phones, drinks, smokes & manual transmissions

["R. Cummings" <cumm@flash.net>]

Dear Phil,
It was with a heavy heart that I read your note about the prohibition of
phones, drinks and smokes while driving in the UK. What a pity when creeping
civilization begins to prevent us from the enjoying life's little pleasures.
It is obvious that we, in the colonies, broke away in the nick of time.  I
make two or three trips between Ft. Worth TX and Buffalo NY each year, a
distance of about 1,400 miles each way. I do this in two days driving 12 to
13 hours each day. The trick is to stay alert at 65 to 75 mph for such
extended periods. Now, I agree with the cell phone thing. It is hard to
juggle the phone, balance a hot cup of coffee and flick the ash off my cigar
into the ever shrinking ash trays. But without the phone it's do-able.

I love these trips, watching the changing landscape from the lush Great
Lakes to the arid plains. I have solved the world's problems after two
solitary days on the road but I must say, I cannot imagine 24 hours with
both hands in a death grip on the wheel in anticipation of a phone crazed,
coffee drinking smoker, crashing through the median at me.

Of course, it makes no difference whether the car is manual or automatic.
With a manual, it's only used once in a while to get up to speed after a
stop, and only a couple of gears at that. The rest can be skipped. Come to
think of it, I can probably steer and drink coffee with the same number of
hands as you can steer and shift.

mfg               Bob Cummings    1987 Coupe GT  5 speed