* With a Manual I am always able to drive as designated driver (THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE HAPPENING) :-P
if you don't want to be designated driver, tell your mates you're not doing it! Licence type really would have nothing to do with it I would think
* Auto's have less brain work and less body movement (This is gold)
Half of the manual drivers in the world don't like getting into an auto because the car is doing it's own thing and your just sitting there doing nothing like an idiot.
* I am a shit manual driver
If your just starting to drive, of course you will be. Everyone will be. Just keep practicing and you get good at it.
I need to keep that hand free for other duties also the process of passing the test would greatly increase the waiting period of this so called "hooning" and "cruises" to another 3-6 months (extra time factors in laziness)
Bla bla bla. Having a manual doesn't severly restrict you from eating/playing with radio/etc at all. Not that you should really be doing much other than driving when behind the wheel anyway
Plus again if you learn manual you'll do fine in the test. Show a bit of boob or something and it's in the bag
And it's a good skill to have should an emergency arrive and it makes it easier to jump around cars later.
So what would you do?
Manual all the way. It's a nice advantage to have control over your car. I'd only go an auto if I was doing a LOT of driving (presumably for a job) and/or a lot of traffic / city driving.