LogFAQs > #970459761

Sahuagin posted...

using a manual intelligently has a lot of benefit.

Not really. It has a little benefit, in certain situations, that don't really matter to the vast majority of people.

And as you say, to get the maximum amount of benefit out of it, you have to use it intelligently. I'd argue that the vast number of people who drive shift don't necessarily optimize their usage to a degree where it makes all that much of a difference. They're sufficiently skilled, but haven't necessarily mastered it.

For the average driver, in an average vehicle, during average usage, the difference between the two would be borderline imperceptible.

Which could arguably be offset by the potential disadvantages of someone driving stick who isn't necessarily all that good at it.