Nuatilus,

I apologize for not being clear. Yes, I was talking only about drivers in the US.

In Europe automatics are rare. I was sitting on the second story of a building near Lensburgh, Switzerland a few years ago gazing out the window and waiting for someone to finish up some work so we could leave. I was looking at a two lane road with a street that Teed into it from the opposite side of the road. I sat there for a while just watching all the cars that were coming to a stop and awaiting a gap in traffic so that they could make the left turn. I was at an angle where I could see into the cars quite well.

I could see the driver shift gears and tell if they were driving a manual. If I saw a hundred cars, I don't think that five of them were automatics.

In Europe gas is $6 a gallon or more. At that fuel cost, most folks aren't interested in buying the extra fuel required to operate an automatic.

When I go to Europe I absolutely drool over the neat MB's that I see with Manuals.

Have a great day,