>The same is true of an automatic transmission on a San Francisco hill. I have always thought that if you learned how to drive in San Francisco, you would have little trouble driving just about anywhere! :)

Hmmm, never had that much problem driving an automatic in San Francisco. It would have to be a pretty steep hill.

>By the way when I do drive an automatic on a San Francisco hill, I use my left foot for the break and my right for the gas. With a manual transmission you use the handbreak and then a bit of gas and clutch as you let out on the handbreak. Also, never get close to anyones rear bumper on a hill. You might be sitting together before you know it! ?)

So you got hand, eye and feet coordination going on here. :-)
You can control how far behind you are from the car ahead of you, but you can't control the car behind you.