On Fri, 03 Feb 2017 11:49:51 -0600, Jon Elson
wrote:

wrote:

(my buddy the engineer always buys stick shift cars, I
actually wondered if he could even drive an automatic for a while but then
eventually I saw him do it...)

Yeah, but he keeps stomping his left foot on the floor where the clutch
pedal is SUPPOSED to be every time he come up to a light or stop sign.
Don't ask how I know about this - 30 years of primarily driving stick.

I are an engineer (of sorts). All my vehicles have had stick shifts
since about 1970. In the past, it was because stick shifts got better
gas mileage, and were cheaper. I even converted one old vehicle from
automatic to manual (because the junk yard wanted less for the manual
than a rebuild would have cost me for the automatic). Today, it's
purely psychological and maybe a little macho. It doesn't feel like
I'm driving the vehicle unless I control the gearing. Having it done
automatically makes me feel more like I'm a passenger than a driver.
After price, a manual transmission was a mandatory requirement for my
last vehicle. I even overpaid the dealer for it as I knew they were
getting scarce and difficult to find.

And yes, I have problems driving an automatic, try to shift in an
automatic, and find my left foot wandering around looking for the
clutch pedal. I don't know how I'll do with a self-driving car.
Probably badly.

--
Jeff Liebermann
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558