I’d like to echo brad_d’s sentiments, but allow me also to share a little story:
Winter, 2000.
The weather was pretty crappy, and I wasn’t planning
on going out to lunch, but I couldn’t talk my coworker into ordering delivery with me (there’s a minimum $$$ amount for the
order)–she delivered pizza on the weekend, and was politically opposed to ordering delivery in inclement weather
(which is certainly understandable).
So I hopped into Big Red, my (manual transmission) 4-Runner, and headed out to pick up some KFC. There I was, toodling down
the snowy street at 25 mph, approaching a major intersection. As
the light turned yellow, I debated whether to try and stop, or
just keep going.
In retrospect, Option #2 would have been best. I mean, hell–I
could have putted through that red light at 25 mph, and still
wouldn’t have been hit, because it would have taken at least 20
minutes for the cars stopped at the cross-street to stop
fishtailing in their efforts to get going when their light
turned green.
But, of course, I chose to try and stop.
Well.
I stepped gingerly on the brake pedal, uttering a little prayer
as I gripped the wheel in preparation for a possible sledding
experience…
Well.
Just as I gained confidence that the Gods of Winter Weather
Mishaps were on my side and began pressing the brakes a little
harder, my cowboy (read: tractionless) boot slid off the
snow-packed brake pedal and hit the GAS PEDAL, while my other foot was still on the clutch (those of you who drive sticks know what effect this has… now imagine that effect on snow and ice)!
Honey.
I went TWIRLING! through the intersection with the grace of a
giant red steel version of Tanya Harding (with silver stripes),
and wound up on the other side of the intersection (and the
other side of the street), facing the direction opposite the one
in which I was originally headed…
…and ON THE SIDEWALK.
I can only be immensely grateful that there were no a) other
cars, b) pedestrians, or c) puppies in my path of whirling
destruction!
I pulled off the sidewalk, made a right onto a side street, and
shook for about 10 minutes before I went on my merry way.
That said, I will probably always drive a stick shift… but not in cowboy boots. 