THOSE FINGERS IN MY HAIR, THAT SLY COME HITHER STARE THAT STRIPS MY CONSCIENCE BARE, IT’S NICHE CRAFT: Driving stick shift has become a niche craft in America.

Shifting gears, the feel of the clutch underneath your foot. These mark the experience behind the wheel of a manual transmission car — now a rare breed in the U.S.

Though the American auto industry focuses on automatic vehicles, some car enthusiasts continue to hit the road with a stick shift. Manual transmission vehicles offer more control, with drivers maneuvering the shifter between gears.

Or, in some case, not: Automakers can’t quit manual transmissions so they’re cramming fake stuff into EVs. “Toyota is toying with an EV prototype that mimics driving a manual transmission, complete with a stick shift that doesn’t do anything and fake engine noises. What are we doing here, people?”

Decline is a choice, America: