Manual vs Auto-shift transmissions

Damnn it Gears, dont tell me?????? When they asked you to drive an auto., did you laugh? Well look at it like this, your semi-retired, and practicing to drive your motorhome.

 

I've been driving an automatic for about a month now. When I first got in it, I HATED it. No matter how careful I was, it seemed I could not hook a trailer or put a trailer on a dock without slamming it hard. By the second week, I was able to get an acceptable level of finesse from hooking and docking as long as I was very careful. Now that I'm a month in, docking and hooking are as gentle and as easy as any other truck. And with those issues gone, I'm now at the point where I actually like the automatic. Its sort of grown on me I guess.

 

Nah, I didn't laugh. There's no "they" in the picture. I'm an owner operator and it's my truck, my decision.

 

While I personally prefer a manual, I'm not going to look down my nose at someone who chooses an auto.

Most of the fire trucks I drove were auto. My class 8s have all been standard.

It's kind of like the question, "Is bolt action or magazine feed a better option for a .308?" It's the same round, with the same trajectory, the same range and the same impact delivery. Some shooters will say, "Real shooters only use bolt action," yet be blown out of the water by a more accurate shooter with a magazine fed rifle. What it boils down to is preference. It's not the rifle so much as it is the shooter.

It's not the transmission so much as it is the driver. What do you want?


*The point made above regarding employment options is a good one. If a new driver tests out on an automatic transmission, states are beginning to place a restriction on the license that prohibits the driver from running a manual. However, I don't see that as being the question in this case.

 

Real Truck Drivers strive for the best fuel economy and to make their equipment last as long as possible. Automateds help in both. (hint: I prefer automated over automatic as it's the best of both worlds)

+1 on transmissions and +1 on the license restrictions or at the least some kind of "training certificate" for those who have trained using manuals. Driving manual takes a certain level of understanding and ability and putting a newer driver out on the road that has never driven manual is an added risk to the roadways. But at the same time, we are just talking speculation. I don't think there are any statistics that confirm this.

 

Kinda like the way manuals were the norm for a long time cars and now thats the norm and manuals aren't.

 

Nice looking motorhome.

 

Nootherids, First you need experience driving a truck. 0-1 years experience? Winter is here, I have ran the midwest for 38 years, and Across I80, one year, came over an incline, when I got over the hill, It was a SHEET OF ICE, Single axle daycab, EMPTY, Now this truck was going to go where ever, WHO knows, I did throw it in neutral, and VERY little movement of the steering wheel. By putting it in neutral it stopped all momentum of the wheels having any torque what so ever, You can NOT do that with an Automatic, Those wheels WILL keep turning with power to them. When I did get over that little hill, there were 2 trucks in the ditch, in the middle. My choice Manual over Auto., safety is more important than Fuel Mileage. This is why I am strongly against Auto, trans. Now if your never, ever going to be in bad conditions like this, then an Auto would work. I posted this in another thread:

Janesville, WI. I 90 West bound, Single Axle Day Cab, 2K on it, Extremely icy conditions, I was going 40 MPH, and the WIND caught the side of my cab, and forced me into a Jackknife. I immediately pulled the hand valve, very slightly just enough to catch the rear tandems, and at the same time, gave it a little gas. The trailer pulled back, and the cab pulled forward just enough for me to back off on speed, and pull over and change my clothes. Roadway, was back a bit, and got on the Radio and said, That was some heck of driving, if you didn`t straighten that out, you were taking me with you. I was probably pretty lucky, but it worked.

IMO, YOU ARE NOT going to do this with an Automatic on ICE. Those wheels will keep turning, and I dare you to touch the Brakes in a situation like that.

Ill debate anyone with this subject.

 

That's a hoot on the .308. If you are a hunter then a real shooter only needs one round, right? But I always say, never take a single shot to a fire fight.

 

The simple be all end all is this: With a manual you are driving a truck, with an Auto you are being driven by a truck.

The End.

Next topic?