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Comment by pmiller2 | Hacker News Reader

Manual transmissions are great anti-theft devices, though! ;)

In your country maybe. It is very much a cultural thing. In the Netherlands to get your driving license, you learn to stick shift by default. If you don't want or cannot learn to stick shift, you can get your license but you get a notice in your driving license that you are only allowed to drive automatic transmission. Learning to drive automatic is still very much an exception here.

Most consumer cars in the Netherlands are still sold as manual transmission, probably because the price was usually lower compared to automatic transmission. But we won't have a choice forever, since we are heading to an hybrid/full-electric future and almost all electric cars have a CVT anyway.

I've tried three times to rent a manual car at Schiphol, and ended up with an automatic each time. I also noticed that my Uber drivers almost always drive automatics in Amsterdam.

I know, plural of anecdote is not data.

Oh well. My 1998 Tacoma with a five speed will die soon enough, and I'll end up buying an automatic, probably.

I will have :wq! on my headstone, though.

As an Emacs user, that's the only VI command I know!

I'm in Spain and I don't think I've seen an automatic in my entire life and it's also not possible to get a licence for an automatic car.

I rented a car in Bilbao recently - reserved a manual, got an automatic (presumably because I'm an American, and they assumed I'd ruin the clutch on a manual transmission). So, that's one way to see an automatic :).

When you say it's not possible to get a license for an automatic car, do you mean it's not possible to get tested for a driving license with an automatic?

Yes, that.

And great "hey, can I borrow your car?" deterrents as well.

So wait - how many thieves won't know how to drive stick? Yeah maybe it'll stop a joyride, but...

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