Xela Posted May 21, 2021 Share Posted May 21, 2021 The fact that most sports/super car manufacturers don't make manual cars now is all you need to know. The auto box* is so advanced now it can make the changes quicker than a human. Of course it never used to be like that in the days of 3 speed slush boxes but progress has been swift. * generic term as there as so many different variants - torque converter / dual clutch / cvt / automated manual / etc 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandy Lifeboats Posted May 21, 2021 Share Posted May 21, 2021 I love having a "real" wristwatch that doesn't operate with a battery or quartz. In a modern wristwatch its knows the time because its told by a satellite or the battery makes the quartz vibrate. My watches work with springs, levers and cogs. The metal workings change as the heat changes. The mechanism even changes are I hold my arm in different positions. Yet that mechanism still keeps pretty good time. Skilful people have spent hours putting together tiny mechanisms to an exacting standard. I have a watch that is as old as me and it still tells the time to a very good standard. It will probably outlast me. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blandy Posted May 21, 2021 Moderator Share Posted May 21, 2021 57 minutes ago, bickster said: Hmmm considering a poll to determine a correlation between gravy on battered fish and favouring automatics That reminds me... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xela Posted May 21, 2021 Share Posted May 21, 2021 12 minutes ago, Mandy Lifeboats said: I love having a "real" wristwatch that doesn't operate with a battery or quartz. In a modern wristwatch its knows the time because its told by a satellite or the battery makes the quartz vibrate. My watches work with springs, levers and cogs. The metal workings change as the heat changes. The mechanism even changes are I hold my arm in different positions. Yet that mechanism still keeps pretty good time. Skilful people have spent hours putting together tiny mechanisms to an exacting standard. I have a watch that is as old as me and it still tells the time to a very good standard. It will probably outlast me. Mechanical watches are an art form. I'd always hankered after a 'proper' watch... a sub or gmt or speedmaster, but ultimately i don't need it! My phone tells the time. I guess I should view it as jewellery but on that note, I don't wear any of that either! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seat68 Posted May 21, 2021 Share Posted May 21, 2021 12 minutes ago, Mandy Lifeboats said: I love having a "real" wristwatch that doesn't operate with a battery or quartz. In a modern wristwatch its knows the time because its told by a satellite or the battery makes the quartz vibrate. My watches work with springs, levers and cogs. The metal workings change as the heat changes. The mechanism even changes are I hold my arm in different positions. Yet that mechanism still keeps pretty good time. Skilful people have spent hours putting together tiny mechanisms to an exacting standard. I have a watch that is as old as me and it still tells the time to a very good standard. It will probably outlast me. I have a few very good watches in a drawer. They aren’t battery driven and I love them all, I just don’t get on with having a watch on my wrist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisp65 Posted May 21, 2021 Share Posted May 21, 2021 27 minutes ago, Xela said: The fact that most sports/super car manufacturers don't make manual cars now is all you need to know. The auto box* is so advanced now it can make the changes quicker than a human. Of course it never used to be like that in the days of 3 speed slush boxes but progress has been swift. * generic term as there as so many different variants - torque converter / dual clutch / cvt / automated manual / etc I suspect in some people’s heads they have two misconceptions. The first is that an auto box is still like the one their dad had in that ‘83 Maestro L. Every auto I have had has been a choice of eco, standard and sport setting and they’ve also all been capable of manual override. I must have done about 500,000 miles in autos now, and one had to go in to the shop once for work, and that one had already done about 200,000. The second, is that they can drive like a pro and get that super driver sensation by pinging the gears just right on a drive. Well sour news, all the pro’s have auto’s because they are quicker and better. You really can’t rally drive off the lights outside Asda without looking like a penis, so that race car sensation ain’t going to happen. Besides, in my experience, I’m almost always sat at the lights with my foot on the brake, waiting for the F1 Wannabe in front to engage clutch, select gear, release hand brake… yes, you can probably do all that in 0.5 of a second. But that’s 0.5 of a second longer than it takes me. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisp65 Posted May 21, 2021 Share Posted May 21, 2021 16 minutes ago, Mandy Lifeboats said: I love having a "real" wristwatch that doesn't operate with a battery or quartz. In a modern wristwatch its knows the time because its told by a satellite or the battery makes the quartz vibrate. My watches work with springs, levers and cogs. The metal workings change as the heat changes. The mechanism even changes are I hold my arm in different positions. Yet that mechanism still keeps pretty good time. Skilful people have spent hours putting together tiny mechanisms to an exacting standard. I have a watch that is as old as me and it still tells the time to a very good standard. It will probably outlast me. 2 minutes ago, Seat68 said: I have a few very good watches in a drawer. They aren’t battery driven and I love them all, I just don’t get on with having a watch on my wrist. I appreciate the craftsmanship in a good watch. I haven’t owned any watch for about ten years or so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandy Lifeboats Posted May 21, 2021 Share Posted May 21, 2021 10 minutes ago, Xela said: Mechanical watches are an art form. I'd always hankered after a 'proper' watch... a sub or gmt or speedmaster, I have a Speedmaster from 1970. If it was good enough for Buzz Aldrin to wear on the moon, its good enough for me. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bickster Posted May 21, 2021 Moderator Share Posted May 21, 2021 Watches, nah. My phone tells me the time and even when it didn't there are clocks everywhere. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidcow Posted May 21, 2021 VT Supporter Share Posted May 21, 2021 I haven't worn my watch since lockdown. It's almost redundant anyway because unless I have my reading glasses on I can't even see it anyway, much easier to look at the big digital readout on my phone. It's made me realise I only wear my watch out of habit/for the look of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seat68 Posted May 21, 2021 Share Posted May 21, 2021 When I start a new contract I wear a watch for a few weeks to cover up a tattoo on my wrist, some firms are funny so I try to hide my tattoos. That will learn me for having word removed permanently inked on me. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisp65 Posted May 21, 2021 Share Posted May 21, 2021 5 minutes ago, Seat68 said: When I start a new contract I wear a watch for a few weeks to cover up a tattoo on my wrist, some firms are funny so I try to hide my tattoos. That will learn me for having word removed permanently inked on me. 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted May 21, 2021 VT Supporter Share Posted May 21, 2021 1 hour ago, bickster said: Watches, nah. My phone tells me the time and even when it didn't there are clocks everywhere. This. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted May 21, 2021 VT Supporter Share Posted May 21, 2021 2 hours ago, Xela said: The fact that most sports/super car manufacturers don't make manual cars now is all you need to know. The auto box* is so advanced now it can make the changes quicker than a human. Of course it never used to be like that in the days of 3 speed slush boxes but progress has been swift. * generic term as there as so many different variants - torque converter / dual clutch / cvt / automated manual / etc 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Albrighton Posted May 21, 2021 VT Supporter Share Posted May 21, 2021 Watches look nice, but it’s something else to think about and I’d be constantly worried about scratching the glass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
It's Your Round Posted May 21, 2021 Share Posted May 21, 2021 This has just reminded me that I own a watch, it’s a nice chunky steel Police one that I had for Christmas a couple of years ago. I’d completely forgot about it, very surprised my missus hasn’t continuously reminded me that she bought it and I never wear it. I can’t really see the point when my phone’s always in my hand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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