Another great thing about sticks that few people think of is that it is less likely to be stolen. There was a carjacking here in Toronto a while back where the thieves (I seem to recall there were 4 of them) jacked a standard and couldn't drive it away, so they had to use thier own feet to make their getaway. What a bunch of yutzes.

>>You tell 'em Bonnie. Automatics? Bah! The bumper cars at the exhibition; those are automatics.<
>
>You know probably why I hate automatics? I learned to drive in a real P.O.S. car ... a '62 Chevy station wagon. It was an automatic. And I had to share it with my sisters. All 5 of us drove that car at one time or another.
>
>But, every once in awhile, my dad would let me drive his Olds. It was a 442, ragtop with 4-on-the-floor (as they said in those days). What a sweet car that was! I used to win all the drag races in the high school parking lot!! The guys hated it. <g>
>
>~~Bonnie
>
>
>>
>>>Sam,
>>>
>>>I used to go to San Francisco a lot when I lived in Napa. I've always had a stick (I absolutely *hate* automatics) and I never had a problem with the hills. But, I guess you're right ... it's all what you're used to.
>>>
>>>~~Bonnie
>>>
>>>
>>>>>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. ;-)