in 125761 20080619 184807 "Mortimer" wrote:

I loathe automatics: they change gear at the wrong time and are far too
inclined to change down in situations where I would hold onto a higher gear
and apply a bit more power. Negotiating roundabouts in an automatic is no
fun: I find that I either get too little acceleration in a high gear or
else, for just a tiny bit more power, the transmission changes right down
into first gear (well that's what it feels like) and I get far too much
acceleration. Nothing is worse than a car which changes gear by itself in
the middle of a manoeuvre when you're not expecting it.

I've driven automatics for 99% of the last 50 years and they change up more
or less when I want them to. It's all a matter of throttle control.