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The Great Paddle Shifter Debate
(hopefully)
For those that don't know, there are several different ways that a car manufacturer can allow the driver to operate the transmission. There's manual, which is the stick to your right (or left, if you're across the pond) which usually has 4-6 gears and reverse. You push down the clutch pedal and change gears. There's automatic, where the car does basically all the work. There's even "tiptronic" (or "steptronic", or w/e), which makes an automatic stick into a pseudo-manual stick. Then there's paddle shifters. There are two paddles on the steering wheel which, when pressed, can change gears up or down. They're common on quick cars or cars that wish they were quick, from Acura all the way up to Ferrari.
I can't stand paddle shifters. I've used them on several occasions, and even after spending many laps practicing on them I find them to be massively distracting and no where near as effective as a standard manual 5-6 speed stick shift. They're marketed well, being associated with F1 racing and all, but considering how much I move the wheel, it becomes a problem almost immediately.
So what are your experiences with paddle shifters? Were they great fun, and plenty useful? Or were they cumbersome and ineffective?
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