Which is safer and better Manual or Automatic Transmission cars?

Kevin McCloud

Kevin McCloud wrote: »

The biting point in a daysul is alot more forgiving.

The biting point on the MK1 Fiesta was about the sharpest ever produced, and that was the car I learned to drive in.

After that all other clutches were easy, very easy.

The One Doctor

Manuals are for diesel drivers.

nc19

Packrat wrote:

There's a reason why luxury expensive cars are usually auto. They're better.

no. its because the type of people who buy them are too busy telling everyone how much their car cost to change gear

imurdaddy

Modern automatics such as tiptronic are far better manual boxes, my current car is my first auto and id never go back to manuals, been able to change between sports and economy mode changes how the car feels and drives. The days of old clonky autos drinking fuel are well gone.

jimgoose

imurdaddy wrote: »

Modern automatics such as tiptronic are far better manual boxes, my current car is my first auto and id never go back to manuals, been able to change between sports and economy mode changes how the car feels and drives. The days of old clonky autos drinking fuel are well gone.

Automatic or dual-clutch automated manual?

jimgoose

pcardin wrote: »

Ever heard of adaptive automatic gearbox? Steptronic? Shiftronic?

Manuals are last century and really belong to museums. Fine for culchies as on open road once the highest gear selected there's no difference. Can't imagine what fun you can have in city rush hour constantly jerking the lever.

You mean "clutchies", surely??

Packrat

nc19 wrote: »

no. its because the type of people who buy them are too busy telling everyone how much their car cost to change gear

Yeah whatever. As I said earlier; please continue to drive your flea sized manual sh1tbox if that makes you happy. Those of us who know better will have the autos.

Tony EH

Overall I'd say autos are safer as they allow the driver, especially a newer driver, to use their time being aware of their situation on the road, instead of pricking about with gears.

Also, I've just never got the bollocks attitude to auto shifts in this country or in the UK.

Bizarre, and childish, to say the least.

pcardin

Packrat wrote: »

Yeah whatever. As I said earlier; please continue to drive your flea sized manual sh1tbox if that makes you happy. Those of us who know better will have the autos.

Indeed. And grow the third leg for third pedal. :pac::D

JohnCleary

Auto / Tip-Tronic FTW. My car doesn't come in manual (well, VERY rare, so hard to find). Was hard to get used to it, but now it's a delight.

That said, she has the power. I'd hate to be stuck with a sh1tty 2 litre petrol auto

Buona Fortuna

I like big beefy automatics like Jags.

But manual for mere mortals cars .

Was it one of Carson's jokes "It's automatic, ya just havta steer it."

Valetta

Packrat wrote: »

Yeah whatever. As I said earlier; please continue to drive your flea sized manual sh1tbox if that makes you happy. Those of us who know better will have the autos.

Gearbox snobbery.

Gotta love it.

JohnCleary

nc19 wrote: »

no. its because the type of people who buy them are too busy telling everyone how much their car cost to change gear

Good girl yourself.

Buy a decent powered car with an auto-box and get back to us :pac: Actually while I said above my yoke also has tip-tronic, once you lob her into Sports mode, it's even better. YEEEEHAWWWW

SpaceTime

Actually, when I'm abroad especially on confusing or narrow roads eg in Iceland recently, I opted for an automatic. It just takes one more task out of the mix and lets you get on with driving on the right and enjoying the scenery.

jimgoose

Buona Fortuna wrote: »

I like big beefy automatics like Jags.

But manual for mere mortals cars .

Was it one of Carson's jokes "It's automatic, ya just havta steer it."

I have a big, beefy Jag, with a five-speed Fordson tractor manual. And it's fantastic. :cool:

CruelCoin

Manual is safer.

More control and less likely to be dozy, as you actually have to think to dirve.

Doctor Jimbob

CruelCoin wrote: »

Manual is safer.

More control and less likely to be dozy, as you actually have to think to dirve.

This argument that manual is safer as you have to think has come up a few times on this thread now, I'm not really buying it. Yes, you have to focus more but the flip side is if you lose that focus there are more things that can go wrong.

CruelCoin

Doctor Jimbob wrote: »

This argument that manual is safer as you have to think has come up a few times on this thread now, I'm not really buying it. Yes, you have to focus more but the flip side is if you lose that focus there are more things that can go wrong.

I'm not sure how catastrophic you think losing focus in a manual is. The only things that happen is that you stall the engine at low speeds, or that you over rev. Now, if either happen to you, then somethings wrong with you (tiredness, drink, etc) and you shouldn't have been driving in the first place.

Manual shifting allows you to select the ideal gear for whatever the weather condition. For example, in snow you run a high gear, low revs in order to avoid wheelspin. Automatic drivers meanwhile are largely stuck with the gear the CPU chooses for you.

And i've seen it argued that you can keep 2 hands on the wheel, but in reality, nobody does.

jackofalltrades

CruelCoin wrote: »

Manual shifting allows you to select the ideal gear for whatever the weather condition. For example, in snow you run a high gear, low revs in order to avoid wheelspin. Automatic drivers meanwhile are largely stuck with the gear the CPU chooses for you.

Most automatics have a "snow" mode which automatically does what you described above for you.
And if you're still not happy with the selected gear you can always manually select it yourself.
But lets face it the biggest thing that's going to help you in snow/ice is traction control and what type of tyres you have on.

And i've seen it argued that you can keep 2 hands on the wheel, but in reality, nobody does.

I regularly drive twisty country roads at night.
Not having to take my hands off the wheel in my automatic is a definite safety advantage.

flyguy

The worst thing that can happen in a manual is unintentionally being in neutral -which happens, especially with novice drivers- when you shouldn't be like during cornering. Being in neutral unintentionally and/or at the wrong time can be disastrous regarding car control. A situation like this is impossible in an auto.
(I consider driving with the clutch pressed as being in neutral as well as you're in no gear at that time).

househero

flyguy wrote: »

The worst thing that can happen in a manual is unintentionally being in neutral -which happens, especially with novice drivers- when you shouldn't be like during cornering. Being in neutral unintentionally and/or at the wrong time can be disastrous regarding car control. A situation like this is impossible in an auto.
(I consider driving with the clutch pressed as being in neutral as well as you're in no gear at that time).

Hahahahahahaha

how is it disastrous... you go a little slower. the car is better balanced in the corner. Breaking IN the corner is worse than having no power.

Doctor Jimbob

CruelCoin wrote: »

I'm not sure how catastrophic you think losing focus in a manual is. The only things that happen is that you stall the engine at low speeds, or that you over rev. Now, if either happen to you, then somethings wrong with you (tiredness, drink, etc) and you shouldn't have been driving in the first place.

Manual shifting allows you to select the ideal gear for whatever the weather condition. For example, in snow you run a high gear, low revs in order to avoid wheelspin. Automatic drivers meanwhile are largely stuck with the gear the CPU chooses for you.

And i've seen it argued that you can keep 2 hands on the wheel, but in reality, nobody does.

I didn't say it was catastrophic. I was just pointing out how silly the whole 'more focus' argument is. If you have the same amount of focus in an automatic (which you should if you're driving at all) there is less that can go wrong. That's an advantage, however slight.

Pretty much any even remotely modern automatic car allows you to have some control over gears when the situation calls for it.

flyguy

househero wrote: »

Hahahahahahaha

how is it disastrous... you go a little slower. the car is better balanced in the corner. Breaking IN the corner is worse than having no power.

If you think it's ok to take a corner in neutral or with the clutch pressed I think you probably don't have a license or have never had any driving lessons.
I got my license in another EU country (with better road safety statistics than Ireland) and doing that on your test would be an instant fail.
Btw how would you be going slower if you're in neutral? That would depend on the speed you were carrying going into the corner, that's why normal driving lessons would teach you to select the appropriate gear before taking the corner not during. Obviously if you can accelerate leaving the turn it's ok to change up. Going into a corner at speed in neutral can have a disastrous outcome, especially since the opposite to what you said happens the car would be unbalanced and you would more likely need to brake which is as you say something you'd want to avoid. Anyway like I said no such issue in an auto.

wendell borton

Jeez, what is it about motoring that it brings out such sheer petulance.
I drive a manual by the way .

bjork

There should be a ban on people driving less than 15KM.

coffee_cake

I prefer manual really

bjork

bjork wrote: »

There should be a ban on people driving less than 15KM.

But, what if the destination is only 14km away? :pac:

Lastblackdog

All this talk of manual giving more control reminds me of those silly arguments about whether it was better to use a computer using comand line commands or just clicking on an icon.

At the time most of the bluster was for the purity of the command line, the better connection with the program, etc.

Manual drivers are Luddite's just like Dos users were. Learn to keep up with progress.

My automatic has all wheel drive so is better on ice than both front and rear wheel drive. Keep up - or are you too busy playing with your stick?

jimgoose

Lastblackdog wrote: »

All this talk of manual giving more control reminds me of those silly arguments about whether it was better to use a computer using comand line commands or just clicking on an icon.

At the time most of the bluster was for the purity of the command line, the better connection with the program, etc.

Manual drivers are Luddite's just like Dos users were. Learn to keep up with progress.

My automatic has all wheel drive so is better on ice than both front and rear wheel drive. Keep up - or are you too busy playing with your stick?

Bejaysis!

bjork

Deleted User wrote: »

But, what if the destination is only 14km away? :pac:

Your destination will suddenly and abruptly be changed to Mountjoy by the traffic corps