> Actually, with an automatic (and with a manual if you're really good), left foot braking is preferred, but ONLY if you're very coordinated and are a very good driver.>

Also, with manual, when you have to start on mountain roads... a maneuver that I like a lot to do is to have the left foot holding both brake and clutch, right foot on the gas, first gear in; when I need to start on a steep slope, I release the left foot until the clutch gets in, push slightly on the gas and then release gently the clutch. The car won't go backwards of even a centimetre.

> (you could also buy a Ferarri F355 and get those SWEET steering wheel mounted paddle shifters ;)

Heretic! Ferrari (as well as Lamborghini and Maserati) cars *must* have manual transmission!
By the way, I have two friends... one is an engineer that works for Ferrari and designs parts of the engines; the other is a columnist for a car/bikes review magazine. At least once every two years we arrange a 'test drive'...

Anyway, the Alfa Romeo 156 has the same paddle shifters and costs a lot less than a Ferrari.

> As far as auto/manual laws in the US, you don't even have to know how to DRIVE, much less shift.

Here in Italy there's the opposite problem: everybody knows how to drive, but don't know how to understand road signs...

AP.