Would you support a "stick shift only" drivers license?
in [Drive]
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From: dr_jeff on 24 May 2010 21:08 Evan Platt wrote: > On Mon, 24 May 2010 13:12:52 -0700, richard <member(a)newsguy.com> > wrote: > >> Problem is, trying to find a manual transmission. Most cars today all have >> automatics. > > You're kidding, right? > > 2010 Honda Civic: > Available in 5 speed manual > > 2011 Toyota Camry: > Available in 6 speed manual > > 2011 Mazda Protege > Available in 5 speed manual > > Need I go on? Or is this where you back out of the thread knowing > you've yet again been proved st00pid? Prius: CVT Ford Five Hundred: CVT Cadillac: Automatic I think around 90% of cars sold today have automatics or CVTs in them. Jeff
From: dr_jeff on 24 May 2010 21:15 His Highness the TibetanMonkey, ComandanteBanana and Chief of Quixotic Enterprises wrote: > On May 24, 8:24 pm, "Rod Speed" <rod.speed....(a)gmail.com> wrote: >> Jim A wrote >> >>> His Highness the TibetanMonkey, ComandanteBanana and Chief of Quixotic Enterprises wrote >>>> In most parts of the world driving means "stick shift," not >>>> automatic, which even a monkey can do. The result is that obviously >>>> we got a bunch of monkeys driving, some of them wanting to be "king >>>> of the road" and driving SUVs... Of course, this "automatic pilot" >>>> driving facilitates all the other crazy stuff such as: TALKING ON >>>> THE PHONE, NO SIGNAL LIGHTS, ZIGZAGGING, which makes driving such a game of Russian Roulette... >>>> So is this IDIOCRACY reversible, or we just have to live with it? >>> Very few cars here in the UK aren't stick-shift. >> Oh bullshit.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manual_transmission#Applications_and_pop... > > "Many types of automobiles are equipped with manual transmissions. > Small economy cars predominantly feature manual transmissions because > they are cheap and efficient, although many are optionally equipped > with automatics. Economy cars are also often powered by very small > engines, and manual transmissions make more efficient use of the power > produced. > > Sports cars are also often equipped with manual transmissions because > they offer more direct driver involvement and better performance. Off- > road vehicles and trucks often feature manual transmissions because > they allow direct gear selection and are often more rugged than their > automatic counterparts." > > *** > > In other words, smart cars take stick-shift, and stupid cars such as > the bigger cars and SUVs go on "automatic pilot." > > How much easier you want to make it for the dinosaurs? A lot of people, like me, like manual transmissions. When I bought my last car, my two requirements were a moon roof and manual. However, many more prefer automatic transmissions. Automatics have the advantage of not having to select the gear, smooth shifts, easier (for some) to drive and often better fuel efficiency and the ability to drive it as a manual. CVTs often ofter better fuel efficiency, too. Plus, because it continuously changes gear, there are no sudden gear shifts. They can be more fuel efficient too, particularly when they are in a hybrid car. Jeff
From: His Highness the TibetanMonkey, ComandanteBanana and Chief of Quixotic Enterprises on 24 May 2010 21:26 On May 24, 9:08 pm, dr_jeff <u...(a)msu.edu> wrote: > Evan Platt wrote: > > On Mon, 24 May 2010 13:12:52 -0700, richard <mem...(a)newsguy.com> > > wrote: > > >> Problem is, trying to find a manual transmission. Most cars today all have > >> automatics. > > > You're kidding, right? > > > 2010 Honda Civic: > > Available in 5 speed manual > > > 2011 Toyota Camry: > > Available in 6 speed manual > > > 2011 Mazda Protege > > Available in 5 speed manual > > > Need I go on? Or is this where you back out of the thread knowing > > you've yet again been proved st00pid? > > Prius: CVT > Ford Five Hundred: CVT > Cadillac: Automatic > > I think around 90% of cars sold today have automatics or CVTs in them. > > Jeff CVTs are more technologically advanced but equally easy to do for the idiots and boring.
From: His Highness the TibetanMonkey, ComandanteBanana and Chief of Quixotic Enterprises on 24 May 2010 21:28 On May 24, 9:15 pm, dr_jeff <u...(a)msu.edu> wrote: > His Highness the TibetanMonkey, ComandanteBanana and Chief of Quixotic > > > > Enterprises wrote: > > On May 24, 8:24 pm, "Rod Speed" <rod.speed....(a)gmail.com> wrote: > >> Jim A wrote > > >>> His Highness the TibetanMonkey, ComandanteBanana and Chief of Quixotic Enterprises wrote > >>>> In most parts of the world driving means "stick shift," not > >>>> automatic, which even a monkey can do. The result is that obviously > >>>> we got a bunch of monkeys driving, some of them wanting to be "king > >>>> of the road" and driving SUVs... Of course, this "automatic pilot" > >>>> driving facilitates all the other crazy stuff such as: TALKING ON > >>>> THE PHONE, NO SIGNAL LIGHTS, ZIGZAGGING, which makes driving such a game of Russian Roulette... > >>>> So is this IDIOCRACY reversible, or we just have to live with it? > >>> Very few cars here in the UK aren't stick-shift. > >> Oh bullshit.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manual_transmission#Applications_and_pop... > > > "Many types of automobiles are equipped with manual transmissions. > > Small economy cars predominantly feature manual transmissions because > > they are cheap and efficient, although many are optionally equipped > > with automatics. Economy cars are also often powered by very small > > engines, and manual transmissions make more efficient use of the power > > produced. > > > Sports cars are also often equipped with manual transmissions because > > they offer more direct driver involvement and better performance. Off- > > road vehicles and trucks often feature manual transmissions because > > they allow direct gear selection and are often more rugged than their > > automatic counterparts." > > > *** > > > In other words, smart cars take stick-shift, and stupid cars such as > > the bigger cars and SUVs go on "automatic pilot." > > > How much easier you want to make it for the dinosaurs? > > A lot of people, like me, like manual transmissions. When I bought my > last car, my two requirements were a moon roof and manual. However, many > more prefer automatic transmissions. Automatics have the advantage of > not having to select the gear, smooth shifts, easier (for some) to drive > and often better fuel efficiency and the ability to drive it as a > manual. CVTs often ofter better fuel efficiency, too. Plus, because it > continuously changes gear, there are no sudden gear shifts. They can be > more fuel efficient too, particularly when they are in a hybrid car. > > Jeff They are not compatible with bigger cars, right? I'm all for SMALL, MANUAL, FUN cars. The rest is just transportation or status.
From: dr_jeff on 24 May 2010 21:39
His Highness the TibetanMonkey, ComandanteBanana and Chief of Quixotic Enterprises wrote: > On May 24, 9:08 pm, dr_jeff <u...(a)msu.edu> wrote: >> Evan Platt wrote: >>> On Mon, 24 May 2010 13:12:52 -0700, richard <mem...(a)newsguy.com> >>> wrote: >>>> Problem is, trying to find a manual transmission. Most cars today all have >>>> automatics. >>> You're kidding, right? >>> 2010 Honda Civic: >>> Available in 5 speed manual >>> 2011 Toyota Camry: >>> Available in 6 speed manual >>> 2011 Mazda Protege >>> Available in 5 speed manual >>> Need I go on? Or is this where you back out of the thread knowing >>> you've yet again been proved st00pid? >> Prius: CVT >> Ford Five Hundred: CVT >> Cadillac: Automatic >> >> I think around 90% of cars sold today have automatics or CVTs in them. >> >> Jeff > > CVTs are more technologically advanced but equally easy to do for the > idiots and boring. So what? Cars are made so that you can get people and stuff around. I will go with boring if it means a better environment and economy for us all. While some people are interested in shifting, many just want ot press on the gas pedal and go. CVTs are not necessarily more technologically advanced that manuals or automatics, either. Actually, they can be quite simple, which means easier to service, in the rare cases they need to be fixed. |