Manual vs Automatic transmission in TV

bovellois wrote:

blofgren wrote:

Paul Clancy wrote:
Can't imagine wrestling a standard by choice. I guess truckers do it for money but I'll stick with the Allison with cruise grade braking and tap shift if needed.

I agree with other comments that have been said in that unwanted shifting with an automatic transmission is and always will be a problem. With the manual, you can leave it in whatever gear you want/need at the time with no unwanted shifts. An alert driver can see upcoming grade changes, traffic changes, etc. much better than a computer can!

The other thing I notice here in Quebec is that automatic transmission makes for poorer drivers. It may be hard to control a car with two pedals, but controlling it with just the gas pedal proves to be too hard for some. They take off way too fast at stop signs and lights, they don't know what feathering is, whereas the standard transmission is not forgiving, the driver has to be in tune with the road, and that's a good thing.

Agreed. It seems that anyone driving a vehicle with a manual transmission is much more alert; I find that you "feel" the road much better. Part of this may be the fact that they are not on the phone while trying to drink coffee and eat a breakfast sandwich!

I also think a big part of diminishing manual transmission equipped vehicles is pure laziness in people. A natural tendency of humans is to exert the least amount of effort into any and everything!