Manual vs. Automatic

I recorded in Abbey Road studios once. That was the most amazing day 
There's a webcam on the crossing. So after I had my day's recording session, I phoned up my Dad and asked him to look for me crossing the road. So he did and took screenshots as I walked back and forth across the road. It was a funny moment, shared with my Dad all the way on the other side of the world.

This makes me smile I love this story!

I recorded in Abbey Road studios once. That was the most amazing day 
There's a webcam on the crossing. So after I had my day's recording session, I phoned up my Dad and asked him to look for me crossing the road. So he did and took screenshots as I walked back and forth across the road. It was a funny moment, shared with my Dad all the way on the other side of the world.

That's perfect! 

Just checked out the webcam and it's actually really interesting to watch haha. Surprised to see that pretty much nobody is out looking at it today! I imagine on a Fri-Sun it's probably insane! lol

One thing I'm looking forward to is NOT having to pay our ridiculously high car tab fees here in Seattle. To help pay for a new light rail system around the area, they decided a couple years ago to implement a new tax on car tabs that you pay EVERY year. It's supposed to be based on the value of your car however, it was discovered that their calculations are wrong because if you own a used car, they are taxing you based off the cost of a NEW car (instead of the Kelly Blue Book value). They finally acknowledged that their calculations are off "and are working to fix it" but they refuse to refund people.

So for instance, my car tabs for my 2010 Ford Escape Hybrid went from something like $60 a year to $250 a year. I have a friend who bought a new 2019 Ford F150 truck, he just paid $896 for car tabs!         

One thing I'm looking forward to is NOT having to pay our ridiculously high car tab fees here in Seattle. To help pay for a new light rail system around the area, they decided a couple years ago to implement a new tax on car tabs that you pay EVERY year. It's supposed to be based on the value of your car however, it was discovered that their calculations are wrong because if you own a used car, they are taxing you based off the cost of a NEW car (instead of the Kelly Blue Book value). They finally acknowledged that their calculations are off "and are working to fix it" but they refuse to refund people.

So for instance, my car tabs for my 2010 Ford Escape Hybrid went from something like $60 a year to $250 a year. I have a friend who bought a new 2019 Ford F150 truck, he just paid $896 for car tabs!         

<cough> Rip Off Britain <cough>

Ummm... you might not be escaping a lot of taxes here.  Just a heads-up. 

Ummm... you might not be escaping a lot of taxes here.  Just a heads-up.

Oh no no. I completely expect that. However, I'm beginning to see that its not ALL one sided.

I'm wondering what everyone's opinions are on learning manual or just sticking with automatic? I'm currently feeling like there's enough life changes coming my way in the next year that'd I'd rather just stick with automatic. But we're also going to have to buy me a car in the not to distant future and it looks like we'll have much more choice and cheaper options if I suck it up and learn manual. What have your experiences been?

If you do decide to try the manual, it will help immensely if you have access to a car you can use to practice on your own time and a buddy to drive you to a safe place to practice. I'm not sure of the availability of large, vacant parking lots in the UK, but they are invaluable to learning to drive a manual without the pressure of being on a live road with other moving things!


Starting from stopped and then going from first into second are the hardest, so just practice starting over and over and over until it feels natural. It will help to keep the radio off so you can hear the engine revving up and know when to shift by the way it sounds rather than by looking at the RPM gauge. Don't worry if you don't get it right away and the car "bucks" or shudders. You'll know what 'bucking' is when it happens. Everyone stalls a lot their first couple times out, so don't be discouraged. It's a physical skill and takes time, practice, and patience to master just like any skill. Everyone stalls through a cycle of lights early on as well.   I've been driving a manual my entire driving life and I still stall the car every now and then.

I find manuals are a lot more fun to drive and can confirm, their transmissions are much cheaper to replace. It's also a great anti-theft device in the US. Too bad insurance companies won't give a discount for it.

Good luck no matter which option you choose and I hope all the big life changes go well too.

Everyone stalls through a cycle of lights early on as well.   I've been driving a manual my entire driving life and I still stall the car every now and then.

I drove manuals off and on since 1992 in the US (my beloved MiniZoom was manual), and even so, I selected fourth when aiming for second during my UK practical driving test last year!  (I still passed.)  So, yeah... what ltdsn said: accept that nobody is perfect at it, learn the feel of it (the car will tell you when you need to shift), and enjoy.  It really is more engaging to drive a manual versus automatic.

I’ll do my best to remember that! 😆 

I think I will give it a try, just maybe with a driving instructor at first. I just remember my parents teaching me how to drive when I was 16 and how much yelling was involved, I don’t know if that’s how I want my married life to start 😆

I'm a proud member of the automatic club  There were so people this side of the pond (husband included) who thought getting an automatic license was foolish because I would never be able to drive a manual. Well, I had no intention or desire to drive a manual anyways, so.....  It was no problem finding an automatic car. I did have to dig a bit to find an auto instructor, but I did, and I passed first time. If an emergency situation or something arises where we only have a manual car available to us, we'll cross that bridge when we get there.

I never drove a manual before, and I was a VERY very nervous driver in the UK when I was learning. My husband gave me a few manual lessons, but I knew it wasn't for me. I stuck with what I was comfortable with. Call that stubborn if you will, but I got my license 2 years ago and have had no regrets about not going for manual! *mic drop*

Oh, Jeez, my first driving lesson is today and I'm as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rockers....

Oh, Jeez, my first driving lesson is today and I'm as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rockers....

You'll do great!  Let us know how it goes.

Remember, you know how to drive - you only need to learn how to pass the test.

Yeah, but driving here is daunting. Thank God it's in an Automatic, so all I have to worry about is being on the wrong side and the unfamilar street markings!

Yeah, but driving here is daunting. Thank God it's in an Automatic, so all I have to worry about is being on the wrong side and the unfamilar street markings!

Good luck Nan, as they say up here, "you'll be reet"

Our son has cerebral palsy and in the USA learning to drive was a major, major achievement but he managed it by the time he was 18. 17 years later he moved to England and started his driving lessons, in an automatic. I took him out 3 times before his first lesson and it was really scary, he struggled with positioning and hit the edge of the sidewalk twice traveling at 30 mph.  However, the instructor he had also teaches disabled folks to drive.  After a few lessons he was doing much better and he got a job within 6 weeks or arriving and had to commute 12 miles each way to work and back. He stopped his lessons after 5 or 6 times, then started them again 6 months later with the sole aim of learning to pass the test which he did at the first attempt.

I think your son probably did better than I did today.
At least I didn't hit anything.