tzach

I guess I am a little spoiled with my son because he has always been more mature and has had an adult mind set for a long time, He is 18 and has almost been driving for two years and has not had an accident. I know of course he can (anybody can) But I see how he drives and am proud of that. He sat in the front seat and observed and learned a full 2 years before he got his permit, so he was gathering experience. I understand not all kids are this interested at this age, but it taught him a lot before he even got behind the wheel. Now at 18 he drives a large ambulance (he is an EMT) that most of the other members who are adults wont even drive. Of course I understand skill in driving and paying attention and being prepared are two separate things but I believe there is a correlation. I am in court all of the time (issuer not issuee - LOL) and see so many kids on their restricted licence (first year in NJ) for all sorts of reasons. I also think the courts are to easy on them as this is a good opportunity to teach them how serious and dangerous driving is. But they are to interested in keeping the money flowing in to be wasted.

Well compared to my sons friend who rolled his car multiple times and hit a tree 10 feet off of the ground, Yes. Of course that was much more than inattention. She totaled a 6 month old focus rear ending someone at 25 mph? Another one of his classmates hit a guy in her Range rover her father had bought for her that day (texting) put the guy in the hospital and had a new Range Rover by the end of the week. I think we should expect more out of children's driving than hoping their first accident is not serious. I don't think a lot of parent spend enough time stressing the importance of safety and paying attention to what is going on around you. They can be taught and I didn't leave it to some driving school who just is in it for the money.

I am not talking about bumps, there have been multiple roll overs and multi car crashes. No serious injuries thank god. They just don't think about what they are doing and the consequences of it or pay enough attention to what is around them. Unfortunately that can be said about a lot of people who have been driving a long time also. How you should drive is just as important as the skill of piloting the vehicle. It

That is good I like that. Here you have no choice and I can't remember how long but it was no 40 hours that's for sure.

I can see the logic since most people can't drive we don't want them teaching their kids. On the other hand with the number of kids in my sons grade who have gotten into accidents I don't see that it has helped that much, LOL.

Not sure, my son got his permit three years ago, so before that. My wife and I still took him around but to take your test you have to show proof you took lessons from an approved driving instructor.

Agreed. I think for the vast majority it does not even enter their mind about a choice between the two. They have most likely grown up with each parent always driving an auto and that is what they know. If more people were exposed to driving a stick maybe the % would come up a few points. Pipe dream I know. Again Sad. My son learned to drive a stick when he got his permit, drives one now and probably will purchase his next car as one. My younger son also wants to learn when he gets his permit. If I drove an auto it probably would not even be on their radar. My son took his driver test on his stick and even the driving instructor (mandated in N.J.- don't even get me started on this bull****) tried to talk him out of it. He said "I wouldn't even take my test on one" REALLY! And your teaching my son how to drive? Well not really, my wife and I did that. He probably couldn't even drive one LOL.

Sad! I doubt we will see a stick in a Fusion other than the ST if we see that. I don't really blame Ford if no one is buying. It is just sad that not enough people care.

And your happy about it?

I know it would never happen. But if you have a license to drive a car you should be able to drive any car. Unfortunately at the rate we are going it might not be that long until there are no sticks offered anymore. It will be a sad day. As far as requiring it for the driver error test I think we would end up with better drivers, it is hard to text when you need to shift

Yes sadly it does. I wish in order to get your license everyone had to drive a stick for the driver test. First of all then everyone is qualified to drive all cars (in theory) . Secondly maybe some people who never would have ever even thought of driving one might discover they like the experience and the percentage would go up. It drives me crazy when people who have never driven a stick argue against them for whatever reason.

I agree Mercury will probably never come back as a brand. If Ford were to ever do it though my idea would be to bring it back as an equal to Lincoln not a mid level offering. Have Lincoln be more "Mercedes, Audi, Lexus" and Mercury more "BMW". I am not saying go toe to toe with them but go in that direction as a brand identity.

He is 100% right. If you are not old enough you don't remember but the gas crunch is what sold the cars. They were small, the metal was thin and they were cheap. They got a foot hold because of the gas crises and the big threes arrogance about being challenged. They gave no thought to gas millage. Then the imports improved on the things they needed to to compete in other areas and they were going up to a new high in quality at the same time the big three were letting it slip. That is how they built there reputation and market share. The big three were slow to respond with increased quality and fuel efficiency. I think there arrogance persisted way to long thinking they could not be challenged.

gps can send you on some weird directions but the vast majority of the time it is good. Especially when you can't find your way out of a paper beg. Wendy is a girl so that doesn't make you gay, that would be Ronald and the King (that guy is creepy) Not sure what you are talking about, I made no argument about needing / not needing a tach with an auto. I didn't ask the question, just gave a reason why it was there in response. I have no problem with it being there, so I am unclear on your point. Awesome movie! RIP John Candy

Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen is my favorite version

I don't "need" a tach to drive a stick, or any other gauges for that matter. Just listing what you like is not an argument, Wendy's is best and if you eat any other fast food you are a moron. That will start an argument, LOL! As for GPS I am a huge user, awesome for those of us who are directionaly challenged.

The only difference is with your wife you hopefully get "make up sex". Glad you had fun too. And you should definitely try to make time to learn to drive a stick, you will see the whole new level of enjoyment of driving, on the right car of course and not in commuter traffic. Those of course are the downside. To me everyone should have to take their drivers test on a stick, you are being given a license to drive so you should be able to drive any car with it. If you never want to drive a stick again after that that is anyones choice. My wife was driving a stick when I met her. I taught my son to drive a stick in a parking lot before he was ever on the road and he took his test in that car even though everyone else even the driving instructor tried to talk him out of it. Guess he thought he did a bad job. Don't even get me started on how much of a joke that mandatory crap is. I know I am in the minority but thats ok, I will keep preaching to save the driving souls of all. Even if I only save one person it is worth it.

Sorry meant to say " right things for the wrong reasons" I was replying to the reasons people drove sticks for gas milage, which of course is true. That doesn't take away from the people who drive sticks because they want to be more involved with the car. I was not implying that you were "wrong" for being satisfied with an automatic. Just that it is not the same and to me not as engaging at all. I do love to argue though, so thanks for the fun.

There are always people who do the right thing for the right reasons and people who do the wrong thing for the right reasons, that does not change what is wrong and what is right. If you don't mind being one of the sheep that is fine with me. Just don't pretend your a Wolf. First off, there is nothing as stimulating as a good argument! Well maybe sex, LOL. and second that is silly, sometimes there is a reason to go up and sometimes there is a reason to go down, it always matters. This argument is not trivial it is for the very soul of driving!!!!

First of all those two things do not add to the enjoyment or involvement of driving the car, just starting it. Second I said a "real car" meaning one you want to operate for enjoyment, if you just want to get where you are going an auto is fine. Then again so is a cab, then you really don't have to involve yourself in what is going on, you just get there. Then people could text to their hearts content without endangering others.

And that sounds like the comment of someone who will be just as happy when steering, braking and accelerating are automatic too. Sounds like fun but count me out.

This is an easy one. it is there so people driving an automatic can pretend that they are driving a "real car" , you know one with a stick. :-)

A couple of the posters comment on how the fastback design is Mach 1 inspired. LOL! I guess they don't realize that the Mach 1 was bodywise just a fatback mustang.

Sorry! I apologize to 10 year olds everywhere for my insult.

Building the cars here does not make them an American company, the profits flow out of the country. They portray themselves as American companies so people will not feel like they are not being unpatrotic by buying there cars. But we have no one to blame but ourselves for the situation we are in. We allowed this to happen and have hed many chances over the last thirty years to stop it. But the big three can never all keep enough consistency in continual improvement and that added to the perception factor and other varying issues have hurt this country. As has the loss of manufacturing jobs in all industries. And our Government is to busy fighting among themselves like 10 year olds and getting themselves rich and ignoring the unbelievable waste and corruption that goes on at all levels to do anything about the overall decline of this country.