Manual Transmission
Is one of those great things that is better than the alternative in every way.
I know my friend Matt G. would say this is also true for "Better Butter", which is half butter and half vegetable oil, but I prefer room temperature real butter. My point is that most choices in life involve trade-offs, so it's nice when some things are just straight-up Better. (Bikes are one example of Better, this exact type of unalloyed fundamental goodness.)
Manual is more fuel efficient, more fun, cheaper to maintain and repair, and it allows more control over the power curve of the car. The only downside is that you need a working right arm every so often, but even that is optional if you have a good partner to change gears for you, or if you are really skilled at steering with your knees.
The absolute BEST part about manual transmission, though, is that you can start your car even if the battery is dead or the electrical system is severely jacked. Yesterday my own electrical system became severely jacked without warning. My brother and I gave the old jalopy a good shove, I hopped in, popped the clutch, and VROOOOM!
It is an extremely satisfying experience. I would suppose that on a scale of satisfaction it falls somewhere between taking a big dump and catching a tailhook on an aircraft carrier.
I know my friend Matt G. would say this is also true for "Better Butter", which is half butter and half vegetable oil, but I prefer room temperature real butter. My point is that most choices in life involve trade-offs, so it's nice when some things are just straight-up Better. (Bikes are one example of Better, this exact type of unalloyed fundamental goodness.)
Manual is more fuel efficient, more fun, cheaper to maintain and repair, and it allows more control over the power curve of the car. The only downside is that you need a working right arm every so often, but even that is optional if you have a good partner to change gears for you, or if you are really skilled at steering with your knees.
The absolute BEST part about manual transmission, though, is that you can start your car even if the battery is dead or the electrical system is severely jacked. Yesterday my own electrical system became severely jacked without warning. My brother and I gave the old jalopy a good shove, I hopped in, popped the clutch, and VROOOOM!
It is an extremely satisfying experience. I would suppose that on a scale of satisfaction it falls somewhere between taking a big dump and catching a tailhook on an aircraft carrier.
posted by AdamB at 11:35 AM
2 Comments:
Brother man speaks my mind! It is really great when something is easier and better. As you say, it rarely works that way. RPN is more efficient than a normal calculator, but it requires much more attention. And, popping the clutch is a fantastic feeling. It's like magic. More magic than a good dump. Less magic than a good orgasm or feeling the tail hook catch.
Yeah, it makes perfect sense both mechanically and intuitively, but somehow it just still seems really unexpected!
Brains are neato.
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