The Traveler's Tavern V

Post » Mon May 14, 2012 4:14 am

SA and France kind of tend to like it... a lot... :biggrin:

And what is it with Americans and automatic cars? Why would you drive an automatic when you can drive a stick shift?

Well, you can drive something with a stick, but it begs the question...why would you? But I'm kinda spoiled and biased...I worked at the Hydra-Matic transmission plant. We didn't make any with sticks.
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victoria johnstone
 
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Post » Sun May 13, 2012 7:34 pm

And what is it with Americans and automatic cars? Why would you drive an automatic when you can drive a stick shift?
My question is, why drive a stick shift when you can drive an automatic? I don't drive for pleasure, and it's less to worry about if I just want to get somewhere.
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Russell Davies
 
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Post » Sun May 13, 2012 2:17 pm

Well, you can drive something with a stick, but it begs the question...why would you? But I'm kinda spoiled and biased...I worked at the Hydra-Matic transmission plant. We didn't make any with sticks.

You have more control over the car and manuals often just feel more responsive in general.

My question is, why drive a stick shift when you can drive an automatic? I don't drive for pleasure, and it's less to worry about if I just want to get somewhere.

True. Is this generally how Americans view driving, or are automatic cars prevalent just because the industry decided they should be? Or something? :shrug: I just don't get it. It's like the US customary units. :P
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Terry
 
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Post » Mon May 14, 2012 5:04 am

My question is, why drive a stick shift when you can drive an automatic? I don't drive for pleasure, and it's less to worry about if I just want to get somewhere.

I swore I'd never use an automatic: manual for me all the way, etc. But for one reason or another, our latest car has an automatic gearbox and maybe it's just because I'm old, but I wouldn't want to go back to a manual now. I think it's partly because the gearbox in our last car was knackered and the clutch was worn out so it really wasn't very pleasant to drive any more, but also because automatics have come on a long way, so this new six-speed is pretty nippy and can supposedly out-accelerate its manual counterpart. Whether it can or not, it is pretty quick.

I suppose given more recent experience in a good manual I'd want to stick with that, but the allure of automatics has now, er, allured me.
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Sara Johanna Scenariste
 
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Post » Mon May 14, 2012 12:12 am

You have more control over the car and manuals often just feel more responsive in general.



True. Is this generally how Americans view driving, or are automatic cars prevalent just because the industry decided they should be? Or something? :shrug: I just don't get it. It's like the US customary units. :tongue:

It was invented in an era that had rockets and space ships on it's mind....you do want your spaceship to be automatic don't you?
I'll say this...it's nice to have a choice. Many Asian made cars have 4 or 5 speed sticks...and many buy them.
Automatics seem standard on most Detroit offerings, unless it's something intentionally sporty like a Vette or something like a Jeep...and the Big 3 is convinced that people here seem to prefer them.
Convenience, I guess.

Some smaller Big 3 cars have manual too I think...I don't know...same as a lot of Asian cars have auto-matic...it's both ways but the preference does seem to be automatics.
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Emma Pennington
 
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Post » Sun May 13, 2012 1:16 pm

It's pretty hard to find a manual car around here. Most people prefer automatics so that's all they're producing now. My favorite car I've ever owned, and would go back to in a heartbeat, was my little 5-speed '85 Honda Accord. I LOVED that car! All of my friends wanted to drive it because none of them had ever driven a manual.

I prefer the stick-shift but it's just too hard to find one now.

(And shuttles/rockets don't exactly have gears. :tongue: They're pretty much on or off.)


And I've not traveled too much myself. Been all over the east coast and up through the "southern" states and into Canada a few times - but never west of TN.
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Lance Vannortwick
 
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Post » Sun May 13, 2012 7:30 pm

So, what are some good modern British comedy shows?
As a Canadian the only modern British comedy shows I watch are QI, Top Gear and occasionally seasons 11 and 12 of 8 out of Ten Cats on YouTube.
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Nathan Barker
 
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Post » Sun May 13, 2012 11:53 pm

Thanks for all the TV suggestions; The Inbetweeners is brilliant.

I've seen a fair amount of my country. I lived in south-west Virginia for the first eleven years of my life, moved to central North Carolina when I was twelve, and I've lived here sense. I've taken trips to Hawaii, D.C., Oklahoma, Florida, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, and South Carolina. I want nothing more than to move to Arizona and live in the desert, surviving on cactus water and snake steak.

Aussies: even gone exploring in the Outback?
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A Lo RIkIton'ton
 
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Post » Sun May 13, 2012 1:25 pm

To anyone from anywhere: How much of your own country have you seen?

I got this idea from the posts of the Brits here. It doesn't seem like you guys wander around your island very much. I could be wrong - just a general impression. In fact, prove me wrong.

I've been to most places in the UK that are worth going to I reckon, either driving through or actually stopping. Never been to Hull though, thank Christ.
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Peetay
 
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Post » Mon May 14, 2012 4:57 am

I've been to most places in the UK that are worth going to I reckon, either driving through or actually stopping. Never been to Hull though, thank Christ.
As a half-Hullian, I whole-heartedly agree.
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A Dardzz
 
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Post » Sun May 13, 2012 5:12 pm

To anyone from anywhere: How much of your own country have you seen?
I've never been to many regions, but perhaps most importantly I've never been to southern France (Provence, Corsica, Bordeaux & Toulouse...). Can't say I'm a huge fan of southern accents anyway...
As a half-Hullian, I whole-heartedly agree.
What's wrong with Hull? (I don't know anything about that place, honest question here)
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Tha King o Geekz
 
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Post » Sun May 13, 2012 3:33 pm

What's wrong with Hull? (I don't know anything about that place, honest question here)
It's in the North :P

Seriously though it's just really run down.
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Karen anwyn Green
 
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Post » Mon May 14, 2012 3:45 am

I've been to most places in the UK that are worth going to I reckon, either driving through or actually stopping. Never been to Hull though, thank Christ.

Doncaster is the worst place in England.
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natalie mccormick
 
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Post » Sun May 13, 2012 8:01 pm

Doncaster is the worst place in England.
I thought it was Manchester. Or London.
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Georgine Lee
 
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Post » Mon May 14, 2012 1:03 am

It's in the North :tongue:

Seriously though it's just really run down.
oh ok. I should've guessed.
Doncaster is the worst place in England.
so what's the best place in England?
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priscillaaa
 
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Post » Sun May 13, 2012 10:34 pm

I thought it was Manchester. Or London.

Never been to Manchester, but London varies from the really well off (Chelsea) to the below poverty line (Tower Hamlets). Hull and other assorted hellholes (Grimsby, 'Great' Yarmouth) are like tha tall over. They also lack the culture that London has as well.
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Brιonα Renae
 
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Post » Sun May 13, 2012 5:12 pm

Manchester is really nice and upmarket in parts.
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Vincent Joe
 
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Post » Sun May 13, 2012 2:01 pm

so what's the best place in England?
cletheroe!
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Hairul Hafis
 
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Post » Mon May 14, 2012 2:36 am

so what's the best place in England?

I feel obliged to say S[censored]horpe because it upsets the autocensor. Or perhaps Shellow Bowells if for no other reason than its ludicrous name. Or perhaps Blubberhouses.
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Monique Cameron
 
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Post » Sun May 13, 2012 5:44 pm

Well yeah, that makes sense, but it very rarely seems to go in the opposite direction - I can't think of a single British show based on an American one off the top of my head.
I've always chalked it up to Europeans being more accustomed to exposure to other cultures. You're more likely just to watch the American versions of American TV rather than wait for a U.K. remake, yes? I'm guessing that a lot of Americans aren't used to watching TV that's full of unfamiliar accents and references to regional culture that they don't understand. Just a guess...I could be wrong. I'm very open-minded when it comes to foreign media, but a lot of people aren't. :shrug:
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suniti
 
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Post » Mon May 14, 2012 4:02 am

Thanks for the info on American cars. It's these little quirks that are so fascinating. :smile:

I feel obliged to say S[censored]horpe because it upsets the autocensor.

"S[censored]horpe is a town within North Lincolnshire, England." On the first guess, too.

I've never been to many regions, but perhaps most importantly I've never been to southern France (Provence, Corsica, Bordeaux & Toulouse...).

But it's all sunny and beautiful there... Whenever somebody tries to talk to you, just block your ears and shout LA LA LA LA.
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Steeeph
 
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Post » Mon May 14, 2012 4:20 am

I've spent a lot of time time in France, specifically Normandy and it is a real dump in parts. It's actually a lot like England, but with less history and more industrial estates and tower blocks. There are some beautiful places though, by the sea.
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Marquis T
 
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Post » Sun May 13, 2012 2:55 pm

Out of curiosity, why does Wales get so much guff from Brits? I never understood that... though it's probably something like how many Americans talk crap about the South and other areas.
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Kat Stewart
 
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Post » Sun May 13, 2012 7:29 pm

Out of curiosity, why does Wales get so much guff from Brits? I never understood that... though it's probably something like how many Americans talk crap about the South and other areas.
Because the play or seem to play no major role in the goverment. Its like Scotland but smaller and less people who have their own language they talk and don't contribute much to the overall running of the island. I don't think I've ever heard of Wales kicking up a fuss over anything that happenes in the UK.
It's kinda like Americans on the Southern areas yeah.
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Symone Velez
 
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Post » Mon May 14, 2012 2:33 am

Out of curiosity, why does Wales get so much guff from Brits? I never understood that... though it's probably something like how many Americans talk crap about the South and other areas.
We actually were talking about the UK last night at dinner and even my family considers Wales the red-headed stepchild. (And we don't exactly know much about it.)

And um.. I guess it depends on where you live because all the jokes I hear are about yankees. :)
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Racheal Robertson
 
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