I think automatic transmissions have conditioned people to sit too far from the pedals.
I just bought an old classic and haven’t driven stick in a decade. After I got everything comfy and adjusted how I wanted I realized something: I couldn’t get the clutch all the way down if I tried, I’m too far away. Same for the brakes.
Power brakes have made us feel as though all we need is the braking power of our toes, but what happens when your ABS pump goes out and you have to use actual force to apply the brakes at 65mph? Do you have the leverage to get those brakes as far down as they need to to stop safely?
If we were all still popping clutches at every red light I don’t think this would be an issue. I think we’d have less distracted drivers too, needing to shift manually keeps a driver engaged with the car and road.
I Wasn’t advocating to ban Automatic Transmissions when this comment started, I am now.
I feel this. Both in terms of driver engagement safety and in how much I loathe traditional automatic transmissions. Still stuck owning one in one of the two vehicles I have at the moment but only because it was all I could afford for the second of two vehicles large enough to fit all my kids.
I have had several manual transmission vehicles and the other current one is a PHEV and one of the rare models that is a series hybrid so it drives like a true EV.
Do you have the leverage to get those brakes as far down as they need to to stop safely?
Hi there friend, would you kindly get the heck out of my nightmares?
Responding to the rest of your comment: I love driving a manual transmission. My first three cars were manuals, and we have two automatics right now, but my next car in a year or so will probably be something fun and agile with a manual. Or EV of course, depending on what’s available for the price at the time.
I think automatic transmissions have conditioned people to sit too far from the pedals.
I just bought an old classic and haven’t driven stick in a decade. After I got everything comfy and adjusted how I wanted I realized something: I couldn’t get the clutch all the way down if I tried, I’m too far away. Same for the brakes.
Power brakes have made us feel as though all we need is the braking power of our toes, but what happens when your ABS pump goes out and you have to use actual force to apply the brakes at 65mph? Do you have the leverage to get those brakes as far down as they need to to stop safely?
If we were all still popping clutches at every red light I don’t think this would be an issue. I think we’d have less distracted drivers too, needing to shift manually keeps a driver engaged with the car and road.
I Wasn’t advocating to ban Automatic Transmissions when this comment started, I am now.
I feel this. Both in terms of driver engagement safety and in how much I loathe traditional automatic transmissions. Still stuck owning one in one of the two vehicles I have at the moment but only because it was all I could afford for the second of two vehicles large enough to fit all my kids.
I have had several manual transmission vehicles and the other current one is a PHEV and one of the rare models that is a series hybrid so it drives like a true EV.
Hi there friend, would you kindly get the heck out of my nightmares?
Responding to the rest of your comment: I love driving a manual transmission. My first three cars were manuals, and we have two automatics right now, but my next car in a year or so will probably be something fun and agile with a manual. Or EV of course, depending on what’s available for the price at the time.
I’ve had brakelines fail, you press the brake, and it just stays down.
The pool of vehicles that still have MT is getting smaller and smaller each year, at least in north America.