Manual transmission "cool factor"

[citanul]

Apparently a company called Zeroshift has developed a clutchless manual transmission. My question is basically: how much of the snobbery that surrounds manual transmission driving will be removed if this catches on? I understand that there are basically two groups that are involved here, one that actually really love to drive cars and "be in control," and another that don't really do either of those things but need to supplement their manhood in some manner, so I guess I'm wondering what the effect on each group would be.

So what do you think the effect of simple learning curve manuals will be on this weird sort of elitism that surrounds stick cars?

[blinden84]

if you can't learn to drive a stick in 30 minutes, something is wrong with you, so, there isn't an elitism, it's just people that have taken the time to learn, and the people that haven't (women obviously excluded, would take them 3 months (i'm kidding))

Thats not sayign you are going to be a race car driver, but you can get from point A to point B with very minimal effort.

[oddjob]

the snobbery will still exist. i doubt you'll get the same control out of a clutchless system, and the other group will say it's not the same as driving with a clutch.

[mrkilla]

Clutchless Manual Tranny, Doesn't Audi and Mercedes already have something like that?

Anyway from a stick "elitist" this is nothing like driving stick. Learning to work the clutch is the whole basis of the elitism as it were. Thus moving a stick back and forth. you might as well drive an automatic and "manually" shift it from 1-2-D

I watched the video...ho-hum. Plus they used a stang so of course this product is the ghey

[JackWilson]

I agree with blinder...in South Africa you can't get a license unless you can drive a manual, and it really hasn't hampered anyone as far as I can tell. Really easy to learn, so any sort of elitism is just weird.

[Skoob]

You know, some people drive manuals simply because they are more economical than an automatic.

Better mileage (when driven properly), lower maint costs...

[durron597]

I already have a clutchless manual in my 2003 bmw

[DoubleTwentyOne]

[ QUOTE ]
if you can't learn to drive a stick in 30 minutes, something is wrong with you, so, there isn't an elitism, it's just people that have taken the time to learn, and the people that haven't (women obviously excluded, would take them 3 months (i'm kidding))

Thats not sayign you are going to be a race car driver, but you can get from point A to point B with very minimal effort.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is probably mostly, but not all true. I did learn the basics of shifting and driving on a non-traffic heavy road in about half an hour. But had there been nobody to teach the subtleties of specific situations, such as down-up through turns, starting in 2nd on slippery roads, how to drive in uphill traffic, to name a few, along with advanced stuff like how to launch a car, it would've probably taken me a long time to figure some of this stuff out.

[OrigamiSensei]

Can't say much about elitism but I enjoy driving a manual transmission. I like the better gas mileage, too.

[4_2_it]

[ QUOTE ]
I already have a clutchless manual in my 2003 bmw

[/ QUOTE ]

If POGers are already driving them then I guess that settles it. [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]