are just small."

I fixed it for you. No need to thank me

[Gentile, Esq.]

All the talk about being able to drive stick reminded me of these guys in Pennsylvania who attempted to carjack someone but couldn't.

Carjackers Foiled By Manual Transmission « The Daily Andy

[punk'n]

I learned to drive a stick because they're cheaper, and because they handle better in the snow, IMO.

I'm the opposite of Blitzgal. I've been driving stick shifts for so long, whenever I borrow someone's automatic, I drive with two feet for a few blocks and slam on the brake like its a clutch before I remember what I'm doing. Manly.

[Todd]

I'd love it if Hannibal could tell us if every time they write a Gilly script, do the writers die a little more inside? I don't watch SNL regularly anymore, but the few times I check in because of a specific person, it seems like I always hit a Gilly sketch. I imagine those are written in literally fewer than 10 minutes.

[lattaland]

All I know it's that it's pretty hard to drink a cuppa coffee and smoke a bowl while driving a stick.