Driving with standard or automatic? Which do you prefer?

I prefer driving a standard. It requires more attention on the road and it gives me a better feel of the car and road conditions. Personally, I feel that driving stick may solve some of the road problem nowadays. Problems such as people on cellphones while driving, people putting on makeup while they are driving, etc. And also it would be much more obvious when someone shouldn't be driving. I'm sure a person too drunk or too sleepy to drive would have even greater difficulty of getting very far before they realize they shouldn't be driving. But of course autos are more comfy :).

My dad always loved stick shift because to him shifting gears was fun. My mother and I prefer to drive automatic. I learned to drive on an automatic, however, I plan to also learn stick shift fairly soon just because it's probably a good thing to know (especially if I am going to get my dream car one day in the future as all of them seem to be stick shift!) and I also understanding that it is more efficient in certain situations. When I was learning, however, it always seemed like yet another thing to be stressed about...

I know the Honda Insight is available as a stick. I don't know about any others. To mestick is the only way to go. That is the only way you truly drive your car. With an automatic you aren't even driving. You are merely using the gas and brakes to avoid a crash as the transmission is the one telling the car to go.

I rather drive a manual then automatic... My girlfriend's car is automatic, mine is stick...