ExiledInIllinois

Exactly. As in 2008+ with race relations. The right went further right in response to Obama, just like left did in response to Trump & PCness. Funny how those things happen.

And yet... In last 3 years we became hyper-PC. I thought Political Correctness was suppose to be less. Ooops. Go figure, it's gotten worse.

Because when the jailhouse door shuts... It slams! ???? Johnny! Tell this lovely contestant Jussie what they just won! A 3 year all inclusive stay in "The Slammer."

Hill assist. I think VW or Subaru came up with it in the 70s or 80s. On the MINI/BMW... It gives you about 2 seconds to get from brake to accelerator before rolling. Back in late 1990s...We were coming back from the mountains in New Hampshire to Boston... I was driving my sister inlaw's 1990's Toyota Camry... Stick. We get to a red light that is way on top of hill and my SiL is like: "Oh, I just wait at bottom of hill for the light, this is a real scary light!!!" I said: "That's insane! That's like 200' feet away... Don't you piss off the drivers behind you?... We will wait at top of hill at light where you are supposed to!" A flatlander in New England teaching them how to drive manual... Go figure! On the column or floor? My father had a 1970s Chevy truck... Shifter was on column. MINI (BMW) is still offering classic manual.

Wow! It most certainly does! ? Ha! I think My son rolls all the way to Iowa in neutral... "Hyper-miling." Yes... That's a real technique/practice... Hyper-miling! /smh... ?

Might be long gone... But still an mpg advantage IFF driven properly. My son has Cooper S manual. Driving to conserve... Can get close to 40 mpg. Driving in sport mode... Just under 30. It does 0-60 in around 6 seconds... Top end is around 140 mph... And it's very comfortable easily doing 100 mph. But, roll, 65-75 mph on highway, conserve through town, the thing sips fuel. Weight doesn't matter any more... All vehicles are heavy. That little car is over 3,000 lbs.

Hill Assist is nice! The new style Cooper S, F-56 (+2014 hardtops) have "rev matching." It will match rpms on downshift. No blipping the aaccelerato through neutral. 6th is overdrive. 4th power, 5 high speed.

One of the reasons I sent my kid to school with a stick! Though, those are key words highlighted there! Anybody can move anything... But properly is another question!

In a van you say. Would that be going down by a river? Ahhh... I like rivers and all, but (I) gotta pass.

Holy Moly... Somebody do a wellness check on Mead! Anybody hear from him in 5 hours... Send help my way. Who wouldn't flop for that!!! You'd have to be St.Francis of Assisi to resist!

Automatics have come a long way. Vehicles already bloated and heavy... Computers react faster... Even 4 wheeling they are more efficient and quicker say on a rock crawl... BUT the big disadvantage 4 wheeling is water crossing. Automatics can hydrolock, manuals superior getting wet.

EDIT: Ooops. I had #s reversed. Yet, I didn't recall how many manual trannys were sold. 18% is still weak and worthless. We are going soft! MAMA! Make America Manual Again! The report from U.S. News and World Report show only 18 percent of U.S. drivers know how to operate a stick shift. It says that because of advancements in automatic transmissions and fuel economy, only about 5 percent of vehicles sold in the U.S. today come with a stick shift.Oct 11, 2016 My wife will drive manual... But I have to be 3 States away! LoL...

We are a skewed buch here. The Ladies need to chime in! But I am Googling as we speak!

You got me thinking so much, I put the poll together on OTW. That Mustang would be cool! Yet... Today... Automatics probably quicker, more performance. Computers faster than humans.

First time making polls. It seems you have to answer all questions, why I did that. Not sure what the check box "Poll-Content only" means. I left it unchecked. Ha! One really old guy that can't drive stick, which is shocking! That's 60+ years ago. Most cars were stick on column back then. They must have been the rich kid! Back in the day... Some ladies couldn't even press the clutch. Had a family member that just gave up trying. My MiL, 90 pounds... But my FiL bought VWs in 1960s & 70s.

It's not you. It's one of the pollers who can't drive stick... LMAO... Coincidence? I think not. They are too busy texting. Sorry... For subtle stick shaming!

Edit: Not on me. I was watching from window!!!

One person ground some gears in the poll. Last two answers in last two questions should equal totals of first question. I know who it is... It happened early. They are as old as dirt and only drive automatics... LoL... Just giving you a hard time, who shall remain nameless. My older sister drove home from getting her learner's permit. Father in wagon, '77 Caprice Classic. Well, she missed the turn into driveway and drove over front lawn... My father almost had a cow... LoL... It left an indelible mark on my young brain for 5 years later. Good to be third born!

He's just being a wise-azz... His GirlFriend would slap him silly... Too.

Oh... Forgot... Did you get lucky that night? ? My son claims he can. What a wise azz. Gets it from his Mom!!!

Great... Just saw notification... Thought you were going to give me shhhh.... LoL...

My 17 year daughter was telling me they don't even take them out on road anymore. Not sure how true it is? Liability issues??? Son 20, goes in for road test and gets the brother of one of his teachers... Doesn't even make him parallel park, 3-point turn... What a little shhhhhh it! /smh Brother inlaw in MA was amazed my nephew passed. Was telling my Sister inlaw: "Don't worry, we got time, he won't pass, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts will never pass him right now!" Dude comes back from test smiling that he passed, BiL almost dropped dead! LMAO... Why I put the 1959 stipulation in there! Ut oh... @BringBackFergy signal just went off! Too the Carp Poles!

Where do the places like "corporate dining" get all their props, etc... To decorate their establishments? Maybe you can look into that? Like the poster above mentioned. Maybe you'd go into a TGIFridays and see them embedded in tables, etc... They gotta buy all that old crap somewhere? Is there a clearing house for this stuff? I can sell them an old ski or two... Pair of boots they can bolt to the wall... LoL...

I was reading somewhere that around 7% of the US driving population knows how to drive a manual transmission (ie: "Stick Shift) vehicle. I figured a poll of the board can be asked to see what the percentage here is. I expect the numbers to be higher than 7% of the drivers here. This is NOT a public poll. If you want to divulge who you are, you can in a post. I added the 1959 profiency requirement because we all know how soft we've become. Back then they actually failed people for driving like poo. LoL... Long story for possibly later in this thread (if this thread even goes anywhere before the usual suspects wreck things). Feel free to critique my poll-making skills/methodology. This is one of the few polls I have ever done. Go easy on me. Also, free-form... Add anything you want (within reason people! ? )... Stories, crashes, rolling back into another vehicle, stalling on train tracks and running from your vehicle the wrong way while a speeding train is approaching, stories about learning, starting the vehicle without clutch pedal pressed down (pre-safety days) and almost crashing through garage door, etc... etc... You know, "good stuff." Only one rule: @BringBackFergy and his ilk are NOT allowed to wreck this thread and all my not so hard work.

My son was born in 1998. He drives a manual. My Daughter, 2002...learning on one now. But true... I think it's like 7% of driving population knows how to drive manual. My wife drove manual for 15 years. She will drive it, but I gotta be 3 states away. ? Son taught his GF while they are away at college... He said: "She can drive it if she has to." LoL... He's taking after his Old Man (without the crazy streak). I sense GF don't want him anywhere close either while she is shifting... LMAO... Anyway... A few cool features on new manuals now, almost feels like cheating. Even know it's old tech (VW & Subaru developed I think in 70-80s?), there is "hill assist." Hill assist gives you about 2 seconds to move from brake to accelerator and get going before rolling down incline. The vehicle just sticks there for 2 seconds. There is also "rev matching" which is super cool. Don't have to double clutch (if you want to call it that), does it all for you. Throw clutch in on downshift, it will match the rpm's needed... No bumping the accelerator through neutral. Instant grand prix driver feel!