ORIGINAL: DamnSkippy
Being impoverished in my early automotive life, I had to have manual, because many times a battery was too expensive for periods of time (check to check). I became quite adept at parking logistics (find enough of a hill to park on and I became master of the roll start). Worse case scenario, I would find a perfectly flat spot and push roll it jump in pop the clutch.
Ah, youth......
That's another good reason that I didn't even think of. I've always found that its the time that I need help the most when there isn't any there to give you a hand. If you were the last person in a parking lot at night, you simply wouldn't be able to get a jump and would be up a creek. There are lots of reasons why to prefer manuals if you ask me.