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Most manuals have this now, at least the ones we’re familiar with, and even some automatics have a ‘hold’ feature that kicks in on hills. This has been around for a while now.
The car I rented in France last winter had that non roll back feature for hills. So nice!
I drive a Honda Fit standard transmission. I was looking for the best deal on a low mileage car, and that was it. However, the gas mileage is great and I like the additional wintertime control on snow and ice. I started to learn stick on as a teen in hilly coastal California, and it scared me to death, though a boyfriend later taught me to drive his old truck, after I learned to drive automatic and I appreciated being able to drive anything.
Our first mini van, an '89 Caravan, was stick, as that was how I always bought cars. When it came time for the next minivan, around 2000, I was saddened to learn that they were no longer available in stick. The salesman said, “women don’t want to have to deal with the kids while driving stick” Nonsense…and I told him I had been driving stick since my twins were infants. S partially learned to drive on that old stick minivan however.
One D learned in her Americorps placement in Washington State, driving the Land Trust truck. It about scared her to death as well, with the pressure of new job and hills on the coast. But she can now drive my car. Other D drags her heels on learning, as she did on driving in the first place. She spends time in France, and pays extra for automatic transmission cars when needed.
@Momofadult
I have to admit that I live in a rural state and don’t encounter lots of stop and go rush hour type traffic. Perhaps I would reluctantly buy an automatic in those circumstances. I try to avoid living in those sorts of places.