CaptRobThePirate wrote:
P.S. When I do have to reluctantly drive an automatic, my foot still instinctively hits the floor where the clutch should be and my hand goes right for where the stick should be. :=]

You're lucky then, and have only driven autos with relatively narrow brake pedals. I once damn near threw a friend through the windshield trying to quickly engage the clutch in an automatic pickup.

When I first learned to drive stick, I had a friend tell me she didn't know how to drive automatic, which I thought was odd at the time. Fast forward a few years, I take my car in for service and they give me a loaner--and of course there are no manuals in the bunch. On multiple occasions I bumped into people at stoplights because I was so used to not having to hold the brake (or only very lightly) when stopped on flat ground. I finally understood what she was talking about.

Five years of driving a company car and then getting married (taught the wife to drive manual, and she'll do it if she needs to, but doesn't like it) has cured me of my odd inability to drive an automatic, but I'll still never buy one. Or a FWD car, for that matter.

I learned how to drive a stick on a truck that had a three speed on the column with a heavy duty clutch - so driving a 4 or 5 speed on the floor was simple after that.

Yup. My daily driver is a stick. Best system for absolute control over your vehicle.

The first thing I ever even drove was an 18 wheeler ( my Dad was a truck driver) Started off on a Bulldog Mack, 18 forward speeds 4 reverse.
Learned how to REALLY drive (parallel parking and all) on a 53 Ford "Vicky", Forest Green Coupe, with a Flathead V8 and with 3 "On The Tree". My Dad and I "Personalized" it with an Offy manifold and 3 Stromberg carbs, Lakes pipes with cut outs, and a pair of "Fuzzy Dice". Man would I like to have that car now.

314edpiper wrote:I may be a minority here, but I believe that ALL drivers should be able to do 3 things before they get their license.
1. Drive a stick
2. Change a tire
3. check and add all fluids to their car.
Being able to do those 3 things would cut down on stranded motorists by at least 50%. It would be more, but just because people know how to do those things doesn't mean they would.

Agree with all 3 and add--
4. Drive in snow/ice
I live in Pennsylvania and there are too many kids on the road who just got their license and have no clue how to drive in snow. Of course this only matters in the northern states. :-)

Only thing I don't like about a stick is that it ruins the back of one shoe.... yup, you guessed right, I'm a women.

Both our vehicles - an Isuzu Hombre pickup and a PT Cruiser - have 5-speed stick shifts. I only drive automatics if I have no choice. (e.g. a rental)

All my kids needed to learn on a stick shift right off the bat. Both the girls and boys still know how to drive my Honda Element.

CaptRob, et al --

CaptRobThePirate wrote:
... eventually I want to learn to fly a plane. I'm making it a goal in life to learn how to operate as many vehicles as possible, that way when the zombie apocalypse comes I'll be prepared.

The good news is that you're on the right track and that, yes, you can learn to fly a plane; there are so many options these days and no limit to the fun.

The bad news is that there aren't actually any stick-shift planes :-)


:-D
--
David T-G
http://justpickone.org/davidtg/email/

yes-it's good to know or you would be stuck some where
europewise

Yes, yes I can. I learned how at the same time I learned to operate a forklift. Not during the same time period, but AT THE SAME TIME. Why anyone would think that a 2-speed manual tranny forklift is a good idea on a small freight dock is beyond me. Talk about stop and go.

Oh, and for all of you manny tranny snobs out there: if you want something more to do while you're driving besides steer, why not pay attention? That seems to work for me.

Yeah...it's like riding a bike, one you've done it, you don't forget that easily. It's probably been 20 years for me, but I wouldn't worry about going out there to do it.

Yeah...it's like riding a bike, one you've done it, you don't forget that easily. It's probably been 20 years for me, but I wouldn't worry about going out there to do it.

Yes. I've been doing front end work on my truck for 2 months now, during that time it's been out of commission. It's amazing how much you can miss being in control. Automatics suck.

Yes. But this is a silly discussion.

If you're all macho about it, you probably run from place to place, rather than using some wimpy machine. At most, you ride a horse, right? Otherwise, you have a big ole internal combustion engine (with an electric starter, if you're a wimp) powering a ridiculously complex machine -- and you only want to discuss just one item, the gizmo that changes the gears?

Can you wash your own windshield or do you use some wimpy built-in squirt mechanism? Can you crank your own windows up and down? Toast your own bread over a fire?

You use a hand crank to start your Model T and clutch-and-grind as much as you like, but I'll use my automatic starter, automatic seat settings, automatic air conditioning, automatic transmission and automatic windshield washer and wiper.

I pay for machines to do stuff that I don't want to do.

[quote postid="4564511" user="CaptRobThePirate"]I just got the new Honda CR-Z and I made darn sure it was a 6-speed! I also have a motorcycle and eventually I want to learn to fly a plane. I'm making it a goal in life to learn how to operate as many vehicles as possible, that way when the zombie apocalypse comes I'll be prepared.



If your preparing for the zombie apocalipse, you'd better have an automatic, you're going to need that hand free for a gun.

My first car that I owned outright (i.e. not my parents' extra land yacht) was a 1986 Civic with a manual four speed. I understood the concept of driving a stick but had never actually tried, and after one false start I got it out of the guy's driveway and changed gears fairly smoothly during the test drive. I was hooked!

Since then every other vehicle I've owned has been a stick, and I'm about to trade my automatic Corolla for an early 80s Chevy full size truck with a heavy duty four speed manual. I've always preferred a stick in trucks especially for towing or heavy loads.

After scanning through the responses, I seem to be in the minority. But 3 of the first 4 cars I owned were sticks -- 7+ years. I just taught my son to drive a stick. But I have NO desire to ever own another car with a manual transmission.
I equate driving a stick to building a fire to cook with by rubbing sticks together. We create more and more advanced technology to make our lives easier.
I don't need to drive a stick to appear macho.

crusnok wrote:After scanning through the responses, I seem to be in the minority. But 3 of the first 4 cars I owned were sticks -- 7+ years. I just taught my son to drive a stick. But I have NO desire to ever own another car with a manual transmission.
I equate driving a stick to building a fire to cook with by rubbing sticks together. We create more and more advanced technology to make our lives easier.
I don't need to drive a stick to appear macho.

Thank you. After reading the responses here, I thought I was reading a frat house resume. Most men I know got over that "I only drive" crap once they were married. The others are 40 and above with Mommy and Daddy's money and their wives drive Escalades and they drive anything with a stick that costs more than 50 grand.

I have been driving since the mid-70's, everything from a 7 horse van to Mom's mid-life corvette to my trusty VW Rabbit. Sticks are fun but in real life, automatics leave you time to eat, text, talk, shave, put on your make-up, read the paper and ignore everything around you...

dianagt wrote:For sure!
I learned on a Chevette ;->
That would be many, many moons ago.

My mom wanted to hand me down her 1981 Chevette to me in 1992 after my sister had it a couple of years. I pretended I could not get a hang of the stick so I had to get a different car. Ended up with an 86 Colt.

When I got one of my current cars, it made no sense to get anything but a stick, so I learned on it... and it fits what most are saying is the only real kind of car... 2 seat, topless, stick...



They wouldn't let me test drive the C5.

314edpiper wrote:I may be a minority here, but I believe that ALL drivers should be able to do 3 things before they get their license.
1. Drive a stick
2. Change a tire
3. check and add all fluids to their car.
Being able to do those 3 things would cut down on stranded motorists by at least 50%. It would be more, but just because people know how to do those things doesn't mean they would.

I just think they should know how to drive... I drive a lot, to car shows in many states... and as firefighter and EMT, I see the after effects of bad driving... and I see how people get so confused when an emergency vehicle gets behind them.

Things people forget a lot when driving.
1: Left lanes are for passing only. They are not the driving lane. Even if you are going above the speed limit, if you are not even close to passing someone, switch back to the right.

2: If you are approaching an on ramp to a highway, please move left if possible... don't stay in the lane preventing a car coming on from being able to merge at speed to the highway.

3: Speaking of merging... if approaching a lane closure, take your turn at the merge point by using both lanes to the merge point. Don't create a long line in one lane leaving the other open. When that happens and someone that is following the rules and continues in the empty lane, people go crazy since they are being passed... even though those passing are correct.

4: If you see red, blue, or green lights flahing or rotating on a vehicle... pull to the right. Don't just slow down in lane. Move over!!! Don't try to beat them if turning in front of them... many fire trucks and ambulances can not stop on a dime. Also, in some states, volunteer firefighters and EMT's use blue or green lights on their personal vehicles to get to the station or scene, but are courtesy lights, meaning your don't have to pull over. If you don't pull over and let them pass, you are delaying their response. NJ recently made it illegal to nopt pull over for those lights... hopefully NY and PA follow suit. Other states already have it that way as well.

5: If you are old and can't drive well anymore due to visual issues or body control... please do not drive. Yes, you lose mobility... but is it worth it to possibly kill someone or damage property of someone else? If a family member has those issues, don't be afraid to broach the subject. Your safety, and their own, could be at risk.

/soapbox

"I'll ONLY drive a stick" = AHDH.

You'll probably recover by the time you turn 40.

I can drive a stick, but it has to be a very fat stick with a nice big wheel at the bottom of it, to support my weight. It's tricky, kind of like a unicycle, but it can be done.
I am surprised that so many here can also do this, as it is quite a daunting task.

I ride a bicycle... Does that count?

Sure can and do. Why not!

FenStar wrote:Yea, because you know, I mat to be sure there is no chance of me living if my car flips over. It is also really great when it rains.

A decent driver doesn't allow his car to flip over.

Been driving sticks since 1964....much more fun than automatics, and the only way to go if you really want to be in control of the vehicle.

i learned to drive on a 68 chevrolet with three on tree.

For someone who just thinks they should know how to drive, you have a lot of criteria for driving...

todaresq wrote:I just think they should know how to drive... I drive a lot, to car shows in many states... and as firefighter and EMT, I see the after effects of bad driving... and I see how people get so confused when an emergency vehicle gets behind them.

Things people forget a lot when driving.
1: Left lanes are for passing only. They are not the driving lane. Even if you are going above the speed limit, if you are not even close to passing someone, switch back to the right.

2: If you are approaching an on ramp to a highway, please move left if possible... don't stay in the lane preventing a car coming on from being able to merge at speed to the highway.

3: Speaking of merging... if approaching a lane closure, take your turn at the merge point by using both lanes to the merge point. Don't create a long line in one lane leaving the other open. When that happens and someone that is following the rules and continues in the empty lane, people go crazy since they are being passed... even though those passing are correct.

4: If you see red, blue, or green lights flahing or rotating on a vehicle... pull to the right. Don't just slow down in lane. Move over!!! Don't try to beat them if turning in front of them... many fire trucks and ambulances can not stop on a dime. Also, in some states, volunteer firefighters and EMT's use blue or green lights on their personal vehicles to get to the station or scene, but are courtesy lights, meaning your don't have to pull over. If you don't pull over and let them pass, you are delaying their response. NJ recently made it illegal to nopt pull over for those lights... hopefully NY and PA follow suit. Other states already have it that way as well.

5: If you are old and can't drive well anymore due to visual issues or body control... please do not drive. Yes, you lose mobility... but is it worth it to possibly kill someone or damage property of someone else? If a family member has those issues, don't be afraid to broach the subject. Your safety, and their own, could be at risk.

/soapbox

gnetwerker wrote:I don't know why I'm in a bad mood tonite, but I'm gonna let you idi*ts have it. My credentials: I do drive a manual transmission, in a car most of you teenage m*rons will never be able to afford, a Porsche 911 Carrera 4S Cabriolet. I drive a stick because I'm a throwback, because I'm old and rich, and because I don't race my car.

Virtually every race car (except endurance racers) for the last 10 years or so has had an "automatic" transmission, i.e a clutchless transmission. While these are controlled by the driver with (e.g.) paddles on the steering wheel, they are in every way an "automatic". The latest Porsches use a PDK dual-clutch automatic.

Automatic research and development into high-performance transmissions has, for many years, been almost exclusively focused on "automatic" transmissions. It is already the case that for the highest performance cars (like the Porsche I drive), a manual transmission means **lower** performance than the corresponding automatic. In the not-too-distant future, it will be impossible to buy a performance car with a manual.

Yes, a manual transmission is (for some) "more fun". But it is not a proof of manhood, you weenies.

(Woot's badword filter is hilarious!)

Calm down Grandpa, I don't want to have to tell Grandma that the new-fangled internets have got your blood pressure up again.

I've managed to own quite a few cars that made me look like a drug dealer - notably a hot black T-bird w/ dark glass. Also an Eclipse GSX that turned heads, & a t-top Camaro. Had a hard-to-come by no-extras new 5-speed Toyota Starlet in early 80's that actually got me 55 MPG, & kept it >10 yrs. My guy & I used to joke that our 2 vehicles had over 1/3 of a million miles combined. Now he just tells people I always drive a stick, but I think he means a broomstick!

I have always preferred manual transmissions-unfortunately,too many lazy drivers think otherwise.
If this country would switch to manual trannies in all vehicles-many problems would be solved. Better fuel mileage,less maintenance,better driver awareness(no phones,no makeup,no texting-just driving). Come on America-get a life-get off the damn phone and drive.

silverfaux wrote:I was taught to drive on an automatic, but when I was stationed in California all that was available on the sales lots were manuals. An enterprising salesman trying to make a sale taught me to drive stick in about 30 minutes. Sadly for him, I didn't buy his overpriced RX7, but every car I've owned since has been manual.

About a month ago, I got an underpriced RX-8. I just get such a grin out of it. And it has a short, slick 6-speed. I'm not exactly sure why such a sweet car depreciates so very fast, but I was amazed when I discovered I could afford one, so I did. Just wow.

So far, I've had 6 cars with sticks, and 1 auto. Wife has had 3 sticks and 2 autos. Don't mind a really nice auto (there are some), but prefer a nice stick. A nice auto beats a lousy stick, though. Or maybe I'm just acting my age.

It's okay; I'd rather act my age than not get to my age.

Learned to drive a stick in a Saab Sonnet. Probably not the best car to learn in. Had to learn stick because that's all that was offered on my Mazda GLC when I bought the first one off the lot when they came out. Had sticks ever since, but not for any good reason except price. They do suck for stop-and-go driving in the city; give me an automatic for city driving.

noranora wrote:I do...when you drive high it's way better to have less that you need to control. (uh me along time ago and I traded in a stick for an ahtemattee, then I got just as you say "like straight roads, cup holders and having more than two seats "we all gotta grow up sometime, dangit.

Back when I smoked, I drove my stickshift Mazda 3 stoned all the time.

I can't stand those who would buy a sportscar with an auto.

plum813 wrote:Yes. But this is a silly discussion.

If you're all macho about it, you probably run from place to place, rather than using some wimpy machine. At most, you ride a horse, right? Otherwise, you have a big ole internal combustion engine (with an electric starter, if you're a wimp) powering a ridiculously complex machine -- and you only want to discuss just one item, the gizmo that changes the gears?

Can you wash your own windshield or do you use some wimpy built-in squirt mechanism? Can you crank your own windows up and down? Toast your own bread over a fire?

You use a hand crank to start your Model T and clutch-and-grind as much as you like, but I'll use my automatic starter, automatic seat settings, automatic air conditioning, automatic transmission and automatic windshield washer and wiper.

I pay for machines to do stuff that I don't want to do.

All that other automatic stuff doesn't actually affect the driving of the car, but the transmission type does. Your point is moot.