Rotary dials and buttons kill the romance of slamming a car through quick, high-speed gear changes.

WSJ: Changing Gears: Auto Makers Ditch Familiar Shift Levers

But he was famous for the number of times he miscalculated the distance, or his speed, or mistimed things, thereby meeting the asphalt with more than enough force to kill himself.

ECONOMIST: Evel Knievel