Years from now when we look back at all the things that have changed, and
those that aren’t around anymore, how many of us will mourn the clutch? You
know, that third pedal to the left, the one that when released, the power hits
the pavement, the wheels spin, and the rubber burns. That one. An anachronism
even in today’s world, only 1% of new cars made have one, where Manual Shift
used to rule the world, today Otto Matic reigns supreme. Even shift levers have
gone the way of the dinosaurs, as buttons, knobs, now are turned to select
drive, all you do is point and steer. Driving optional. But maybe a closer
look at the manual transmission, and all it has to offer, may have us show it
more respect now. Rather than wait until later....
When Christopher was in Spain a few years ago, and they took a trip to
Paris in a rental car, he was the only one who could drive a clutch, so he got
to drive. The others were just passengers, he got the thrill of driving.
Interested in making your car theft resistant, if any thief wants it, he will
find a way, but a good deterent is a manual transmission. One look inside, and
he sees the shifter, he’ll move on. Still not sure about the dangers of
texting, give your teen a manual shift, hard to shift and text at the same
time. Of course, you could always deny him the i-stupid, but he learned it from
you. Maybe Mom and Dad need a manual trans, too......
How about turning your grandkids onto the Beach Boys? How will you explain
“409?” “A four speed, dual quad, posi-traction, 409!” No automatic here, you
shifted yourself! No mpg, those 8 venturis sucked the fuel in, the posi got the
power to the ground, and 409 stood for cubic inches, not cc’s! No love songs
about your Prius, is there? Is my generation the last one to revere four on the
floor, and remember three on the tree? What did we do with our left leg back
then? We used it to push in the clutch, and release it when we wanted to go.
Many times cursing it in So Cal traffic, but still no better way to drive than
to shift your self. I know Ferrari only makes an automatic, but how much fun
was it to dream of shifting through that chrome shift gate of yesteryear for all
five speeds? And with so many different shift patterns, we had to pay
attention. We had to drive...and today much of that joy is lost to the car and
its computer making those decisions for you. For your transmission is listening
to when you drive, recording the information of how you drive, and then
preselecting shift points. And what about finding reverse....
Remember slapping the shifter against your thigh, then up and into
reverse? Or down into reverse? Finding neutral by wiggling the shifter? How
many times did you look foolish not being able to get into reverse, you pulled
up on the shifter, or on Chevy’s floor mounted shifter, you pulled up on the
tangs by your fingers. All without taking your eyes off the road! Ford even
pulled off a brilliant way to get your key from the ignition, put the car in
reverse. Zitch borrowed his brothers new Torino one day, and couldn’t get the
key out, until I fiddled with it, by accident putting it in reverse, and the key
was free. My wife’s new Mustang doesn’t even need a key in the ignition to
start it! And still they get stolen!
Listening to Wayne Carini of Chasing Classic Cars, he was asked about the
future of car collecting. His answer surprised us. Within the next generation,
no one maybe around who can drive a clutch, either making them worthless, or
worth more if you can Google how to drive one. My father taught me to drive a
clutch, as did his father, as did I teach both my sons to drive one. As I hope
they pass on to their kids, my wife can drive a clutch. Can yours? So I say,
turn off the traction control, rev up the motor, dump the clutch and do a
burnout. Before we all become burnouts! Burn rubber, not your soul as Peter
says in Wheels of Grace magazine. Four on the floor, three on the tree, just
don’t put it in D and hope for the best.
No more find ‘em and grind ‘em of the old non-synchro days either. Some
clutches are so smooth they beg to be driven. Yes technology is a good thing,
but maybe it has gone on for too long. No more having to think, today your
biggest decision may be “do I supersize my meal?” Food too is prepackaged, no
thinking involved. And so has religion. Let the church or denomination tell
you what to think, how to raise your kids, how to worship, how to give, and what
to sing. Even what version of the Bible to read. And you don’t have to ask,
just put it in D and go. Maybe. But Jesus tells us different, and his
confrontation with his disciples after his death is telling. He appeared to
them, and rebuked them for not believing he was resurrected. His resurrection
is to be believed, and to change our lives, yet they were persistent in their
unbelief. It was easier to not believe, even though they were with Jesus in
life. Jesus expected them to believe, but they failed. Each feeling sorry for
themselves, yet Thomas is referred to as the Doubter? Maybe we have it all
wrong, we never know what Thomas was up to that night when Jesus walked through
the wall and interrupted their meal. But from his character, maybe he was out
looking for Jesus, while the others were scared and afraid, locked upstairs in a
room. He wanted proof, Jesus had warned of false Christs, anti-Christs, maybe
Thomas wanted to make sure in who he believed. He didn’t want to place his life
automatically in his fellow disciples hands, he wanted proof. He knew Jesus,
and when Jesus appeared to him the next week, and repeated his request of
touching his body and placing his hands in the wounds, Thomas knew by his voice,
who Jesus was. He never touched the wounds, he just fell to his knees in
worship. No put it in D and go, he wanted all the power he needed, and found it
in the resurrected Jesus. Where do we find our power? How do we get it to the
ground?
Jesus goes on to tell him that blessed are those that have not seen and
believed. Are you that blessed one that Jesus speaks of? Or are you still
waiting for proof? The faith given you, the testimonies, the scriptures not
enough? Is you refusal to believe so strong you are spinning your tires, in
drive? You cannot find reverse, or your leg is hurting from having to push in
the clutch? Are you participating in this thing called Christianity, or are you
just along for the ride? Do you need to shift gears, do you know how? Has life
taken the decision making process from you, and sat you in front of a
windshield, just pointing and steering? Life is more than that, it is bumps,
turns, curves, fast sections and slow sections. Each section needing a
different gear to access, and maybe a different one when you exit? We enter as
sinners, we don’t have to leave that way. Would you rather be rebuked for
unbelief, or rewarded for just a little faith? Do you hope you are in D, or
know you are starting in first?
God lets us make the decision, an old saying reminds us there are two
things you never criticize a man about, his love making and his driving, and not
necessarily in that order. We choose, for love demands a choice. God chose us,
are you still looking for where to put the key, when he is the key to life? The
disciples had the key, they just forgot where to put it. Jesus reminded them,
he reminds us also. Ride your own ride, but don’t neglect him in doing it.
Meekness, power under control, is demonstrated by the left foot, and the right.
Let out the clutch, floor it! And hang on for the ride of your life. I rather
do burnouts than be one, God’s posi-traction is his spirit. And unlike the
little old lady from Pasadena, you may have a go at her, but you will never lose
her. Don’t lose to Jesus. Any bets she drove a stick? And no, R doesn’t stand
for racing gear.
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blog.spot