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Re:How America lost its love for the stick shift by tomohawk on Wednesday September 12, 2018 @04:38AM (#17966564)
But it is pretty obvious. In an automatic, you pretty much have to touch the brakes to slow down. In a manual, you have other options. Taking your foot off the gas in a manual tends to slow the car quite a bit more than in an automatic, for example.
Re:How America lost its love for the stick shift by flurdy on Wednesday September 12, 2018 @04:54AM (#17966650)
While technically true, there is not much practical difference.

Like on a motorbike I tend to tweak slow speeds with the clutch only and leave the throttle in one position most of the time.

With an automatic car since the brakes are not binary and automatic gearboxes have often forward creeping I only tweak the brakes. Helps to force the gearbox into 2nd gear as well for even slower creeping.

In fact, I think automatic gearboxes reduces traffic jams as fewer parts to think of so less likely to accidentally make a mistake and cause congestion.

Wonder how many jams are due to accidental stalling a manual gearbox.

Traffic jams without an automatic gearbox is no fun. (or even less fun)

Re:How America lost its love for the stick shift by Agentlien on Wednesday September 12, 2018 @06:02AM (#17966983)
I've driven quite a bit with both manual and automatic and, while there is definitely a difference, I've found that moving my foot from the gas works quite well in both.
Re:How America lost its love for the stick shift by ddingus on Wednesday September 12, 2018 @03:35PM (#17972340)
Depends, right?

If, left in drive gear, yes. However, many cars have several options.

In my current car, a Honda, rhe lowest gear will just creep along, next gear up will slow the car rapidly on gas pedal release.

Both gears are very well chosen for traffic. I rarely apply brake.

Re:How America lost its love for the stick shift by loco5niner on Wednesday September 12, 2018 @05:17PM (#17973445)
> In an automatic, you pretty much have to touch the brakes to slow down.

Not with the regenerative braking in my hybrid.