On May 19, 4:56=A0pm, Bob Ward <bobw...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> On Mon, 19 May 2008 12:35:39 -0700 (PDT), "Richard R. Hershberger"
>
>
>
>
>
> <rrhe...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> >On May 18, 12:12=A0am, "MWB" <bick...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>
> >> I don't own a cell phone, a GPS or an automatic transmission. I would
n=
ever
> >> buy a vehicle with out a manual transmission.
>
> >I finally cracked on the cell phone issue a couple of years ago, for
> >my wife's sake. =A0I go pre-paid, with a minimum payment of $20 every
> >three months. =A0I tend to slowly ac***ulate more and more unused time,
> >as I don't use it much.
>
> >On the other hand, there are a few functions where a cell phone is
> >very handy, and where there is no good substitute. =A0Meeting someone,
> >for example, is much easier if you can call and determine whether you
> >are a block apart, or one of you is running late and won't be there
> >for half an hour. =A0Obviously back in the day we made do without, but
> >this is a clear improvement in a way that having automatic
> >transmission or GPS is not.
>
> >Richard R. Hershberger
>
> You would probably say the same thing about long-distance phone calls
> or airmail letters, early-on.
>
> Although I can survive ok without either, GPS and automatic
> transmissions do make life a lot easier and more enjoyable.
As others have noted, manual transmission is a preference. It likely
is an informed preference in the vast majority of cases. I have
driven both manuals and automatics, and prefer the former. You
mileage, obviously, varies.
As for GPS, I rarely have occasion where I don't know where I am
going. On those occasions, I prefer a map because it gives me a much
better sense of the area than do verbal directions. Once I have that
sense of the area, I am no longer tied down an external aid, and to
the extent that I am, a paper map is a pretty robust technology. I
also have seen suggested routes that are absurd, even compared to what
I would come up with from a map of an unfamiliar area. I gather that
the technology has improved, but still...
I am not a complete luddite. I can imagine cir***stances where a GPS
would be the better technology. If I did a lot of driving in
unfamiliar areas, and they were sufficiently widespread as to make
keeping maps in the car inconvient, then sure: I'd go with the GPS.
What I don't buy is the idea that I should necessarily adopt every new
technology that becomes available, just because. Using your airmail
example, back in the day it cost more than ground mail. The extra
expense would make sense if rapid delivery were im****tant; it would
not make sense if this were not im****tant. Paying extra for airmail
simply because it was kewl would be silly.
Richard R. Hershberger
|
