Heh, cute. I have a 2004 Giant Boulder SE mountain bike that I often take up to the trails a few miles from my place, as well as take my bike out on the road quite a bit. I bike for fun, and try to do it at least an hour every other day. In fact, I always thought it'd be fun to ride bike across the United States to raise money for cancer. At first I thought maybe that was asking too much. But in the last month, 2 folks have passed through my town. One is walking across the US, and the other is riding his horse across the US, both for cancer research. I'd like to do that sometime in my life, though right now college is a bit more important. I'd rather get my life established on my own first before I head out and try something like that.
Now that I have dominated your smartass stab at being lazy, I'm enthusiastic about seeing what else you'd have to say.
Oh, and for the record, I first learned to drive in a 1989 Mazda B2200 4 cyl 5 spd pickup truck. The truck had no power steering, 1/4 turn of play in the steering wheel, and the spongiest clutch I have ever experienced. Mastering the worst to start was definitely easier to learn to drive. It was overwelming at first, but a patient parent and a few trips to the church parking lot up the street resulted in mastering how to drive that pickup truck. Then when I got in my Grand Am (first car, automatic) it was purely cake. When I have kids someday, they will learn to drive in the worst situation possible first (in a parking lot of course with the truck I spoke about) then they'll be introduced to other driving situations and vehicles (vehicles with more common features such as power steering, unlike the truck).
And I have no idea what makes you think that a manual transmission draws your attention away from the road, but if anything I have been more than twice as attentive as before driving the MT vehicle I have now. Now, I am constantly watching my speed and watching the road, taking note of curves, inclines, oncoming traffic, intersections, and wet roads to make sure I am in the proper gear suited for that condition. But in the end, it's what you drive that counts for you. If an auto is for you, great. Again, LET ME REITERATE THE LAZINESS I WAS TALKING ABOUT IN THIS THREAD WAS REGARDING PEOPLE I KNOW IN REAL LIFE. It was NOT a direct stab at people who like their automatic transmission.