Fair enough, but when the engine is cold, the yellow lines on the tachometer suggest that you shift before 3500 rpm, which is way above 20 mph in 1st gear. 20mph is about double idle speed.

 

Good point. Sometimes I actually pay attention to my driving/shifting, like if I'm having fun or in a hurry. Other times, my mind is on other things, like when I'm driving to work in the morning. Then, my driving/shifting is on autopilot. I do it without even thinking about it. Under those circumstances, I probably shift at around 2,000 rpm, which then drops the rpm to about 1,200, the minimum to maintain power and avoid lugging the engine. Meanwhile, I arrive at work with a strategy for the day.

After work, or on weekends, I'll hold a gear longer, occasionally til redline, as I'm relaxed and having fun. I may also burn a little rubber, just for fun, something I would never do on the way into work. So, again, for me, it's all over the map.

 

Thanks, that's the best (and only) good answer I've heard . . . you're often not even thinking about when you shift because your pattern has become so natural to you. Likewise, my pattern has become so natural I don't even think about it either, but my natural "programming" is to shift when I sense about 3K rpm, and that's just in normal, leisurely driving. I've been doing that the same way for about 40 years, so it's become as automatic to me as breathing. It has nothing to do with aggressive driving or drag-strip acceleration because it's often a long slow trip to at least 3K before I shift.

Given what you just said, it makes more sense that some could find the forced 1-4 shift so annoying and others like me weren't even aware the car had CAGS if not for an internet car forum.

 

More for folks who think it is foolish, here is my reason for using- it could have happened to me, hope it doesn't happen to those who don't want to spend ~$20.
Shaggy Dog Story.
Had CAGS device on my C6 so did not have a forced 1st to 4th skipped shift. Took ~2 months after I got my C7 for vendors to find/fix the reported issues on C7 models. It never came on because I always shift out of 1st past 17 mph. However I got caught in bumper to bumper traffic, very unusual in our rural area. Went to shift to 2nd after waiting for the car in front to move some distance so I was not stopping as frequently. Probably accelerated to 14 or 15 mph and went to shift to 2nd. Fumbled and wondered if I missed a gate! Looked down as the car slowed. Finally realized what happened.

Had the person behind me been like Pavlovs dogs and had a conditioned response to look at their phone when they heard a beep at the same time I slowed unexpectently, they could have been in my bumper!

Frankly my biggest driving concern today is distracted drivers. I have never had an accident with another car in over 50 years of driving, and I drive fairly aggressively. I look in my mirrors all the time and often see folks behind me texting at a light, phone on steering wheel. It's allowed in SC IF the car is stopped!

So I think CAGS is partly a safety device!!



Like Pavlov's Dog, Unfortunately For Some Folks Having to Look at a Beeping Cell Phone is a Learned Conditioned Response!