Sleep better tonight if you have a manual transmission in your vehicle- repost

A police report out of St. Petersburg, Florida, reveals the current
state of the U.S. car culture. Two would-be carjackers robbed a
45-year-old man and his 24-year-old girlfriend after they had dropped
off the man’s work truck.

As the couple was getting ready to leave two men appeared, one on each
side. They demanded money and a cell phone. One of them wielded a
handgun and told the couple to get out of the woman’s 2007 Nissan.
Neither of the thieves was prepared for what was next: the Nissan’s
third pedal and stick shift. The two men quickly gave up and ran off on
foot. The pair made off with a cell phone, but alas no money, or the car.

On Dec 6, 5:37*pm, Dickr > wrote:
> A police report out of St. Petersburg, Florida, reveals the current
> state of the U.S. car culture. Two would-be carjackers robbed a
> 45-year-old man and his 24-year-old girlfriend after they had dropped
> off the man s work truck.

Damn, 45 and 24, could be the dude's daughter.

> As the couple was getting ready to leave two men appeared, one on each
> side. They demanded money and a cell phone. One of them wielded a
> handgun and told the couple to get out of the woman s 2007 Nissan.
> Neither of the thieves was prepared for what was next: the Nissan s
> third pedal and stick shift. The two men quickly gave up and ran off on
> foot. The pair made off with a cell phone, but alas no money, or the car.

That's funny! The automatic generation can't work three-pedal cars.

Patrick

On Tue, 06 Dec 2011 17:37:45 -0600, Dickr > wrote:

>A police report out of St. Petersburg, Florida, reveals the current
>state of the U.S. car culture. Two would-be carjackers robbed a
>45-year-old man and his 24-year-old girlfriend after they had dropped
>off the man’s work truck.
>
>As the couple was getting ready to leave two men appeared, one on each
>side. They demanded money and a cell phone. One of them wielded a
>handgun and told the couple to get out of the woman’s 2007 Nissan.
>Neither of the thieves was prepared for what was next: the Nissan’s
>third pedal and stick shift. The two men quickly gave up and ran off on
>foot. The pair made off with a cell phone, but alas no money, or the car.

Many years ago (in a galaxy far far away) California planned to offer
two different driver tests. One for those who knew how to drive a
standard shift and one for the rest. The drivers license would be so
annotated that if you were certified for auto and you were driving a
standard, you got cited and the car impounded until someone who could
drive it bailed it out. The reason? A lot of young drivers were taking
the test in Mom's automatic and then going out and buying a standard
which they couldn't control, thus increasing the accident, injury and
death rates. Unfortunately, the liberals considered that to be
discrimination. I wonder how many young drivers might have been saved
a lifetime of grief.

Decades later, new rules were instituted for young drivers which
limited the hours they could be on the road, who could be in the car
with them, etc. We still lose kids, but it seems we lose fewer.

"D E Willson" > wrote in message
...
> On Tue, 06 Dec 2011 17:37:45 -0600, Dickr > wrote:
>
>>A police report out of St. Petersburg, Florida, reveals the current
>>state of the U.S. car culture. Two would-be carjackers robbed a
>>45-year-old man and his 24-year-old girlfriend after they had dropped
>>off the man's work truck.
>>
>>As the couple was getting ready to leave two men appeared, one on each
>>side. They demanded money and a cell phone. One of them wielded a
>>handgun and told the couple to get out of the woman's 2007 Nissan.
>>Neither of the thieves was prepared for what was next: the Nissan's
>>third pedal and stick shift. The two men quickly gave up and ran off on
>>foot. The pair made off with a cell phone, but alas no money, or the car.
>
> Many years ago (in a galaxy far far away) California planned to offer
> two different driver tests. One for those who knew how to drive a
> standard shift and one for the rest. The drivers license would be so
> annotated that if you were certified for auto and you were driving a
> standard, you got cited and the car impounded until someone who could
> drive it bailed it out. The reason? A lot of young drivers were taking
> the test in Mom's automatic and then going out and buying a standard
> which they couldn't control, thus increasing the accident, injury and
> death rates. Unfortunately, the liberals considered that to be
> discrimination. I wonder how many young drivers might have been saved
> a lifetime of grief.
>
> Decades later, new rules were instituted for young drivers which
> limited the hours they could be on the road, who could be in the car
> with them, etc. We still lose kids, but it seems we lose fewer.

Wait... You want MORE government regulation, control, and oversight to
protect the stupid from themselves?

What?

dwight

"Dickr" > wrote in message
...
> A police report out of St. Petersburg, Florida, reveals the current state
> of the U.S. car culture. Two would-be carjackers robbed a 45-year-old man
> and his 24-year-old girlfriend after they had dropped off the man’s work
> truck.
>
> As the couple was getting ready to leave two men appeared, one on each
> side. They demanded money and a cell phone. One of them wielded a handgun
> and told the couple to get out of the woman’s 2007 Nissan. Neither of the
> thieves was prepared for what was next: the Nissan’s third pedal and stick
> shift. The two men quickly gave up and ran off on foot. The pair made off
> with a cell phone, but alas no money, or the car.

As years go by, I've wondered about

Valet parking

Auto service centers (actually had to go 'round the back of a Ford
dealership to get my own car, because the kid that was supposed to bring it
around for me couldn't drive stick)

or any other situation where someone other than yourself has to drive your
manual transmission car. It's becoming a lost skill, no question. On the
flip side, with all of the improvements and changes made to automatics,
selectable automatics, manual-shift automatics, etc etc, I'm wondering
whether I would know how to drive one of those so-equipped cars.

dwight

On Dec 10, 10:04*am, "dwight" > wrote:
> "Dickr" > wrote in message
>
> ...
>
> > A police report out of St. Petersburg, Florida, reveals the current state
> > of the U.S. car culture. Two would-be carjackers robbed a 45-year-old man
> > and his 24-year-old girlfriend after they had dropped off the man’s work
> > truck.
>
> > As the couple was getting ready to leave two men appeared, one on each
> > side. They demanded money and a cell phone. One of them wielded a handgun
> > and told the couple to get out of the woman’s 2007 Nissan. Neither of the
> > thieves was prepared for what was next: the Nissan’s third pedal and stick
> > shift. The two men quickly gave up and ran off on foot. The pair made off
> > with a cell phone, but alas no money, or the car.
>
> As years go by, I've wondered about
>
> Valet parking
>
> Auto service centers (actually had to go 'round the back of a Ford
> dealership to get my own car, because the kid that was supposed to bring it
> around for me couldn't drive stick)

Sad, indeed.

> or any other situation where someone other than yourself has to drive your
> manual transmission car. It's becoming a lost skill, no question. On the
> flip side, with all of the improvements and changes made to automatics,
> selectable automatics, manual-shift automatics, etc etc, I'm wondering
> whether I would know how to drive one of those so-equipped cars.

My recent test drive of a new Corvette had me playing with paddles for
while until I finally got it.

Nice thing about new manuals is they're easier. My GT's clutch and
gearing are so smooth it's much easier to take off with out even
giving in any gas. A nice thing when you're creeping in traffic. And
I've seen some new cars are coming out with "hill control" so it won't
roll back when the clutch is engaged.

Patrick


> dwight

On 2011-12-10, dwight > wrote:

> As years go by, I've wondered about
>
> Valet parking
>
> Auto service centers (actually had to go 'round the back of a Ford
> dealership to get my own car, because the kid that was supposed to bring it
> around for me couldn't drive stick)
>
> or any other situation where someone other than yourself has to drive your
> manual transmission car. It's becoming a lost skill, no question.

Have some real "fun", get a three-on-the-tree car. I am so glad my '73
is finally exempt from emissions testing. First they find the one
person in the place that can drive an MT and then they look at it and
don't have a clue... I then have to teach that person how to drive it a
few feet because government regulations didn't permit me to do it.
First is down and towards you... you have to put it in reverse to
remove the key...

> On the
> flip side, with all of the improvements and changes made to automatics,
> selectable automatics, manual-shift automatics, etc etc, I'm wondering
> whether I would know how to drive one of those so-equipped cars.

If you can operate a video game, you can. Just find where the buttons
are.

On Sat, 10 Dec 2011 10:59:57 -0500, "dwight" >
wrote:

>
>"D E Willson" > wrote in message
.. .
>> On Tue, 06 Dec 2011 17:37:45 -0600, Dickr > wrote:
>>
>>>A police report out of St. Petersburg, Florida, reveals the current
>>>state of the U.S. car culture. Two would-be carjackers robbed a
>>>45-year-old man and his 24-year-old girlfriend after they had dropped
>>>off the man's work truck.
>>>
>>>As the couple was getting ready to leave two men appeared, one on each
>>>side. They demanded money and a cell phone. One of them wielded a
>>>handgun and told the couple to get out of the woman's 2007 Nissan.
>>>Neither of the thieves was prepared for what was next: the Nissan's
>>>third pedal and stick shift. The two men quickly gave up and ran off on
>>>foot. The pair made off with a cell phone, but alas no money, or the car.
>>
>> Many years ago (in a galaxy far far away) California planned to offer
>> two different driver tests. One for those who knew how to drive a
>> standard shift and one for the rest. The drivers license would be so
>> annotated that if you were certified for auto and you were driving a
>> standard, you got cited and the car impounded until someone who could
>> drive it bailed it out. The reason? A lot of young drivers were taking
>> the test in Mom's automatic and then going out and buying a standard
>> which they couldn't control, thus increasing the accident, injury and
>> death rates. Unfortunately, the liberals considered that to be
>> discrimination. I wonder how many young drivers might have been saved
>> a lifetime of grief.
>>
>> Decades later, new rules were instituted for young drivers which
>> limited the hours they could be on the road, who could be in the car
>> with them, etc. We still lose kids, but it seems we lose fewer.
>
>Wait... You want MORE government regulation, control, and oversight to
>protect the stupid from themselves?
>
>What?
>
>dwight
>
Adults can fend for themselves. They have enough experience in most
things to make decisions, right or wrong.

The same can not be said of a "child" who is just beginning to drive.

Adults know that things like cell phones are distracting, and having
other teens in the car is distracting, but a new driver doesn't.

I am not for more government. I just know that our local schools have
lost a lot of A students over a moments distraction.

I wouldn't send a newbie who is learning to handle explosives out with
other newbies to learn the hard way. A vehicle is a deadly weapon. Not
just for the driver and passengers, but also for a large number of
innocent people... and around schools, that means kids.

As one who has suffered the loss of my 12 year old son under the
wheels of a school bus whose driver was "distracted" by cars which
would not allow her to pull away from the curb - so she used the
sidewalk upon which my son was standing... I am all about protecting
children.

As a police officer who has had to investigate far too many such
losses and had to deal with the parents, I am all about protecting
children.

And let's be clear about it. The government may lower the age of what
is considered an adult, but I don't see an adult at any age until they
have the experience and knowledge needed to make adult decisions.

On Sat, 10 Dec 2011 11:04:07 -0500, "dwight" >
wrote:

>
>"Dickr" > wrote in message
...
>> A police report out of St. Petersburg, Florida, reveals the current state
>> of the U.S. car culture. Two would-be carjackers robbed a 45-year-old man
>> and his 24-year-old girlfriend after they had dropped off the man’s work
>> truck.
>>
>> As the couple was getting ready to leave two men appeared, one on each
>> side. They demanded money and a cell phone. One of them wielded a handgun
>> and told the couple to get out of the woman’s 2007 Nissan. Neither of the
>> thieves was prepared for what was next: the Nissan’s third pedal and stick
>> shift. The two men quickly gave up and ran off on foot. The pair made off
>> with a cell phone, but alas no money, or the car.
>
>As years go by, I've wondered about
>
>Valet parking
>
>Auto service centers (actually had to go 'round the back of a Ford
>dealership to get my own car, because the kid that was supposed to bring it
>around for me couldn't drive stick)
>
>or any other situation where someone other than yourself has to drive your
>manual transmission car. It's becoming a lost skill, no question. On the
>flip side, with all of the improvements and changes made to automatics,
>selectable automatics, manual-shift automatics, etc etc, I'm wondering
>whether I would know how to drive one of those so-equipped cars.
>
>dwight
>

My65 is in the shop right now (hopefully ready tomorrow) and I am
driving a new Lincoln Townecar. There are more buttons, dials, levers,
etc than I know what to do with. It's an automatic. I had to get some
advice on how to get in it after I saw the key pad on the door... yet
in my hand was a compact little remote. LOL I have not even listened
to the radio yet. Compared to my 65, I feel like I'm steering the
Queen Mary. I can't even feel the road when I hit a bump.

I WANT MY 65 BACK!

On Sat, 10 Dec 2011 10:38:32 -0800 (PST), "
> wrote:

>On Dec 10, 10:04*am, "dwight" > wrote:
>> "Dickr" > wrote in message
>>
>> ...
>>
>> > A police report out of St. Petersburg, Florida, reveals the current state
>> > of the U.S. car culture. Two would-be carjackers robbed a 45-year-old man
>> > and his 24-year-old girlfriend after they had dropped off the man’s work
>> > truck.
>>
>> > As the couple was getting ready to leave two men appeared, one on each
>> > side. They demanded money and a cell phone. One of them wielded a handgun
>> > and told the couple to get out of the woman’s 2007 Nissan. Neither of the
>> > thieves was prepared for what was next: the Nissan’s third pedal and stick
>> > shift. The two men quickly gave up and ran off on foot. The pair made off
>> > with a cell phone, but alas no money, or the car.
>>
>> As years go by, I've wondered about
>>
>> Valet parking
>>
>> Auto service centers (actually had to go 'round the back of a Ford
>> dealership to get my own car, because the kid that was supposed to bring it
>> around for me couldn't drive stick)
>
>Sad, indeed.
>
>> or any other situation where someone other than yourself has to drive your
>> manual transmission car. It's becoming a lost skill, no question. On the
>> flip side, with all of the improvements and changes made to automatics,
>> selectable automatics, manual-shift automatics, etc etc, I'm wondering
>> whether I would know how to drive one of those so-equipped cars.
>
>My recent test drive of a new Corvette had me playing with paddles for
>while until I finally got it.
>
>Nice thing about new manuals is they're easier. My GT's clutch and
>gearing are so smooth it's much easier to take off with out even
>giving in any gas. A nice thing when you're creeping in traffic. And
>I've seen some new cars are coming out with "hill control" so it won't
>roll back when the clutch is engaged.
>
>Patrick
>
>
>> dwight

Used to be that "Hill Control" was the stock way to tune your car. You
put it on an incline and set it up so it would not roll backward while
in gear. Made pulling out from a stop sign on a hill a lot easier..
especially in places like San Francisco or Seattle.