On Sat, 28 Jun 2014 07:41:32 -0400, jmcquown >
wrote:

>The few times I've driven an automatic in recent years I, too, found
>myself reaching to shift and my foot went to where the clutch should be.
> I'm not comfortable driving an automatic. I can certainly drive one
>if I have to but I'd rather not. And let me take it around the block a
>couple of times first to get used to it, okay? :-D

Remembering the Saudi incident reminded me of another time when
knowing only how to drive a stick worked to my benefit. I flew to the
States early one summer to visit my family and also buy the
newly-released Apple //c. As I was going to be in Florida for about
three weeks and my mother no longer drove, I decided to rent a car. I
went to the nearest agency and began the proceedings. Once the process
was under way I mentioned that I had to have a standard-not an
automatic. Consternation. "We only have automatics today" they said.
"We can give you a good deal on one." "You really don't want to know
what I can do to an automatic transmission" I said and briefly related
my previous encounter. This being Florida, where car-rental agencies
are a dime a dozen, the manager said "Well we do have *one* standard
available" as I was preparing to leave, adding "but it's a little more
expensive." "I'll take it" I said, remembering what my mother had told
me about the scarcity of standards in gerontocratic Florida.

"It" turned out to be a beautiful, Tweety-Bird/Woodstock-yellow
Mustang. And the stick was on the floor.

I was really, really sorry when I had to return that car three weeks
later.


--
Bob
www.kanyak.com