SultanOfSwing

Bloody right - who'd buy a sports car and not get a manual, though? Flappy paddle gearboxes don't count - back when F1 was good, they changed gears with a stick as well

Sally Redux

Automatic.

I wonder if they contribute to the general lackadaisical approach to driving here though.

Nutek

Like down the Dodgem's

Nutek

F1 is the only "sport" I really watch anymore. Used to like Rallycross too, but thats even harder to find on tv here than F1

Sally Redux

Nutek

That used to a good night out. Dodgem's, ghost train etc... Bottle of strongbow if you could get served....Fish an chips on the way home.

Bluegrass Lass

We have 2 automatics. I've tried multiple times to drive a manual, and I've never got the hang of it. I just don't have the hand/foot coordination, or understand when to change gears. I have a feeling if I ever drove a manual, I'd burn out clutches like crazy.

kimilseung

We have one of each, the one I drive regular is auto, I have to learn again each time I drive the manual. I am not convinced that the auto changes at the optimal time. I am glad that the auto has a hand brake and not one of those hard to get to extra foot break things, as I find I still need the break on steep hills.

Sally Redux

Snog under the pier
Yeah mine has a foot brake, to start with I kept trying to use it on hills but you can't really.

Bob

Not to keen on automatics, but I drive one.

When we got it, we couldn't find a second hand manual, plus they're next to impossible to sell as well as much more pricey new.

Also not quite so fun with the traffic down where we used to live and not so fun in the winter.

N1cky

2 automatics. Manuals were too much like hard work sitting in LA traffic. I loved my manual sports cars in the UK, loved been able to drop a gear and overtake on the country lanes. But here there are no good driving roads, and most are multi lanes, if you come across a single lane, there is no overtaking allowed anyway

I've just booked my car in the UK for my vacation and actually got an automatic. It's 5 years since I've driven on the correct side of the road and faced roundabouts, which I imagine will feel strange. Thought I wouldn't complicate it more by going back to a manual.

Scouse Express

Watch out for the Speed Cameras - they're everywhere! Bastards. Not that I'm pro-speeding. But now and again, one drifts over the limit when you are thinking of Mushy Peas and Cheese & Onion Crisps......amongst other things

Jim.

SultanOfSwing

That's true. I've lost count of how many times I've drifted over the speed limit while thinking about how shit the speed limits are round here ...

MtbbikeVanlife

Only ever drive manuals back in UK/Europe - change gear when I want to when approaching and leaving corners etc...

However over here I've got an auto - given the general lack of corners it's no problem, plus I've now got used to playing with the +/- button on the selector and frequently over ride the auto box when I feel the need.

As for the parking brake (foot operated) - never used it.....!

Carl.

Anian

I'm so in tune with driving a manual that I don't even think about it when I am in heavy traffic. I'm not sure I could tell someone how to drive without acting it out. Someone told me to put my left indicator on and I couldn;t even remember which stick it was on let alone whether to push it up or down - I had to imagine that I was driving and about to turn left!