The Daily Peeve / Rant

[iris lilies]

I remember driving DH’s manual transmission truck in a parade. It was 1.5 hours of start and stop, start and stop. Towards the end I was starting to panic because I wasn’t sure I could make my left leg push down any more.

[JaneV2.0]

I did a hike in the Columbia Gorge area once--miles and miles from Portland on I-84.
I spent the whole long ride having to pick up my leg and move it from pedal to pedal.

gorge 2.jpg
And I walked miles in the snow--uphill both ways...)

[Simone]

We kept manuals while we were working as getting up hills in snow in an automatic wasn't as reliable.

Going down hills as well. Was grateful this winter to be driving down a treacherously icy hill with a standard shift.

[rosarugosa]

I am quite jealous, Alan! My first car was a 1970 Beatle. I am so sorry I don't have it still.... I drove manual trans VWs until they got so expensive I had to switch to a cheaper (still manual) car. I'm 65, and unless my knees give out, I'll not switch to an automatic. I don't like cars that think they know more than I do, lol. And when you only have four cylinders, you need to be able to use that extra power in the lower gears sometimes! I do think a car is for transportation, but I love to drive and appreciate some cars more than others - they are simply more fun to handle. Our truck is an automatic, and our beater van - but those were acquired due to their price, not for any specific features. I don't like to drive either one. I made both of our kids learn to drive a stick before they could drive an automatic, and both thank me for it. My *highlight* of driving a manual - in the mid 70s, I was in my late teens, working reception at a country club, and we had a big party. Someone showed up in a Maserati and neither of the car parkers could drive a stick (I know, right??) and one of the boys came in to get me to park it (because they weren't about to tell the owners they couldn't do it!). It was SO HARD to not take it for a spin! But I parked it all nice and neat. I was off work long before the party was over - I heard later that they had to get one of the bartenders to bring it round when the owner was ready to leave. And man, if I had a Maserati, I sure wouldn't hand it over to some teenager to park!

Great story, Early!

[iris lilies]

Three of my wife's four Beetles. One passed down to our daughter and another passed down to our youngest grandson. Only the latest one is an automatic, it's a family affair!

That is quite a fleet Alan. The Black Beetle Brigade.

[Alan]

That is quite a fleet Alan. The Black Beetle Brigade.

Not quite as impressive anymore, grandson traded the 22 year old one for a 10 year old Malibu. At 6'2" he said he needed more leg and head room.

[Teacher Terry]

Your wife needs some variety in colors.

[Alan]

Your wife needs some variety in colors.

Did you know that in the New Beetle era VW has offered 6 different shades of black? She is actually quite discerning.

[Teacher Terry]

I didn’t know that).

[JaneV2.0]

IMO, most automotive paint jobs are as dull as dirt. One of the reasons I liked the PT Cruiser line was its lovely colors over the years. So I bought "Vanilla." What was I thinking? https://duckduckgo.com/?q=pt+cruiser...2F48053884.jpg