The automatic transmission/obesity connection

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Oct 25th 2005, 12:22 am

#31

Sarah

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Re: The automatic transmission/obesity connection

Don't you find with automatics that when you first drive them, they change gear when you wouldn't have changed gear had you been in a manual? That drives me nuts sometimes.

Oct 25th 2005, 12:25 am

#32

AmerLisa

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Re: The automatic transmission/obesity connection

Quote:

Originally Posted by gruffbrown

The wheel had been invented though, right?

Hmmm....I think so, and we didn't use our feet to start and stop the car.

Oct 25th 2005, 12:26 am

#33

gruffbrown

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Re: The automatic transmission/obesity connection

Quote:

Originally Posted by AmerLisa

Hmmm....I think so, and we didn't use our feet to start and stop the car.

WILMAAAAAAAA

Oct 25th 2005, 12:27 am

#34

Bob

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Re: The automatic transmission/obesity connection

if i had to get a rental, i'd ask for a manual, pay the £5 excess and then rag the hell out of as I wouldn't have to worry about the clutch plate falling off

but anyway, over here, driving an automatic as we couldn't find a manual anywhere...don't really like them as you have less control on the snow/ice...can't coast them on the hills as well, well it never goes back into proper gear does it....hmmm...can't scare little ole grannies revin' the engine up at the lights either

if I was stuck in traffic everyday, then I might want an automatic...but I ain't...so I think there pants, and just not getting the best milage out of the motor....

oh, and why doesn't anyone ever use the handbrake over here? just curious, they all seem to prefer there motors to just sway around while just sticking the car in park...

Oct 25th 2005, 12:28 am

#35

AmerLisa

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Re: The automatic transmission/obesity connection

Quote:

Originally Posted by gruffbrown

WILMAAAAAAAA

Yep, that was me, blowing into Florida....

Oct 25th 2005, 12:28 am

#36

Bob

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Re: The automatic transmission/obesity connection

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sarah

Don't you find with automatics that when you first drive them, they change gear when you wouldn't have changed gear had you been in a manual? That drives me nuts sometimes.

yup...normally taking to long to change gears on the slopes, or not changing fast enough when sticking it in neutral going down a hill...

Oct 25th 2005, 1:35 am

#37

Yorkieabroad

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Re: The automatic transmission/obesity connection

Quote:

Originally Posted by AmerLisa

It was on my first driving test and no it wasn't in the dark ages.

Your first? so how many have you taken then eh?

Oct 25th 2005, 1:59 am

#38

AmerLisa

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Re: The automatic transmission/obesity connection

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yorkieabroad

Your first? so how many have you taken then eh?

Hmmm.....one here and one in the UK.

Oct 25th 2005, 3:34 am

#39

britvic

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Re: The automatic transmission/obesity connection

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sarah

Don't you find with automatics that when you first drive them, they change gear when you wouldn't have changed gear had you been in a manual? That drives me nuts sometimes.

Have to agree

really feel like I'm not in total control with an automatic, hate driveing now days.

Oct 25th 2005, 3:58 am

#40

Celtic_Angel

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Re: The automatic transmission/obesity connection

Quote:

Originally Posted by elfman

[I]...the source of America's obesity epidemic wasn't portion size, or lack of exercise, or the decline in smoking. It was the invention of the automatic transmission.

personally, like I mentioned in another thread...I think America's obesity is closely linked to the vast amount of commercials on t.v....yeah so you use the time to use the rest room but don't you also grab a sarnie, bag of chips, some choccys, another beer/glass of wine...with 10mins of commercials every 10 mins you're half stuffed or blind drunk or both before the movie is half over.....no wonder you don't remember the ending...good job they show it again.....and again.....and again

as for transmissions...haven't a clue how to drive stick..big hassle why bother

Oct 25th 2005, 4:57 am

#41

Ash UK/US

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Re: The automatic transmission/obesity connection

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yorkieabroad

I'm sitting in a coffee shop now, and there's a drive thru window right opposite me. Some silly cow has just driven up and bought a coffee, she had a toddler, maybe 20 months sitting on her lap while she drove, and as she left, she had the coffee in her right hand, and her left arm stretched around the kid to the steering wheel. And then she went up the ramp to the freeway. Couldn't do that in a manual!! I sincerely hope the Highway Patrol stop her and throw the friggin book at her, but they won't...........

Last week a woman got into an accident outside my house she had a 8 week old baby in the car... too cut a long story short it was pissing down and cold so I offered to bring thr baby in the house while the mother waited for the police etc... the woman's air bag had gone off and her face was quite well cut up the baby was at first very upset but I settled her and she went back to sleep and was oblivious to the whole thing... when the fireman came in to check her over I was saying how much of a god send child car seats where... we were chatting about how in our day we sat on our parents lap in the car or were laid on a blanket on the back seat :scared: :scared: :scared: When I am out with Em in the car I will not even drive across the car park without her being fastened into her seat because you just never know when some loony is going to ram you... I also hope the police stopped her and gave her a nice heafty fine... maybe she will think twice about playing with someones life like that.

Last edited by Ash UK/US; Oct 25th 2005 at 5:01 am.

Oct 25th 2005, 5:30 am

#42

britontour

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Re: The automatic transmission/obesity connection

Quote:

Originally Posted by elfman

Consider:

...the source of America's obesity epidemic wasn't portion size, or lack of exercise, or the decline in smoking. It was the invention of the automatic transmission. Here I was, the typical, atrophied American, barely able to press the clutch without my slack muscles begging for relief. Automatic transmissions became widely available in the 1940s. Over the decades, as Americans have increasingly embraced them, they've increasingly increased. Since you need both hands to drive a stick shift, there's no way you can also be sucking down Slurpees and shoving in Big Macs. It's because of automatic transmissions that we're becoming blob people who will soon have to be hoisted into our behemoth vehicles. Compare us with Europeans, who still generally have firm left legs and discernable waists. About 85 percent of cars sold in Europe have manual transmission. It doesn't seem like a coincidence that European weights are creeping up in tandem with upward sales of automatics.

http://www.slate.com/id/2128407/

Personally I don't like automatics very much and I drive a manual here (more control, more fun, can get better gas mileage if you're careful, also I simply didn't want to get out of practice while living here) but the car the Mrs drives is an automatic. She can drive a manual perfectly well but her attitude is simply why bother? Her sister (age 25) has never driven one and admits she wouldn't have the first idea how to.

Anybody else have strong opinions one way or the other with regard to the manual/automatic debate, or the (tongue in cheek) points raised in the above article?

I bought a Grand Vitara out here, normally I just drive it as a 5 speed manual, but on the highway hit cruise control and rest your feet, kind of got the best of both world's

Doesn't seem to work for slow moving traffic but then the traffic's not too bad where I am and anyway I'm half way up the road before an automatic has left the lights.