Smart people drive stick shift

Ever notice that smart people in the U.S. drive stick shift cars. That is not to say that all smart people drive stick shifts or that dumb people drive automatic. It just that people I know who drive stick shift cars are generally intelligent. In Europe, by contrast, Automatics are almost non-existent, used almost predominately by the elderly and handicapped.

Lets compare the two continents

European argument for manual transmission:

• Availability ( All new and used cars on the market are manual)
• Cost (manual transmissions are cheaper to produce, lowering cost of the car)
• Durability (Require less maintenance, cheaper to repair)
• Efficiency (direct connection and lighter compared to the heaver fluid coupled automatic)

American argument for Automatic transmission:

• Availability ( All new and used cars on the market are automatic)
• Easier (Less pedals and no shifting makes it easier to send text messages while driving)

Basically people who want a cheaper more efficient car and dont sent text mesages or check email while driving through the city would opt for a manual transmission.