Latest gear shift tech

On Tue, 23 Mar 2021 11:48:24 +0700, John B.
wrote:

"Manly" was driving with one hand with your elbow out the window :-)
Yup, back in the old days people used to ride around in cars with the
windows open. Can you imagine?

In my father's case, driving with an elbow on the window meant that
the sun was on that side and his bursitis was acting up.

--
Joy Beeson
joy beeson at centurylink dot net
http://wlweather.net/PAGEJOY/

On 3/23/2021 12:48 AM, John B. wrote:
On Sun, 21 Mar 2021 11:44:00 -0700, Jeff Liebermann
wrote:

On Sun, 21 Mar 2021 03:41:27 -0700 (PDT), Lou Holtman
wrote:

That is an interesting reasoning.

I can usually tell when I write something "interesting". I see few
replies. Sigh.

I got fed up with all the shifting riding through town.

Yes, that's a problem. However, only a small part of my driving has
been and currently is in city traffic. I drive mostly on open
highways, which don't have a stop and go problem. I see few speed
bumps, no roundabouts, and little bumper-to-bumper traffic. I guess
I'm spoiled. I'm not sure how I would react today to stop-and-go type
driving with a manual transmission. In previous vehicles, I could
shift the 4WD transfer box into low, and crawl forward very slowly.
However, my current Subaru doesn't have that feature.

Here manual shifting is still considered 'manly' but I can't envision that with you and Frank.

At 73 years old, "manly" is a faded memory. I don't have many
passengers in the car, so there's nobody to impress. Various
ladyfriends over the years have had the good sense not to comment
about the stick shift. At best, a manual transmission is a reasonable
anti-theft feature as few of today's car thieves know how to drive a
car with a stick shift.

Funny, when I learned to drive a manual shift wasn't considered
"manly" it was just the way that a car, or truck, or even a tractor,
worked and consequently, it wasn't anything that one gave much thought
to. Rather like steering - if you can remember way back when you first
drove? Holding the wheel with both hands and sort of squinting at the
road with a worried look on your face and wiggling the wheel this way
and that way in tiny increments?

The old Pontiac in which I learned to drive had so much slack in the
steering gear that wiggling the steering wheel was necessary to drive a
straight line.

"Manly" was driving with one hand with your elbow out the window :-)
Yup, back in the old days people used to ride around in cars with the
windows open. Can you imagine?

Even manlier was using a steering wheel spinner knob.

I had posted previously that even the taxies in Bangkok had automatic
and just to prove me wrong fate found me two taxies, one to the
hospital and one for the trip home - that were hand shift :-)

To the hospital? Are you OK?


--
- Frank Krygowski

On Tue, 23 Mar 2021 13:32:38 -0400, Frank Krygowski
wrote:

On 3/23/2021 12:48 AM, John B. wrote:
On Sun, 21 Mar 2021 11:44:00 -0700, Jeff Liebermann
wrote:

On Sun, 21 Mar 2021 03:41:27 -0700 (PDT), Lou Holtman
wrote:

That is an interesting reasoning.

I can usually tell when I write something "interesting". I see few
replies. Sigh.

I got fed up with all the shifting riding through town.

Yes, that's a problem. However, only a small part of my driving has
been and currently is in city traffic. I drive mostly on open
highways, which don't have a stop and go problem. I see few speed
bumps, no roundabouts, and little bumper-to-bumper traffic. I guess
I'm spoiled. I'm not sure how I would react today to stop-and-go type
driving with a manual transmission. In previous vehicles, I could
shift the 4WD transfer box into low, and crawl forward very slowly.
However, my current Subaru doesn't have that feature.

Here manual shifting is still considered 'manly' but I can't envision that with you and Frank.

At 73 years old, "manly" is a faded memory. I don't have many
passengers in the car, so there's nobody to impress. Various
ladyfriends over the years have had the good sense not to comment
about the stick shift. At best, a manual transmission is a reasonable
anti-theft feature as few of today's car thieves know how to drive a
car with a stick shift.

Funny, when I learned to drive a manual shift wasn't considered
"manly" it was just the way that a car, or truck, or even a tractor,
worked and consequently, it wasn't anything that one gave much thought
to. Rather like steering - if you can remember way back when you first
drove? Holding the wheel with both hands and sort of squinting at the
road with a worried look on your face and wiggling the wheel this way
and that way in tiny increments?

The old Pontiac in which I learned to drive had so much slack in the
steering gear that wiggling the steering wheel was necessary to drive a
straight line.

"Manly" was driving with one hand with your elbow out the window :-)
Yup, back in the old days people used to ride around in cars with the
windows open. Can you imagine?

Even manlier was using a steering wheel spinner knob.


I'd forgotten about them, probably as I never tried one out but when I
was in high school I was very much into "jalopy racing" and one driver
would drive the complete race with one hand on the steering knob. I
don't know what he was doing with the other hand as shifting wasn't
necessary on a 1/4 mile track.

I had posted previously that even the taxies in Bangkok had automatic
and just to prove me wrong fate found me two taxies, one to the
hospital and one for the trip home - that were hand shift :-)

To the hospital? Are you OK?

All O.K. I've had a pacemaker installed and I see the cardiologist
every 4 months and the machine people every 6 months just to check
that everything is working correctly. By the way, the total cost of
seeing the doctor and a 4 month supply of medicines was $129 :-)
--
Cheers,

John B.

Lou Holtman wrote:
Op zaterdag 20 maart 2021 om 23:20:55 UTC+1 schreef James:
On 20/3/21 6:26 am, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 3/19/2021 2:38 PM, AMuzi wrote:

They used to say that about syncromesh gearboxes too.

Does anyone know how to double-clutch any more?


Yes.

--
JS

Everyone could double clutch when it was needed. I had to learn it in the
army with that old junk that they were using. We moved on. I drove a
stick shift for 30 years because this was more or less standard here in
Europe mainly because an automatic gearbox was more expensive, less fuel
efficient (about 10%) and 2 speed gearboxes were crap. I can't see why
anyone would prefer a car with stick shift when buying a new car today beside cost.

Lou

Some (autos) are a bit sluggish, which if also in a smaller city car, which
will compound this as it needs to shift more.

Worse auto I drove was a diesel people carrier for work, it had a slow
sluggish to engage box, with a gutless engine, made pulling out in busy
junctions occasionally a bit tedious.

Where as my Volvo which is same size and auto has a good box, and a
reasonably powerful engine so you never really think about it, bar if I’m
visiting my folks in Wales as you do notice the lack of engine braking, on
the very steep stuff, ie 20/30% of which there is plenty.

Bit mute since looks like EV will take over, plus I rather suspect that we
are at or close to peak car. In that I can’t see it being sustainable as
time goes on.

Roger Merriman

On Sun, 28 Mar 2021 01:13:03 -0000 (UTC), Roger Merriman
wrote:

Lou Holtman wrote:
Op zaterdag 20 maart 2021 om 23:20:55 UTC+1 schreef James:
On 20/3/21 6:26 am, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 3/19/2021 2:38 PM, AMuzi wrote:

They used to say that about syncromesh gearboxes too.

Does anyone know how to double-clutch any more?


Yes.

--
JS

Everyone could double clutch when it was needed. I had to learn it in the
army with that old junk that they were using. We moved on. I drove a
stick shift for 30 years because this was more or less standard here in
Europe mainly because an automatic gearbox was more expensive, less fuel
efficient (about 10%) and 2 speed gearboxes were crap. I can't see why
anyone would prefer a car with stick shift when buying a new car today beside cost.

Lou

Some (autos) are a bit sluggish, which if also in a smaller city car, which
will compound this as it needs to shift more.

Worse auto I drove was a diesel people carrier for work, it had a slow
sluggish to engage box, with a gutless engine, made pulling out in busy
junctions occasionally a bit tedious.

Where as my Volvo which is same size and auto has a good box, and a
reasonably powerful engine so you never really think about it, bar if I’m
visiting my folks in Wales as you do notice the lack of engine braking, on
the very steep stuff, ie 20/30% of which there is plenty.

Bit mute since looks like EV will take over, plus I rather suspect that we
are at or close to peak car. In that I can’t see it being sustainable as
time goes on.

Roger Merriman

The Chinese are making electric cars now. They even make a sort of
"mini" that sells for around US$1,000, plus shipping of course :-)
--
Cheers,

John B.

John B. wrote:
On Sun, 28 Mar 2021 01:13:03 -0000 (UTC), Roger Merriman
wrote:

Lou Holtman wrote:
Op zaterdag 20 maart 2021 om 23:20:55 UTC+1 schreef James:
On 20/3/21 6:26 am, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 3/19/2021 2:38 PM, AMuzi wrote:

They used to say that about syncromesh gearboxes too.

Does anyone know how to double-clutch any more?


Yes.

--
JS

Everyone could double clutch when it was needed. I had to learn it in the
army with that old junk that they were using. We moved on. I drove a
stick shift for 30 years because this was more or less standard here in
Europe mainly because an automatic gearbox was more expensive, less fuel
efficient (about 10%) and 2 speed gearboxes were crap. I can't see why
anyone would prefer a car with stick shift when buying a new car today beside cost.

Lou

Some (autos) are a bit sluggish, which if also in a smaller city car, which
will compound this as it needs to shift more.

Worse auto I drove was a diesel people carrier for work, it had a slow
sluggish to engage box, with a gutless engine, made pulling out in busy
junctions occasionally a bit tedious.

Where as my Volvo which is same size and auto has a good box, and a
reasonably powerful engine so you never really think about it, bar if IÂ’m
visiting my folks in Wales as you do notice the lack of engine braking, on
the very steep stuff, ie 20/30% of which there is plenty.

Bit mute since looks like EV will take over, plus I rather suspect that we
are at or close to peak car. In that I canÂ’t see it being sustainable as
time goes on.

Roger Merriman

The Chinese are making electric cars now. They even make a sort of
"mini" that sells for around US$1,000, plus shipping of course :-)

They (Chinese) where much quicker to start making them than Europe/US to
the best of my knowledge and have a huge internal market for them.

Though batteries still cost though is falling, I believe that parity with
ICE cars in terms of cost is rumoured to be getting close.

Roger Merriman

On 3/27/2021 10:19 PM, John B. wrote:
On Sun, 28 Mar 2021 01:13:03 -0000 (UTC), Roger Merriman
wrote:

Lou Holtman wrote:
Op zaterdag 20 maart 2021 om 23:20:55 UTC+1 schreef James:
On 20/3/21 6:26 am, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 3/19/2021 2:38 PM, AMuzi wrote:

They used to say that about syncromesh gearboxes too.

Does anyone know how to double-clutch any more?


Yes.

--
JS

Everyone could double clutch when it was needed. I had to learn it in the
army with that old junk that they were using. We moved on. I drove a
stick shift for 30 years because this was more or less standard here in
Europe mainly because an automatic gearbox was more expensive, less fuel
efficient (about 10%) and 2 speed gearboxes were crap. I can't see why
anyone would prefer a car with stick shift when buying a new car today beside cost.

Lou

Some (autos) are a bit sluggish, which if also in a smaller city car, which
will compound this as it needs to shift more.

Worse auto I drove was a diesel people carrier for work, it had a slow
sluggish to engage box, with a gutless engine, made pulling out in busy
junctions occasionally a bit tedious.

Where as my Volvo which is same size and auto has a good box, and a
reasonably powerful engine so you never really think about it, bar if I’m
visiting my folks in Wales as you do notice the lack of engine braking, on
the very steep stuff, ie 20/30% of which there is plenty.

Bit mute since looks like EV will take over, plus I rather suspect that we
are at or close to peak car. In that I can’t see it being sustainable as
time goes on.

Roger Merriman

The Chinese are making electric cars now. They even make a sort of
"mini" that sells for around US$1,000, plus shipping of course :-)


I've seen those. Four 12v lead-acid batteries on a
glorified golf cart. No problem since that's what the
customers want and buy, but comparisons to a Tesla or GM EV
are fanciful.

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org/
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

On Sun, 28 Mar 2021 10:19:31 +0700, John B.
wrote:

The Chinese are making electric cars now. They even make a sort of
"mini" that sells for around US$1,000, plus shipping of course :-)

Tata Motors (India) AIRpod car. Runs on compressed air:
https://www.google.com/search?q=tata+airpod&tbm=isch
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIRPod
$7,000 Euros, 220km range, 0.5 euros/km, 3 or 4 seats, recharges in
1.5 minutes.
No clue on hill climbing abilities or availability of compressed air
recharge stations. Tata has been promising production since 2000, so
I doubt we'll ever see anything from Tata, especially since Tata's
largest division, Jaguar Land Rover, is reporting very bad sales
figures. I suspect that the idea might be useful for powering larger
bicycles (i.e. cargo bikes) or an alternative to batteries on eBikes.
Soon, everyone will be riding around on bicycles powered by compressed
air.


--
Jeff Liebermann
PO Box 272 http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Ben Lomond CA 95005-0272
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

On Sun, 28 Mar 2021 09:27:33 -0500, AMuzi wrote:

On 3/27/2021 10:19 PM, John B. wrote:
On Sun, 28 Mar 2021 01:13:03 -0000 (UTC), Roger Merriman
wrote:

Lou Holtman wrote:
Op zaterdag 20 maart 2021 om 23:20:55 UTC+1 schreef James:
On 20/3/21 6:26 am, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 3/19/2021 2:38 PM, AMuzi wrote:

They used to say that about syncromesh gearboxes too.

Does anyone know how to double-clutch any more?


Yes.

--
JS

Everyone could double clutch when it was needed. I had to learn it in the
army with that old junk that they were using. We moved on. I drove a
stick shift for 30 years because this was more or less standard here in
Europe mainly because an automatic gearbox was more expensive, less fuel
efficient (about 10%) and 2 speed gearboxes were crap. I can't see why
anyone would prefer a car with stick shift when buying a new car today beside cost.

Lou

Some (autos) are a bit sluggish, which if also in a smaller city car, which
will compound this as it needs to shift more.

Worse auto I drove was a diesel people carrier for work, it had a slow
sluggish to engage box, with a gutless engine, made pulling out in busy
junctions occasionally a bit tedious.

Where as my Volvo which is same size and auto has a good box, and a
reasonably powerful engine so you never really think about it, bar if I’m
visiting my folks in Wales as you do notice the lack of engine braking, on
the very steep stuff, ie 20/30% of which there is plenty.

Bit mute since looks like EV will take over, plus I rather suspect that we
are at or close to peak car. In that I can’t see it being sustainable as
time goes on.

Roger Merriman

The Chinese are making electric cars now. They even make a sort of
"mini" that sells for around US$1,000, plus shipping of course :-)


I've seen those. Four 12v lead-acid batteries on a
glorified golf cart. No problem since that's what the
customers want and buy, but comparisons to a Tesla or GM EV
are fanciful.


Well, what do you want for "low end bicycle prices" :-)

But the Chinese - some in conjunction with foreign company build
(2020) over a 100 different makes and/or models.

https://wattev2buy.com/list-chinese-...ev-car-brands/
The Wuling Hong Guang Mini EV (a new model) sold over 7,000 units in
July 2020, 15,000 in August and some 50,000 are on order. Starting
price is $4,200. Performance is top speed of 62 mph. On a single
charge it will have a range of 124 miles.

Before any disparaging remarks remember what they said when the VW
Beetle first appeared on U.S. streets?
--
Cheers,

John B.