[tnoice]

The problem with today's society is many parents are not requiring their children to learn how to drive manual. I just had a discussion with a friend of mine the other day that said that driving manual was pointless, because all cars are going automatic, and he did not care if his son ever learned how to drive a manual. Many Parents these days do not want to cause their children any discomfort, and apparently driving a manual can lead to frustration and discomfort (according to my friend) My first car was a manual, so if I did not learn....I would not be driving.

Problem #2, driving a manual conflicts with our ability to drive, talk on the cell phone, drink our coffee, and eat a hamburger. (It might have said that in the article, but I did not read it, so I am going off the cuff)

problem #3, people compare the PDK or Ferrari's system to the far superior shifting than what a human could do. That is true, however driving is not always about flawless shifting. It is about being connected to your car, mechanically and listening to what your engine is doing while you drive, and not always having a computer control everything you do. Driving a manual gives you a sense of accomplishment when you have perfect, rpm matched, shifts. Of course computers could do this better, as well as automatic transmissions, but do we really want that?

I am sorry...but I will be one of the tzarish parents that will require my daughter to know how to drive manual, because her first car will be a manual transmission. Otherwise, she will be stuck at home, looking at her parents, not having any fun.