AIBU automatic cars are easier?

[FondOfOwls]

I've been toying with an idea of getting an automatic car, when we swap our car soon. I was surprised how polarising this seems to be!
I am not a keen driver, in fact I dislike driving. I have an old manual car that makes do, but I never really got 'used to' it. I guess I just don't drive enough. I am finding it a massive pain in the arse trying to concentrate on the road, constantly changing gears in heavy traffic and trying to make sure my kids don't kill each other in the back seats.

I though getting an auto will be a way to make driving easier, DH wants to test drive one too. However DFIL, neighbours and some other people seem to think that I will be speeding in an auto (as you don't have to manually change gears) and get careless? I don't speed and we live in a heavy traffic area with roundabouts stacked on top of each other.

Apparently it's all due to my lack of experience in driving and I was told I just have to keep practising, drive every day to get used to it etc. AIBU to think I don't NEED to do that, as I don't really care to drive a manual?!
I chatted to some friends who drive autos and they love them.

YABU manual driving is a skill and getting an auto is lazy
YANBU if you don't love driving, there's no point sticking with manual for the sake of it!

I was a very competent and confident driver of a manual car, but since I've had an automatic, I would never go back!

It's so much easier. Queuing in traffic, stuck behind a tractor going up a hill, stop-start driving round town - all not even a thing any more.

Automatic cars can be more expensive if they break, though (I think the gearbox goes more often, and is more expensive to fix, whereas in a manual it's often just the clutch that needs changing?)

Once you've gone auto you never go back!

Much easier to drive - have not noticed me going faster in one though!

I drive an automatic and I love it. Would never go back!

I love my new electric car which is obviously automatic.

I will never go back to manual.

One thing that did occur to me though was it might be slightly easier to accidentally go into forward instead of reverse or vice versa than in a manual car so I’ll just need to watch out for that.

The trend is towards automatics, they are so much easier. The same people complained about the move away from manual chokes and synchromesh gearboxes. The point about speeding is mad. Autos let you concentrate on the road without worrying about gearchanges

If it is going to make you a more confident, and therefore safer, driver then get an automatic.

I have been driving for years and am a confident driver so, for me, getting an automatic is a step backwards in terms of losing driving skills.

I hired an automatic car in France - OMG WHAT a difference it made to the holiday. I usually hire the tiniest car possible (preferably a Fiat 500) and had to size up to a Citroen C3 to get automatic, Loved it - and my own car is an automatic! I love driving generally and have driven so many different cars over the years I adapt quickly to a new one.

It just takes a whole layer of faff out of driving, if you're not a natural

Handy to be able to drive a manual if you have to (often courtesy cars are still manual), but I'd never buy another one for myself again. So easy to drive and, if you control the gears properly (just because it's automatic, it doesn't mean you don't have control), you don't have to worry about "accidentally" speeding. I can maintain a 30mph speed limit without even looking at my speedo. Going downhill I can use the paddles behind my steering wheel to drop down the gears and hold the engine back so it doesn't run away downhill.

Lots of cars also have a "limiter" function that I use on roads with average speed cameras, just in case (i.e. you can set your maximum speed to be, say, 50 mph).

It's made my commute so much more pleasant without having the constant clutch and gear changes.

I'm a big petrolhead, so held back for years getting an auto, but it's honestly great. I can put it in manual mode if I want, and change gears if I choose to, but I rarely do.

What are these "driving skills" that you're worried about losing??

The thing I prefer about a manual is the feeling of control with the clutch.

It really isn’t a big deal - go with what you prefer.

Lots of cars also have a "limiter" function that I use on roads with average speed cameras

I prefer to use cruise control. A limiter can be dangerous if you need to speed up to get out of trouble in an emergency and the car doesn't respond until you turn off the limiter.

There used to be the view that autos weren't as reliable/more expensive to repair. I've no idea if this is still true. If anyone is worried about repair bills, the most sensible thing to do is buy a car at the top of the table for reliability rather than one at the bottom.

If you are a safe driver you will automatically be aware of the speed you are driving. My automatic, like many modern cars, watches out for speed restriction signs, displays them on the dashboard and flashes if I exceed. If the car doesn't do it, sat navs will.

Modern cars. Lane assist, brake assist, adaptive cruise control, parking assist, turning down the stereo volume when you put it in reverse, auto lights, auto wipers. All doing parts of the driving for you. Leaving you to do the most important bit of the driving which is judging hazards and working out what other road users are doing.

her wretched 'd'h insisted that he didn't' want to be switching between manual and automatic, it wasn't fair so she mustn't. In contrast, my lovely DH, seeing I was having trouble re-learning in busy town centre traffic (I'd had a 17 year gap since passing my test) said "Let's sell this car and get an automatic".

compounded by an incident where I went to press the non-existent clutch, hit the side of the brake pedal and did an emergency stop at 40mph. Well, you can't blame that on the automatic!

I was quite happy with my manual cars, now have an automatic and would never ever go back. It's so much easier and nicer to drive. Get the automatic OP!

More than made up for by the ease of cleaning.

I drove an automatic once (after 30 years of manual) and I hated it. I do love driving though. I enjoy the feeling of being in control and employing a bit of skill. Maybe when my knees become a problem I'll have to rethink.

Definitely easier. I don’t drive an auto but DH does and he struggles to drive mine now he’s been drive autos for so long. I’d probably have an auto too, tbh, but I drive a van so they aren’t common.

We had an auto for a year and when it was written off took the opportunity to switch back to a manual as I found the auto too boring. But it's just preference, there's nothing wrong with an auto

I prefer an automatic. Drove manual for 30 years! Our automatic has a speed limiter which I often use

Automatics are the best and, like you, I also can drive a manual but find it stressful.

Do it.

This. I took a car for a test drive which was the automatic version of the car I wanted to buy. I hated it. I loved the car, but felt very out of control with it being an automatic and very weird having to keep my foot on the brake all the time when I was stationary at the roundabout to stop it creeping forward. I have my foot on the brakes normally, but seemed very strange that it started moving as soon as I lifted my foot!

I really don’t even think about when I change gear, and the pedals are slightly different - no clutch. 😂 But I’m sure it wouldn’t take long to swap. Harder to swap back, maybe? The bigger difference is you only use one foot.

Plenty of people switch regularly between manual and auto.

I prefer driving an automatic outside the UK because changing gear with my right hand feels unnatural. I think it helps give nervous drivers more confidence.

Love our auto car but I do have a small manual run around to get me to work while DH uses other one for school runs and extra curricular activities for teens as he works from home.

Yes, that's one of the things I hated most!

That's just bad design, as is the "tried to turn her into a row of parked cars" example

If I start to overtake parked cars without either indicating or perceptibly steering, my car will do a slight nudge of the steering wheel. But because I'm holding the wheel, I'm not in the slightest danger of deviating. I can turn the feature off, but I don't bother

If the car thinks I'm going to crash into another, it puts a huge flashing icon on the screen in front of me. Only if the crash is inevitable does it "slam on the brakes".