The shift we do

"DCCARGEEK" (dccargeek) 04/14/2015 at 23:02 • Filed to: None

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You reach over; quieting the sound that ended your slumber. You sit up, ready for a new day.

You stand before your closet contemplating what recipe of tie, shirt and suit will you enjoy today. Red or blue, straight or bow - the possibilities seem infinite.

At the mirror a red tie hangs from your neck. Powerful, bold – you are happy with your decision.

In the kitchen, refrigerator door open and chilled air escaping, you ponder – bagel or omelet?

The sweetness of cream cheese is washed away with each sip of coffee while you listen for the local traffic report. How bad it will be today, you wonder. Another bite of your bagel.

Sweet and crunchy – you are happy with your decision.

Cautiously you back out of the drive way. The temporary tag a mark of new, a catalyst for your exaggerated alertness. Still rolling slightly backwards, you place the shifter into first. Your left and right foot, moving in perfect contrasting harmony, smoothly moves the car forward.

Grasping the shifter, you smile – you are happy with your decision.

A car is sanctuary, expression, personal illustration. Shifting a car is a promise of work. A labor intensive pledge to be more than a spectator. Mastering the work creates a team of one, driver and machine. It’s a partnership of adoration that stems from a visceral desire to make your own decisions.

Shifting is freedom. Good or bad, it’s human. Full of potential error, deficient in precision and open to abuse; it’s human. And human is emotion.

Shifting is human decision. Your decision. Shifting is manifest engineered emotion.

Choice is good. Choice is decision. Decision is shifting.

———-

This originally was written on May 12, 2012 on my website I accidentally let die. I recently stumbled across an archive of my website.

CB > DCCARGEEK 04/14/2015 at 23:15

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No offense, but seriously, this manual versus automatic argument has gone on for far too long.

DCCARGEEK > CB 04/14/2015 at 23:18

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Agree, but when I wrote this three years ago it wasn't really a one vs the other but rather an ode to manual. It was my attempt at poetry of sorts

CB > DCCARGEEK 04/14/2015 at 23:19

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It is very well written, and I give you kudos for that. Although I disagree about the bit with the "perfect contrasting harmony" of the feet. I don't know many people who can drive stick well.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > CB 04/14/2015 at 23:44

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but automatics suuuuuuuuuuuck

samssun > DCCARGEEK 04/15/2015 at 01:33

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I wonder why aftermarket gated shifters aren't common. I have minimal machine shop experience, none in years, and I'm sure I could throw a decent one together on a beat up lathe in an afternoon. Nothing complex or high tolerance involved, and there must be a market given the ridiculous shift knobs out there.