>>>>My old Dodge Colt (I loved that car - Mitsubishi engine) was totalled by an idiot coming out of a shopping plaza. I was given a Toyota Corolla to drive 'til the claim got settled. It was an automatic. I drove it for almost 2 weeks and never got used to it. If I took my foot off the brake, the car started to move forward. It's not supposed to do that. I mean, who's the driver here. Me or the car? The car is supposed to do what I tell it to do, not make its own decisions and do whatever it wants.
>>>
>>>What about when you let go of the break on a "manual" car, it could start rolling down a hill. Ever go to San Fransisco and stop at a stop light/sign and try to start up again without backing into the car behind you? It takes some getting used to. ;-)
>>
>>Yeah, that's what handbrakes are for, and yes it does take some getting used to - even here where the hills can be steep in some places (thought not like S.F.). But in any case, I always feel like I'm in control with a stick. With an automatic, I feel like a passenger - it doesn't feel like driving. Besides, you're a God type guy - He gave us a left foot too, remember. ;)
>
>Alan;
>
>You would really enjoy driving in the San Francisco Bay Area or Los Angeles, with a stick at rush hour. Rush hour by the way is from 5 AM till 9 AM and 3 PM till 7 PM (later in some places). :)
>
>Tom

Even here in Toronto, the city planners had much the same idea. "Wherever you see a hill; put a traffic light on top of it."