Manual in traffic stigma

[chotemaamu]

Originally Posted by bdanisi

Feel free to skip my little thoughts about this. So I had my manual frs in the shop for a week due to a run in with a curb avoiding an animal. I had 2 rentals and both were auto. I commute from orange county to La for work and everyone told me that if I didn't get the auto I would hate my life in traffic. In fact some dealerships that didn't have manual tried to sell me an auto on that argument. After sitting in traffic for 2 hours in my auto I thought I was going to lose it. Not only was I bored silly but I was constantly on my phone texting Facebook he'll even browsing these forums. Don't get me wrong with my manual I still text and drive sometimes but wow in the automatic I was glues to my phone. So bored I tried to drive with only my left foot. It was pretty funny haha. I have put on 8k miles and a lot of traffic. Hell all kind of traffic. The fully stopped kind the get to 30 mph then stop and on and on. The mt keeps me engaged. I am almost find it therapeutic haha. Am I alone in this? I'm 23 and healthy so is it an age thing? Is it something with older cars? The light clutch?



So what is the hatred for manual in traffic?

My thoughts exactly.... I am less distracted while driving a manual.

[SloS14]

Originally Posted by btd800

OP just makes me think of this story.

http://www.news.com.au/world-news/fi...-1226618691883

Makes me think of this

[Brzetto]

Originally Posted by bdanisi

Feel free to skip my little thoughts about this. So I had my manual frs in the shop for a week due to a run in with a curb avoiding an animal. I had 2 rentals and both were auto. I commute from orange county to La for work and everyone told me that if I didn't get the auto I would hate my life in traffic. In fact some dealerships that didn't have manual tried to sell me an auto on that argument. After sitting in traffic for 2 hours in my auto I thought I was going to lose it. Not only was I bored silly but I was constantly on my phone texting Facebook he'll even browsing these forums. Don't get me wrong with my manual I still text and drive sometimes but wow in the automatic I was glued to my phone. So bored I tried to drive with only my left foot. It was pretty funny haha. I have put on 8k miles and a lot of traffic. Hell all kind of traffic. The fully stopped kind the get to 30 mph then stop and on and on. The mt keeps me engaged. I am almost find it therapeutic haha. Am I alone in this? I'm 23 and healthy so is it an age thing? Is it something with older cars? The light clutch?



So what is the hatred for manual in traffic?

Don't text and drive, you'll thank me later.

[finch1750]

Originally Posted by naikaidriver

And the auto<manual conversation begins yet again...

Just let me go on record that I have ZERO hate for manuals in traffic, daily driving, or around a racetrack and after nearly 25 years of driving manual sports cars, I have ZERO regrets on the auto in my FRS.

Scott

^this

I always thought autos sucked and talked endless smack on them. then I read some articles and got an auto. I sit in traffic, could care less driving a manual. I put 25k miles a year on my STi before this and the wrx i had before that, most of it spent in bumper to bumper crawling. every car i have ever owned was manual. traffic never bothered me. I cant really explain without turning this into a mt vs at thread, but I am perfectly happy with my auto FRS.

[Sonolin]

Originally Posted by bdanisi

Feel free to skip my little thoughts about this. So I had my manual frs in the shop for a week due to a run in with a curb avoiding an animal. I had 2 rentals and both were auto. I commute from orange county to La for work and everyone told me that if I didn't get the auto I would hate my life in traffic. In fact some dealerships that didn't have manual tried to sell me an auto on that argument. After sitting in traffic for 2 hours in my auto I thought I was going to lose it. Not only was I bored silly but I was constantly on my phone texting Facebook he'll even browsing these forums. Don't get me wrong with my manual I still text and drive sometimes but wow in the automatic I was glues to my phone. So bored I tried to drive with only my left foot. It was pretty funny haha. I have put on 8k miles and a lot of traffic. Hell all kind of traffic. The fully stopped kind the get to 30 mph then stop and on and on. The mt keeps me engaged. I am almost find it therapeutic haha. Am I alone in this? I'm 23 and healthy so is it an age thing? Is it something with older cars? The light clutch?



So what is the hatred for manual in traffic?

I don't text and drive (can't stand that...), but I completely agree with you on most of your post. After trading in my auto for a manual I'm so much happier, and its actually more calming & funner in traffic for some reason!

I just don't get it. My whole entire family told me over and over "if you get an auto you'll hate your life in traffic". I just don't get it...

[kthxbai]

Originally Posted by chillywilly

haha yup thats what I generally try to do. But sometimes when I'm in a hurry, I would accidentally over rev to about 2.5-3k while letting the clutch out.

My last car was a A4 1.8t and it was much more forgiving in rush hour traffic, I usually let the clutch out slowly without applying any throttle in stop/go traffic but I tried that in the FR-S it ends up stalling, probably because lighter flywheel on the FR-S clutch? Its a trade-off between a sporty engine response vs comfortable ride I'm still getting used to.

I hear ya on the over rev, the throttle can be touchy as ive done the same here and there especially when trying to practice heel-toe down shifting for safety reasons or taking a turn with a bit more aggressiveness in an empty parking lot where my fiance is teaching me more advanced skills. I wonder about the flywheel like you said b/c my fiance's just went fr a light weight flywheel back to stock in his tC (due to wear) and now it seems the tC doesnt need much throttle to initiate a crawl from stop.

[sho220]

Originally Posted by bdanisi

I'm 23 and healthy so is it an age thing?

23 lol...I've logged more time sitting in bumper to bumper traffic than you've been alive. Sitting in traffic sucks regardless of whether you're driving an AT or an MT...

And for what it's worth...I consider myself an expert at sitting in traffic. I work/commute in the DC/Northern VA area...

[HotLava]

Originally Posted by shawnperolis

Everyone that I've ever met in person who drives a stick never complains about driving it in traffic. Everyone I've ever met who doesn't know how to drive stick always ask me how I stand it in traffic (when the subject comes up, obviously. I don't go around asking random non-driver people about such a weird subject haha) Fear of the unknown and lack of understanding are pretty much the main reasons for this stigma, I think.

You don't have traffic where you live.

[NorseLegend]

I'm definitely one of those people who are intimidated by manual gearboxes, I've driven one once, and as a daily, I'm honestly pretty scared. But, I will be forcing myself to learn it for my BRZ in the future.

I want to be able to say, "yes I do drive a manual".


Sent from your mom's room.

[_hollywood]

Originally Posted by naikaidriver

The manual in the FRS is a cake-walk! I had a 1968 Camaro SS 327 with an M-22 Rock Crusher 4-spd. The 3-finger clutch in THAT was HELL in Seattle traffic!

Scott

Now that is a true manual....i can respect that....

[jarviz]

I don't have any issues with this car in traffic. Even in stop and go traffic it's still kinda fun. Just give yourself a few extra feet and time when to gas.

The only thing I hate about a manual is I have a hard time eating a big mac on the highway... until I get to cruise control speeds.

[TaddyDobbins]

Originally Posted by bdanisi

Don't get me wrong with my manual I still text and drive sometimes but wow in the automatic I was glues to my phone. So bored I tried to drive with only my left foot.

I seriously hope this is a failed attempt to be funny. If this is how you drive I recommend selling your car, cut up your license, and use a bus for transportation. Texting and driving is a serious problem that kills innocent people every day.

[whaap]

What do people who drive and text and drunk drivers have in common? They kill people.

[Stealthx]

New AT are very good and most quicker and smoother then a manual. Saying that I own both. But all my sport cars currently including the brz are manual and I sit in traffic for 30-90 minutes a day. Could care less. The clutch is far far far from a modded Evo clutch as they feel like leg day at the gym lol.