Manual Gearbox: "fundamentally unsafe"?

[Swift]

I've been thinking that it may make your response time slower since you usually feel the need to hit the clutch when braking (hard). If a car swerves ahead of you and you lose a fraction of a second in hitting the break because you wanted to be sure you didn't stall - it could be less safe.

I think it's possible that the manual is worse for quick response.

I can only see that in someone that just started driving stick. I brake without depressing the clutch all the time. Even when I do hit the clutch during braking it's always after I start braking.

I can see where you're coming from, but that sounds like more of a rookie driver mistake then a mechanical flaw that causes accidents.

 

[skip0110]

I've known how to drive a manual for years and I stalled at a drive through the other day... just wasn't paying attention and oops.

Yep, it's easy to do, especially if you have the stereo up so you can't hear the engine, and don't have a tach....particularly if you don't notice you're on a incline.

 

[Duke]

Wow, I'm betting from most of these "automatics suck" posts that most of you have never had any real seat time in a decent automatic transmission car.

I agree they are somewhat less involving to drive. There are also poorly controlled automatic transmissions, but most are not. Some of the high points from things I disagree with above:

• Only rare automatics downshift under braking, so they don't really screw you up. Until a few years ago with the invention of Cadillac's "performance algorithm", automatics would only downshift under throttle load. They would only drop down after the car came to a complete stop, then at idle, they would reset to first gear. Autos that think ahead are a relatively new phenomenon, as in the last 5 years.
• Automatics don't make braking harder. Virtually every vehicle on the road has the braking capacity to lock the wheels up or invoke ABS. Therefore, engine braking does not improve braking performance, since you can always just press a little harder on the brake pedal and use that reserve braking capacity.
• Brake pads cost $50 and I can replace them in my driveway in less than an hour. Transmission rebuilds and clutch replacements cost hundreds or thousands of dollars and take a professional at least a full day. There's no reason to downshift for braking alone - only if you're going to accelerate out the other side without an intervening stop.
• Automatics are no harder to drive in slippery conditions. In fact, you're only modulating throttle and brakes instead of clutch as well, so it's easier. And on snow or ice, engine braking can be highly counterproductive since it only affects the drive wheels and totally screws up your brake bias, making the car less predictable. If you're driving slowly, you can always hold the car in a lower gear, even in an auto.
• Automatics are in fact highly predictable in acceleration if you know the car. With a very small amount of practice, you learn what makes a downshift call, just the same as you learn the clutch takeup point on a manual car. In fact, bracket racers, who live and die by repeatability, love automatics because they give extremely consistent quarter mile times.

 

[Kylehnat]

I've been thinking that it may make your response time slower since you usually feel the need to hit the clutch when braking (hard). If a car swerves ahead of you and you lose a fraction of a second in hitting the break because you wanted to be sure you didn't stall - it could be less safe.

I think it's possible that the manual is worse for quick response.

But we do have two feet If I have to stop suddenly, I usually hit both pedals at the same time. I may hit the brake earlier than the clutch, but I (and anyone with any experience) will never hit the clutch before the brake. As Swift said, that's a rookie mistake, and not something that really requires any thought.

 

[Danoff]

I can only see that in someone that just started driving stick. I brake without depressing the clutch all the time. Even when I do hit the clutch during braking it's always after I start braking.

I can see where you're coming from, but that sounds like more of a rookie driver mistake then a mechanical flaw that causes accidents.

I also depress the clutch after the brake, and I also brake often without hitting the clutch. That wasn't really the point of what I was trying to say.

I was saying that the desire to hit both with both feet may slow down your initial response time. I don't really think it makes a difference, but I've been wondering that.

 

[xXSilencerXx]

Wow, I'm betting from most of these "automatics suck" posts that most of you have never had any real seat time in a decent automatic transmission car.

I agree they are somewhat less involving to drive. There are also poorly controlled automatic transmissions, but most are not. Some of the high points from things I disagree with above:

• Only rare automatics downshift under braking, so they don't really screw you up. Until a few years ago with the invention of Cadillac's "performance algorithm", automatics would only downshift under throttle load. They would only drop down after the car came to a complete stop, then at idle, they would reset to first gear. Autos that think ahead are a relatively new phenomenon, as in the last 5 years.
• Automatics don't make braking harder. Virtually every vehicle on the road has the braking capacity to lock the wheels up or invoke ABS. Therefore, engine braking does not improve braking performance, since you can always just press a little harder on the brake pedal and use that reserve braking capacity.
• Brake pads cost $50 and I can replace them in my driveway in less than an hour. Transmission rebuilds and clutch replacements cost hundreds or thousands of dollars and take a professional at least a full day. There's no reason to downshift for braking alone - only if you're going to accelerate out the other side without an intervening stop.
• Automatics are no harder to drive in slippery conditions. In fact, you're only modulating throttle and brakes instead of clutch as well, so it's easier. And on snow or ice, engine braking can be highly counterproductive since it only affects the drive wheels and totally screws up your brake bias, making the car less predictable. If you're driving slowly, you can always hold the car in a lower gear, even in an auto.
• Automatics are in fact highly predictable in acceleration if you know the car. With a very small amount of practice, you learn what makes a downshift call, just the same as you learn the clutch takeup point on a manual car. In fact, bracket racers, who live and die by repeatability, love automatics because they give extremely consistent quarter mile times.

I'm surprised anyone would say driving an automatic sucks. I'm still learning but of the cars I've driven two are autos and one is stick. I drive the autos the majority of the time and have only been trusted on neighborhood roads with the stick. I would say I'm less tense when I'm driving the autos therefore I'm actually paying less atention to the road and car than with the stick. Also I have found that when goin up hill an auto will down shift to get more rpm and power.

 

[Raghavan]

The funny part is that city style traffic is much harder on an automatic then a manual transmission. But most people don't know or don't care.



1. Sorry, I don't beleive you've never stalled. Stalling is part of the learning process of driving a stick. Unless of course your reving to 3K every time you start from a stop.

2. Congrats on being smart enough NOT to take a car that's beyond your current driving abilities. Most young people don't have the maturity to do that. 👍

First of all, it wasn't my car. It was a 31 hp Maruti Suzuki 800 3 cylinder'd car with a 4 speed manual in India, so i revved the life out of it everytime i started, just so that i didn't bog down. Besides, i didn't drive it too long, so i didn't get a chance to stall it. That was when i was 14. Before that, I'd been imagining how to drive a manual, including looking at everyone's feet coordination while they were driving a stick, and i had it thought out well in my mind. It wasn't too hard to transfer my knowledge of foot control from my mind to driving the car.
However, my shifts were clunky, as i'd have to shift with my left hand (RHD), so i'd miss the gates occasionally, and i'd have to shift alot since that car has no power.
I'm sure i'll stall a higher hp car for sure. I just haven't had a chance to drive one yet.

 

[Dave A]

Makes more sense now. When you do start driving properly, you WILL stall from time to time, but it means jack about how good a driver you are or arn't, unless you do it all the time.

 

[Raghavan]

Makes more sense now. When you do start driving properly, you WILL stall from time to time, but it means jack about how good a driver you are or arn't, unless you do it all the time.

I'm hoping that when i buy a car (probably next year) it'll be both RWD and a manual, and i'll have a couple of clunky days before regular driving.

 

[toyomatt84]

Bob Elton is now synonymous with mentally handicapped.

 

[amp88]

Bob Elton is now synonymous with mentally handicapped.

That's a bit too far

 

[Swift]

Makes more sense now. When you do start driving properly, you WILL stall from time to time, but it means jack about how good a driver you are or arn't, unless you do it all the time.

Yep, I agree fully.

 

[Gil]

To add to what Duke said:
An auto can be quite entertaining to drive.
It may not offer the nuances of driving a manual, But it is very consistent with bracket racing.
As for the snow/slippery pavement argument, and autos being too "stupid" for the challenge:
My Thunderbird that I drove in high-school, that was a wedding present for my mother back in 1962, had two "ranges" for the "Drive" position of the shifter. The first position was a "low range" and didn't allow all the power to go to that non-posi differential.
the "regular range" was the full-power range. I never got to drive the old girl in snow. But that low range kept me out of trouble when the spring storms would hit the Monterey Peninsula.
The Auto in my Excursion is way smarter than the one in my old T-Bird. It also has two ranges for all five of its gears. One option is the "Tow/Haul" mode that lets the trans hold gears a little longer to provide better acceleration and power for pulling a trailer.
It is also good for more "spirited" driving when not pulling a trailer..
Of the 7 vehicles in my garage and drive, there is only one of the automatics that I would take to the corner store. But that is more because the car wrapped around it is a true "rat".
All of the other cars get the nod if I have to go somewhere with one or more passengers.

 

[Smallhorses]

I'm just guessing at statistics here. But i think that 75% of people in the US use an Auto, and 75% of people in the UK use a Manual. But the UK has a lower accident rate than the US.

Go figure.

👍

Removing the gear changing process frees up the drivers hands for clamping the cellphone to the ear, thus causing the inability to use turn signals etc, etc.
Hard to believe it's still legal to talk & drive here! So many accidents caused by people not paying attention to the fact that they're wandering all over the road whilst trying to dial! Or blatantly ignoring the fact that they're now hogging the outside lane doing only 50mph, as they've been gradually slowing down ever since they answered the call!

I have both a manual & an auto. The auto is my company car. The company won't let us drive manuals, since every employee should be able to drive them and not everyone can drive a manual. 👎 Thus I had to buy a car to "enjoy" driving in with manual gearbox! (Under the guise that my wife "needed" a car for work, despite working 5 minutes walk away! It only gets used at weekends! )
I can safely say from experience, that even though my Dodge has almost twice the engine capacity and power of my Mazda, it's definitely less safe to drive.

For Example :-
In the Mazda, I approach to overtake someone. I know I need to accelerate past. Therefore I am able to change down a gear before I put my foot down, and overtaking is easy. The decision about when to change and when to suddenly speed up is mine, not the car's.

In the Dodge, I cannot downshift. The slush-matic gearbox requires me to put my foot down first.... it thinks for a few seconds, registers that I may actually want to speed up more quickly than it can manage in top gear, then sluggishly & jerkily responds by trying to change down a gear, maybe 2 depending on how quick you're going & how firmly you plant your foot!

One thing that baffles me here is that you can learn to drive in an Auto, and with no further training jump straight into a manual and drive legally on the streets! 👎
On the hills of SF, pulling up behind someone inexperienced with a proper manual hill-start technique is scary! Some of the hills here are steep enough that an automatic will roll back, and it seems no-one thinks to try stepping on that massive auto-brake pedal, with the free left foot, whilst pressing the gas enough to ensure a smooth takeoff with the right foot! If you're ever over here, I'd advise at least a 6 - 10ft gap between you & the car in front if you're stopped on a steep hill! God forbid, you could be behind Bob Elton & his distinct aversion to ever having to use his left leg!
I learnt to drive in England where clutch control is part of the driving test!
Rolling back an inch from the hillstart that is a part of the driving test, even in the flattest areas of the UK, will result in you failing!
You learn to drive in an Auto in England, and that's all you get licenced for! 👍
That's how it should be here too!

 

[Green Gloves]

I love driving a stick. Being lazy to rewrite some of my points, I'll post a quoted entry from my blog.
====================================
Automatic transmission is for people who can't operate vehicles well or simply want to use them as a means to get from point A to point B. Strictly speaking it's mere paddle-pushing. That said, being able to drive a standard doesn't give the driver an edge.

People argue that driving a stick stuck in traffic going uphill is a pain in the you-know-what. While it's true maybe they haven't internalized stick-shift in a way that the act of driving is like controlling the extension of their own limbs.

Driving should be fun. It's helped me more than once to get out of the house and get some much needed sun. Even driving an auto could be fun but the experience is no doubt discounted.

I found it almost disturbing that more models are being manufactured in auto-shift only. And if you take a look at some concept cars these days, lots of them are so automatic it's dangerous. If I drove one of those powered everything with a sat-map sitting in/on the dashboard I'd certainly just doze off mid-drive. I'm not against technology. Gosh, never me. I'm worried about the driving culture.


In the U.S., it's called a stick-shift;
in Canada, it's called a standard-shift;
in most parts of the world, it's aslo called a manual-shift;

in Europe, however, it's called, simply, a car.
I admire those EU bastards. Over there they have the Nurburgring; in the US, a racing ring is literally a ring, left turns all the way baby!

Of all the sites I've visited on said topic, standardshift.com offers the most complete instructions and step-by-step. Click on the FAQ and videos links for detailed explanation. Also the forums offer further help from other enthusiasts.

reading material:
Caution: Student Driver
Killing the stick-shift dinosaur
Driving a stick shift isn't automatic
wikipedia's page on driving techniques

A few words of advice to younger auto-shift drivers:
At least give it a try before you dismiss it as useless and outdated, although one try is hardly enough. The best thing to do so you can learn how to drive one is to buy a used/new stick. You'll learn when you have no choice! I have seen more than one case where someone I know did exactly that and since has mastered it.

For those who drive a manual shift you should consider to (if not yet):
change the behavior of your car with different shifting patterns.
red-line without checking at the tachometer, listen to how high your engine revs. Yes you might have to sacrifice music.
rev-match.
have at least two shifting schemes for each car.
find the shifting sweet spot on each gear.
always use the correct gear for best performance. (considering turbo lag, otherwise don't bother)
never rest your left foot on the clutch. Normally you shouldn't rest your hand on the shift knob either but do so when you're driving an underpowered car, to feel the mechanism and quickly get thru the first three gears.
============================

Why drive a stick?

 

[TheWizard]

in Europe, however, it's called, simply, a car.
I admire those EU bastards. Over there they have the Nurburgring; in the US, a racing ring is literally a ring, left turns all the way baby!

Being European and having driven cars since I have had a driver's license (almost 8 years), the first automatic transmission time I have ever had was when I first came, guess where?, to the U.S.

My first thoughts were: "Can you REALLY be THAT lazy?"

I mean, you have highways everywhere you turn your head, and yet you are too damn lazy to shift from 1st to 5th and then leave it in 5th for the rest of the trip!

Then that thought was completely overkilled when I discovered another "feature" most American vehicles (or vehicles constructed for the American market) have: cruise-control.

Yep, you can even be LAZIER!

I just don't even see the point of driving, if I have to have my car not only shift (most of the time badly or at the wrong time) for me, but also control the speed for me.

We European bastards are definitely one lucky race

The Wizard.

 

[Casio]

Then that thought was completely overkilled when I discovered another "feature" most American vehicles (or vehicles constructed for the American market) have: cruise-control.

Now, if automatics cause you to have no concentration, what does cruise-control do?!

In my opinion, cruise control is much more dangerous then any automatic gearbox. While I have been defending the ol'automatics. There is a point where the driver actually has to do something. I mean, Citroen is making a system where the car parks itself!

Toyota is making a system where the cruise control slows the car down if the car ahead does.

http://blogs.active.com/alv/2005/08/toyotas-environment-and-safety.html[/url] ]
An adaptive cruise control system available on some Sienna minivan models, the Avalon Limited sedan, Lexus 430 sedan and Lexus RX 330 sport-utility vehicle, compensates for changing traffic speeds. The system uses a laser sensor behind the grille to monitor the vehicle ahead.

The driver determines the following distance using a function on the cruise control stalk. The following distance can vary from about 100 feet to 245 feet. The driver also chooses the highest speed at which the vehicle will travel, similar to conventional cruise control.

When the car is traveling in traffic, the system will maintain the preset following distance by varying engine acceleration and braking. The cruise control will only function at speeds over 25 miles-per-hour. It cannot make the car come to a complete stop. When it senses that the car ahead is stopping, it slows the car down and sets off an audible alarm, alerting the driver to apply the brakes manually.

But this was what really got me angry.

According to Toyota's internal research, 70 percent of fatal car accidents are caused by driver errors. While the technology behind these safety systems is complex, using them is simple. They operate automatically, often before the driver becomes aware of a dangerous situation. In other words, they make us better drivers without us even knowing it.

That's handy to know, so if we die, at least we can blame the car, rather then ourselves. By the way, if it all happens Automatically, we're no longer drivers, we're passengers. If driver errors are really the cause of 70% of fatal car accidents (Like I trust 'Toyota's internal research'), then maybe the solution is better driver education, rather then getting rid of all drivers.

 

[Jedi2016]

Yeah, there really needs to be a limit as to how "automatic" a car becomes.

I think it boils down to what Green Gloves said above.. there's more to driving than just going from Point-A to Point-B. Granted, that's what driving is, but doing it shouldn't have to be boring.

Me, I like having a little fun in the space between Point-A and Point-B.

I just hope that some manufacturers continue to realize that.. that there are people out there who view cars as more than just a tool to move around town. And that they'll continue to make cars that drivers can really enjoy, in addition to the lazy-bones automatic-everything cars.

All I know is that whatever cars I buy in the future will only get faster and faster. And not a one of them will be an automatic. Except maybe the minivan, and that'll only happen after I get married and settle down with a family. And even then, I'll still have my car.. the fancy sports car that's sitting in the garage.

 

[Smallhorses]

Yeah, there really needs to be a limit as to how "automatic" a car becomes.

Woohoo! 👍 Totally agree!

Otherwise, what do all of us "normal" drivers on the road become to the rest of the

"Climb in our totally-automatic Toyota/Citroen etc, (why not a Toyotroen?!) which is merely a transport mechanism. Hell, we don't even face the windscreen anymore, since in the event of frontal collision, this may cause facial injury! All the better then, to sit cocooned in a cushy airbag-in-every-direction environment, while we're soothed with pan-pipe music and fragrant oil vapours whilst the seats give us back-rubs and foot massages, and God forbid we actually think about how we're going anywhere, or had to interact in the directional/velocity proceedings of our step-in-and-suggest-where-we'd-like-to-go "auto"mobile!"

drivers?

Give me the interaction, the wind-in-the-hair, smell-of-frying-Mobil-1-oil, rubber-shredding, clutch-burning, engine-screaming, sounds and smells of the open road in a manual transmission anyday of the week, month, year, decade or century.
Driving can be a chore. Given the choice of getting from San Francisco to San Diego, Paris to Rome, or Sydney to Brisbane in a day, & I'll fly every time, an 8 - 12 hour day of long boring highway is just unnecessary hardship.
But, given a weekend, and the scenic, wiggly-road, no-freeway route, and a fun-to-drive manual car, I'd happily take the drive and enjoy every moment, every time!
(I've only done one of these drives, so far, and sadly enough in an automatic! )

 

[TheCracker]

Then that thought was completely overkilled when I discovered another "feature" most American vehicles (or vehicles constructed for the American market) have: cruise-control.

When i'm driving on long trips i like to have things to concentrate on. An auto box with cruise is more than enough for your mind to start wandering. I've driven around 5k miles on US roads over the past ten years, all of it in autos, all equiped with cruise. I've found myself manually shifting and p*ssing around with the cruise and 'kick-down' just to keep my concentration on the road. I've driven 'alligator alley' between Miami and Naples (florida) many times, where the road is practically dead-straight and flat for 70-80 miles and the scenery is all the same. You have to concentrate so hard just to stop yourself from tripping out from the surealness of it.

 

[Danoff]

👍

Removing the gear changing process frees up the drivers hands for clamping the cellphone to the ear, thus causing the inability to use turn signals etc, etc.
Hard to believe it's still legal to talk & drive here! So many accidents caused by people not paying attention to the fact that they're wandering all over the road whilst trying to dial!

It only takes one hand to drive and use turn signals. I usually hit it with my 5th finger.

Why is it so hard to believe that it's legal to talk and drive? We have laws against reckless driving already... and how many accidents are caused by people on the phone? Care to pull up the statistic rather than just assuming it's astronomic? Perhaps you'd liked to move over to the opinions forum to discuss this in the cell phone/driving thread.

Automatic transmission is for people who can't operate vehicles well or simply want to use them as a means to get from point A to point B. Strictly speaking it's mere paddle-pushing. [/qutoe]

Strictly speaking driving a manual is mere paddle pushing as well.

I just don't even see the point of driving, if I have to have my car not only shift (most of the time badly or at the wrong time) for me, but also control the speed for me.

The point of driving is typically to get from A to B. I love my cruise control when I'm on the road for 10 hours.

Yeah, there really needs to be a limit as to how "automatic" a car becomes.

Why? Fundamentally I don't see it. If someday we get get in a car and it can drive us the entire way to work - that sounds like a useful tool to me. Why would you draw some arbitrary line at a certain level of automation?

When i'm driving on long trips i like to have things to concentrate on. An auto box with cruise is more than enough for your mind to start wandering.

Come on. An auto box with a cruise is no different than a manual with a cruise on the open road.

 

[Blake]

Why? Fundamentally I don't see it. If someday we get get in a car and it can drive us the entire way to work - that sounds like a useful tool to me. Why would you draw some arbitrary line at a certain level of automation?

Ok, fine. But those of us who enjoy driving should still be able to drive a vehicle we enjoy. I would like it if some vehicles were launched without all of this automated stuff – but I doubt this will happen.

Those of us who enjoy driving will buy automated vehicles out of necessity while those who don’t will be happy about all of the new features.

 

[Danoff]

Ok, fine. But those of us who enjoy driving should still be able to drive a vehicle we enjoy. I would like it if some vehicles were launched without all of this automated stuff – but I doubt this will happen.

Those of us who enjoy driving will buy automated vehicles out of necessity while those who don’t will be happy about all of the new features.

As long as enough people enjoy driving for the sake of driving (and there are a lot), there will be cars out there for us.

 

[Smallhorses]

It only takes one hand to drive and use turn signals. I usually hit it with my 5th finger.

What about the pedals?!!! (Kidding! Unless you're driving one of those special needs vehicles with the hand operated throttle too? )

I know the UK Highway code suggests that 2 hands should be on the wheel at all times unless changing gears, I'm not so sure about the California drivers manual, but I'm sure it also doesn't mention that it's a safe practice to drive with 1 hand on the wheel and a cellphone clamped to your ear either.

I drive both auto & manual. I have a headset. When I'm in the auto, it's business related, I take calls. I keep 2 hands on the wheel, signal appropriately and check my mirrors a lot. Not everyone does. If you do, great, but it seems in CA you're in the minority.

If I'm in the manual, I don't take calls. Partly because I always drive with the roof off if possible, and hence it's impossible to hear a conversation over wind-noise, but mostly because I don't want to have to interact with the phone even to push the answer or disconnect buttons, if my 4 limbs have something else that they should be concentrated on. Voicemail takes care of it. If it's important there'll be a message waiting when I stop!

Huh, with Bob's 1 leg theory and your 1 arm theory, it's a wonder drivers even bother to grow the other limbs!

Why is it so hard to believe that it's legal to talk and drive? We have laws against reckless driving already... and how many accidents are caused by people on the phone? Care to pull up the statistic rather than just assuming it's astronomic? Perhaps you'd liked to move over to the opinions forum to discuss this in the cell phone/driving thread.

Nope, I wouldn't, however, if it means so much to you, and you'd like to do it I'd have no objection!
My point was in reponse to the postulation of the author of the article that manual transmission vehicles cause accidents. It's the old "guns don't kill people" scenario all over again.
However, if you can find me the statistics that show that more accidents were caused by manual transmission drivers "changing gear" than accidents caused by people distracted by cellphones, I'd be happy to read it.

 

[standard235]

Uhh, ok, he must suck. I sit here at 13. I can operate manual transmissions with surprising ease. No, I thought there was no way in hell I could do it. I drove around the dealership in a Mini Cooper S. MMM supercharger. Anyways, I didn't chirp the tires. Never stalled... nothing.

Oh, and pulling out of the parking lot was kinda hard. The hill to the highway was steeper than 45 degrees. I rolled down backwards the first time. Oh, and 55mph on a 20mph curve is fun. Of course, my dad mirrored it at 75. I loved that car.

 

[DeLoreanBrown]

Yep, you can even be LAZIER!

I just don't even see the point of driving, if I have to have my car not only shift (most of the time badly or at the wrong time) for me, but also control the speed for me.

We European bastards are definitely one lucky race

The Wizard.

effing :tup:ing IT!

Especialy 'one lucky race'

 

[DeLoreanBrown]

Double-declutching is computerized transmission . Here is some Code :

(To Downshift Smoothly into a Bend or Corner)
A) Depress Clutch
B) Disengage Gearing
C) Control engine speed w/ Throttle , choosing the revs that most coincide w/ the next gears engagement speed
D) Depress Clutch
E) Engage Lower Gear
F) Roll w/ it , its the good toms

 

[Jedi2016]

Why is it so hard to believe that it's legal to talk and drive? We have laws against reckless driving already... and how many accidents are caused by people on the phone? Care to pull up the statistic rather than just assuming it's astronomic? Perhaps you'd liked to move over to the opinions forum to discuss this in the cell phone/driving thread.

Actually, the number IS astronomical. Otherwise, they wouldn't have banned it in several states, now would they?

Let me tell you a little story.

A truck breaks down in the middle of the highway. For whatever reason, he's unable to move it off. Sticking out of the back of this truck are a bunch of pipes and other assorted bits of construction parts, mostly metal. Traffic is easily diverted around the truck by the police, however.. they've got cars and cones out while the towtruck is there to haul the thing away.

Now, along comes a small family hatchback. It breezes right by the cops waving their arms, runs over a few cones, and impacts the back of the parked truck at approximately 65-70mph. One of the bits of metal on the truck pierces the windshield and beheads the five year old girl sitting in the back seat. Mommy and Daddy are likewise killed.

Guess what? Daddy was talking on a cellphone when it happened.

And don't shout "BS" on the story either.. I can probably find the video online.

Me, I don't even own a cellphone. There's not much point, really. If people want to "chat" with me, they can do so at home, when I've nothing better to be doing. If they want to invite me someplace, it's better to do so when I'm at home.. since when I'm on the road, I'm already going someplace. That, and I drive a stick... so even if I had a cellphone, it would need either speakerphone or hands-free capability. Which costs even more. For something I'd never really use in the first place.

 

[FoolKiller]

Actually, the number IS astronomical. Otherwise, they wouldn't have banned it in several states, now would they?

Do you know how many things are banned in states without proper statistical reporting?

It is like Aliso Viejo, California nearly banned all styrofoam because dihydrogen monoxide was used in its creation and could be deadly if even a teaspoon was inhaled. It was colorless, tasteless, and odorless. Turns out it was water and they fell for a prank. Don't assume that because someone makes something illegal it is for legitimate reasons.



Things such as noisy children and eating and drinking have been shown to cause just as much, if not more distraction by the AAA. How many things need to be made illegal?

 

[donbenni]

Never tried shifting with my right hand, might give it a try What a good read.