I would try to make a habit of NOT doing it...

sure the trans can take abuse(lol, maybe not this trans) but if you rest your hand/arm on it and don't move it I'm sure its fine, but why take the chance?

Lol if I saw that in parking lot, I am just going to run away. Seen too many scary movie to know not to open it

Every morning when I get up, I put a revolver with one bullet in it to my head and pull the trigger.
Been doing it for 5 days now and nothing happend so I am positive the gun will never go off.....

My driving instructor chewed my ass last weekend for leaving my hand on the shifter when I was held up by slow traffic or yellow flags.

His example was: "when driving my RSR through a casual corner, the transmission blew and it was like a bomb going off. Shit like that could happen at any second so keep both hands on the wheel at all times unless you are shifting!"

It was the only thing during the entire weekend that he actually got pissed about.

Slacker Driver's Anonymous
 

I'll admit since my first HPDE class last year I've been working on keeping both hands on the wheel. I do still tend to rest my gearshift hand on the center console. I too have inadvertently selected some optional nanny mode but never noticed because I don't overdrive the car.

This is also why I think the whole nanny concept is flawed. There's no replacement for actual skill.

Crap, now that you mention it, maybe it was third I killed. I was young & stupid.

As they say in the car biz. "There's an ass for every seat". If you want to keep your hand on the shifter go right ahead. And I'll keep mine on the wheel or resting on the hand brake. Thank you very much.

Man, since I have an auto (my first) I keep both hands on the wheel almost all the time. Is my steering mechanism going to asplode? The manual says you can overheat the steering motor. Do I need to stop steering with the front wheels and just use the rear?

I recommend it.

yesterday I noticed I have a habit of now resting my right hand on the e-break and clicking in n out the knob? aka button.

Guess i've moved out of resting it on the shifter.

This is nonsense. I've driven dozens of standards over the years. Never once an issue.
This car is no exception.

I don't rest my hand on it because it isn't comfortable to me and I'm not drag racing.
2 hands on the wheel almost all the time.

I actually do this.. It is a bad habit that I am working on because even at the track I wont realize that I am only steering with my left hand. During the last autocross I one hand countersteered so hard that my wrist wouldnt stop hurting for like a week! I might just post some video evidence.. At one point you would think I was in a gumtape deathmatch with my deathgrip on the wheel lol This is all in my miata of course. Part of the issue I think is the lack of a racing seat so when I am cornering hard I grap the shifter and use it as a handle.. Yes I know this is terrible and i am working on it! :D

The only time I keep my hand on the shifter is when I'm hooning through busy parking lots scaring old men and little dogs.