my new generation anti theft device

aiabx

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I don't know how to rebraid a buggy whip either.
 

trailrunner

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You are kidding .. stick shift is the ONLY way to drive!
I've driven a stick shift for 40 years, most of it in Los Angeles and Washington DC traffic, and I'm tired of it. My left leg is probably 10 percent stronger than my right leg from constantly pushing in the clutch pedal. I'm looking forward to driving an automatic, but my current car just won't die -- 152,000 miles and still on the original clutch!
 

Michael R

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I gave up stick when I started having back spasms. Shifting aggravates the same muscles and if I was recovering from a back spasm, I could not drive.
 

Paul M. Weir

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I looked at the photo in post #1 and wondered WTF? I half forgot that US cars are often automatics. I don't know about the continent, but in Ireland and England stick shifts are by far the dominant kind. The only problem I had with a gear lever was in my first Ibiza. The joint at the bottom of the lever had a design weakness and snapped. Fortunately it was in 3rd gear (of 5) and I was able to get it home and the next day to the dealer where it was fixed for free. I was told I was far from the first the have that happen.
 

witchbottles

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my old car anti-theft device... it finally required a replacement...

8469

Its amazing how many people have serious issues with a dog that never barks, just stares at you intently as you walk by. (Well, he did weigh in at around 125 pounds at full growth. And yes, he could make it from the front door to the fence in around 3.8 seconds, if he wanted to.)

I'd always get the "Oh! That's a handsome dog!" comments. I'd always respond "That's because he's so big, you'd be afraid to say he wasn't a handsome dog, right?" ;)
 

Brian W

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My father cannot drive an automatic. He tries by using one foot on the gas pedal and one on the break pedal. He fits right in to God's Waiting Room, aka Florida.
 

Brian W

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I half forgot that US cars are often automatics.
My current camery is the first automatic I've ever owned (as well as the first with automatic windows and locks). I tried to buy a standard transmission, but there were only a couple in the entire state and I gave up on trying to make a deal for a car that was 200 klicks away from me. Sadly, I gave my old corolla to my mother, who promptly wrecked it when a deer jumped in front of her. The police did end up with a six point buck though, so there was a positive.
 

Mister T

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In Europe, twenty years ago, you would have been considered a crippled if you were to have an auto gearbox. Things are changing against the background of ever-denser traffic as (European) auto gearboxes have greatly improved, with smoother changes between gears (dual clutch system), more fuel efficiency at little cost in terms of dynamism. High-end german cars are now chosen more often with auto gearboxes now, although one can still use paddles at the wheel. Nevertheless it's gonna take a long time to replace all manual cars here.
 

trailrunner

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A friend of mine was going to take a business trip to England about 15 years ago. She thought that she would have to rent a car with manual transmission, so the day before she left, she asked me if I could teach her to drive a stick shift. I told her I wouldn't do it, because even with an hour or two of practice, she wouldn't be able to master it, and she would have a huge added complication of driving on the left side of the road. I told her that if I rented a stick shift in England, I would probably be completely discombobulated trying to shift with my left hand instead of my right hand. As I said, I've driven a stick shift for 40 years, and my right hand is inexorably coupled to my left foot pushing down (and my right foot lifting up). Maybe it wouldn't be a big deal and I would adjust, but I simply can't imagine shifting with my left hand.
 

Vinnie

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My brother never passed his test inns manual car, despite taking it after he'd been driving ban automatic for 20 years.
I'm currently driving an automatic (or flappy paddle, if you waht). Need to change it soon but may stick with that sort of set up.
 
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