Quote Originally Posted by Owlie View Post
The "texting and talking while driving" bit. (But then, I'm not coordinated enough to drive and talk/text at the same time.) And it seemed like you were saying that we're not as familiar as we should be about how our vehicles behave.

I'm having an "off" day.
Sorry you are having an off day.

It is physically impossible to text or hold a phone while driving a stick-shift. You must have a hand free to work the shifter and one to hold the wheel.

That's not a slight at you, it's a simple fact about the number of upper limbs of the average human.

Cars that have clutches are mechanically able to substitute for a wide range of failures of other systems. (heck, if the starter motor dies you can "bump-start" a stick-shift by rolling it down a slope and popping the clutch.)

Again, not a slight at anyone who drives an automatic, just a simple mechanical fact.

Since my car mechanically has redundant systems for safety and prevents me from doing much distracted-driving, I think it's appropriate that my insurance rates should not be climbing.

Not said anything to disparage drivers of automatic cars. If anything, I'm disparaging insurance companies who don't know a good thing when they see it.