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Missed a Shift

3K views 34 replies 8 participants last post by  Andrew 
#1 ·
Driving my brother-in-law from Australia back from dinner in Newport Beach, I missed a shift. After getting off the Newport Freeway at 17th Street, I made a good top end shift from 1st to 2nd. Second to third was great. Opps. I went from 3rd to no where. Rats. He just laughs. I was trying to show him how great I was in my toy. Crap. Missing a shift is bad enough when no one is in the car but me. Nuts. My brother-in-law was with me.

Darn. All he is doing is telling me about missing that gear. Darn. He is going back to Melbourne Tuesday and will tell all about this. Super Rats. On March 7, 2004 at the Australian Grand Prix, I will be hearing about this. Yipes!

:nuts:

:evil:

:cry:

:green:
 
#2 ·
I know how you feel Bart! I usually do stupid stuff when I'm trying to show off or impress someone too. :oops:

Q - What are a drunken ******** last words?
A - Hey y'all! Watch this!
 
#5 ·
Bazil said:
"Never drive less than an automatic" :green:
Now Bazil, my car has a manual transmission. Are you saying that I can't handle it!?!
Sure it doesn't go well into 2nd when cold. Sure the shifting is less precise and slower then an automatic. Sure I have to remember to upshift or downshift rather than some sensor deciding the optimum gear. Sure I have to remind my wife that the clutch needs to be either on or off and that position in the middle really isn't good for it. Sure I have to juggle the coffee cup and blinker while I'm trying to downshift for the corner. But hey! At least I don't have another freakin' filter that needs changing!

Who's laughing now Bazil!!
:green:
 
#7 ·
Pete04222 said:
Now Bazil, my car has a manual transmission. Are you saying that I can't handle it!?!
Errrrr - no. To be honest, I'd never even noticed your post on this thread - so I'm really not sure what you're getting at.

Pete04222 said:
At least I don't have another freakin' filter that needs changing!
I really have no idea about this bit - very strange!! :nuts:

Pete04222 said:
Who's laughing now Bazil!!
Andrew for one!! :green:
 
#8 ·
Bazil said:
I'm really not sure what you're getting at.

Pete04222 said:
At least I don't have another freakin' filter that needs changing!
I really have no idea about this bit - very strange!! :nuts:

Pete04222 said:
Who's laughing now Bazil!!
Andrew for one!! :green:
Bazil,
I was messing with you! The post was meant to be very strange! I love automatics! You never miss a shift, you can concentrate on driving and not shifting. For my daily driver I insist on an automatic. For my toys I enjoy a manual; not because it is better, because I like it. You and I are both regulars here, when I make a post that seems odd....It was probably meant to be.

I laughed at your little rib on Bart as much as Andrew!
 
#9 ·
Thank goodness for that!! I thought you'd flipped!!

:green:

Actually - you can answer something for me that I've always wondered about - in fact, any of you US based chaps can.

Here in the UK - manuals are the norm. Very few people drive automatics - probably in the order of 1 in 30 cars is an automatic. Obviously, therefore, we all learn and take our driving tests in manuals too. It is possible to pass a restricted test - which only allows you to drive an automatic, although I've never heard of anyone actually doing so.

Over in the US/Canada - I know that automatics are the norm - I guess you all learn in them etc.

Question is - do you take your driving test in an auto or a manual? If you take it in an auto, do you need to take an extra test, in order to drive a manual?

Bazil
 
#10 ·
Bazil said:
Question is - do you take your driving test in an auto or a manual? If you take it in an auto, do you need to take an extra test, in order to drive a manual?
Bazil
Nope, 1 test is good for all cars. You can take your license test in a Yugo with an automatic and the next day you could be driving around in a 40 foot long diesel powered motorhome with a manual transmission.

In some states you need to take a separate exam to operate a motorcycle or a moped, in others you do not. There are separate exams for school bus drivers and vehicles above 26,000 lbs. There are endorsement tests for carrying hazardous materials, tank vehicles (1,000 gallons or more), double or triple trailers and vehicles that carry more than 15 passengers.

But here in Maine, if you are at least 16 years old and you can handle a Yugo for the examiner, you can legally drive anything up to 26,000 lbs with 14 people onboard. (Oh, and you can get a learner's permit at 15, the restriction of this is that you must be accompanied by someone who is 20 years old and has had a driver's license for 1 year. I guess that is so there is someone with enough experience to tell you to get your foot off the clutch!)
 
#13 ·
bazil

manual is the standard in all of europe, and it's more fun
automatics are so boring, even driving a selespeed (alfa), tiptronic (mercedes, porschen,...) is boring, it's fun for a short time
but i wasn't too fond of it

and damn Peter
thats very terrifying to hear how you guys learn to drive and what you are allowed to drive then.

no wonder so many people drive automatics and that the speedlimits are soooooo freaking low there
 
#14 ·
Pete04222 said:
Don't you start up with me again Bazil!!!! :green:
:lol:

DJ Dirk said:
manual is the standard in all of europe, and it's more fun
automatics are so boring, even driving a selespeed (alfa), tiptronic (mercedes, porschen,...) is boring, it's fun for a short time
but i wasn't too fond of it
To me - it depends what I'm driving and what type of driving it is.

If I'm on the motorway for a long time, or in stop/start heavy traffic, I actually like driving an automatic. It's just easier.

Whenever I'm in the US or Australia and have a long journey to do, on what tend to be very straight roads then Auto makes the journey much more relaxing.

However, for everything else, especially if I'm driving for fun then it's got to be a manual.
 
#15 ·
Bart, your brother-in-law is really laughing at this whole fancy "gear-changing" thing!

Here in this wide brown (=dirt) land we have no need for such ridiculous mannerisms, and most cars sold have been welded into top gear. Whenever I pop-out on a little 10 day non-stop jaunt across the country to say get some bread & milk or post a letter, I just bump-start the F40 with the tractor & slip the clutch a little (not too much) and then we're away - no need for silly gear changin'. It is usual to tie the steering wheel with a bit of rope once out the paddock gate and wedge a six-pack onto the accelerator (gas-pedal??), as that way a bit of sleep can be had along the way without losing time. The roads are straight enough

I got the dealer to saw-off the gear lever from the '40 as it is the perfect shape for clobbering 'roos on the head with when out with the boy's doing some kangaroo shootin after a few too many beers. The Ferrari is great for this, as it has great vision & the open top lets all the lads blaze-away in all directions! You can even fit a smallish croc in there too (I know - I've done it. Dead of course).Ah... the country life, nature and all that.

Hey Baz - look us up next time you're here & you can come along!
:wink: :wink: :wink:
 
#16 ·
4kids3fish said:
Hey Baz - look us up next time you're here & you can come along!
I might just do that - I'm there in 7 weeks!! Off to Perth, train to Adelaide, then Sydney & Cairns.

I can see it now - the new Ferrari F40 (Australian special edition) the latest beaut Ute from Italy!!! The engine under the flat-back can keep the the wife warm while the eskie and the dog sit in the A/C!!! :green:

Actually - I love driving in Oz. For a start you drive on the proper side, the steering wheel's in the right place and you actually know how to use roundabouts properly!! Apart from the very strange left turns they practice in Melbourne - which I swear they only do when us tourists are around... :ugh: - the standard of driving is excellent.

Unfortunately, so is the standard of traffic policing...

Just had a thought - if you're up in the territory - you shouldn't need to put your crocs inside the car - you just wedge their tails under the spoiler. Should be able to fit a good few salties in there - no worries!!

Can't wait - I love Australia!!
 
#17 ·
Bazil said:
Question is - do you take your driving test in an auto or a manual? If you take it in an auto, do you need to take an extra test, in order to drive a manual?
Bazil
Down here in Penal Colonies 'R' Us :evil: , you may do the initial test in an auto or manual. After 12 months you progress to a higher stage provisional licence, but if you have tested in an auto you can't drive a manual during these first 12 months unless you sit another drive-test.

After 12 months "on-the-road" the restriction is lifted.

On a similar topic, does any country/state limit the SIZE or POWER of an engine/car for new drivers? Here in Aussie bike riders are limited to 250cc initally but not car drivers.
 
#18 ·
if you are under 18 then you can't drive a car here, but only something like a scooter. afterwards it doesn't matter
but we have differences in licenses
auto or manual gearbox.
normal car
normal car carrying a trailer
bus
truck


about the engine power, well if you can buy it you can, but that doesn't mean that you can get insurrance for it on your name, or if you pay a small fortune
unless you are 26, then it doesn't matter anymore
 
#20 ·
Quote from enzo in f1 or 6speed:

" Well for one, you won't miss shifts when your brother-in-law is in the car like our friend Bart when you use the F1."

So Bart we are still laughing about you :lol: :lol: :lol:

Keep posting :lol:
 
#21 ·
EBRINK said:
Quote from enzo in f1 or 6speed:

" Well for one, you won't miss shifts when your brother-in-law is in the car like our friend Bart when you use the F1."

So Bart we are still laughing about you :lol: :lol: :lol:

Keep posting :lol:
Because he is Dutch he does not have command of the English language as well as us native speakers (I'm sure the Brits love this...always giving me a hard time here in Tokyo about my english).

What he meant to say was...we are laughing with you. It is all in good fun. :green:
 
#22 ·
Enzo250GTO said:
Because he is Dutch he does not have command of the English language as well as us native speakers (I'm sure the Brits love this...always giving me a hard time here in Tokyo about my english).
Absolutely Andrew - I'm a native speaker - God alone knows what you lot are speaking!!!! :green:
 
#23 ·
Bazil said:
Enzo250GTO said:
Because he is Dutch he does not have command of the English language as well as us native speakers (I'm sure the Brits love this...always giving me a hard time here in Tokyo about my english).
Absolutely Andrew - I'm a native speaker - God alone knows what you lot are speaking!!!! :green:
native's that still are driving at the WRONG side of the road :wink: :p :lol:
 
#24 ·
Dj Dirk said:
native's that still are driving at the WRONG side of the road
Natives that are still driving on the WRONG side of the road.

I give up!!!

:green: :green: :green:

Please realise I'm kidding - your English is considerably better than my German, Japanese, French etc. etc.
 
#25 ·
well my french isn't as good as it officially should be, i never had german in school (depends on what direction you choose) but i can help myself
so it's better that i do my crazy talk in english :green:

but hey, that's the fun part about beeing on an international forum, you know that a lot of the users aren't used of speaking/writing english every day but everybody gets by, has fun and learns a bit (sometimes)
 
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