# Can you drive a Manual?



## Glacial (Jun 16, 2010)

Do you know how to drive a car with a manual transmission?


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## watashi (Feb 6, 2008)

Yes, it's the only kind of car I drive.


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## Glacial (Jun 16, 2010)

watashi said:


> Yes, it's the only kind of car I drive.


That's awesome...I am jealous 

I told myself that's all I would ever drive but now I have an automatic...which I am quite bored with.


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## copper (Nov 10, 2003)

I never learn since my father never had cars with manual trannies. My friend offered to teach me using his little 1981 Datsun and I told him I didn't really want to tear his trannie up. There wouldn't be a point in learning since all the cars I drove were automatics.


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## AussiePea (Mar 27, 2007)

Manual for me, just so much more fun when you have a car you can really push with on mountain roads. Heel and toe driving etc, such fun!!


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## Aloysius (Jul 16, 2008)

Only driven an 18-wheeler a few times, so I'm gonna have to say nein.


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## purplefruit (Jan 11, 2011)

Nope. Too much work.


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## successful (Mar 21, 2009)

nope


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## 266x (Jun 30, 2011)

Yeah its really easy!


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## Still Waters (Sep 18, 2008)

I can,I had the misfortune of being forced to learn on one. Thought I'd never get it,wouldn't choose one now though-too much grief!


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## wraith (Feb 22, 2010)

Cultural difference here is huge. As far as I know nobody in europe can even get their license without being able to handle a manual transmission. At least here in norway it is completely unheard of not being able to drive stick.


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## Jnmcda0 (Nov 28, 2003)

I have only driven a car with manual transmission once and that was around a parking lot. This was just a few months ago. I had told a friend that I had never driven a stick-shift before and she offered to teach me.

I didn't do too badly, but I wouldn't feel comfortable driving by myself without more practice.


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## Genetic Garbage (May 7, 2011)

liero133 said:


> Cultural difference here is huge. As far as I know nobody in europe can even get their license without being able to handle a manual transmission. At least here in norway it is completely unheard of not being able to drive stick.


Where I live it's possible to take your driving test on a car with automatic transmission. The problem is that you are not allowed to drive a car with manual transmission afterwards. I learned to drive with manual transmission because it's more common in Europe and afterwards you are allowed to drive cars with automatic as well.


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## Fantas Eyes (Mar 23, 2011)

I can't even drive an automatic yet.


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## Sunny 137 (Jul 5, 2011)

No, but I'd love to learn.


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## Onomatopoeia (May 27, 2011)

No, but I want too!


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## s0dy (May 23, 2011)

Yes, cultural differences between both sides of the Atlantic are pretty interesting to read about. 



Genetic Garbage said:


> Where I live it's possible to take your driving test on a car with automatic transmission. The problem is that you are not allowed to drive a car with manual transmission afterwards. I learned to drive with manual transmission because it's more common in Europe and afterwards you are allowed to drive cars with automatic as well.


In here it also works like that (probably it's some directive from the European Union, so it's the same in every member of EU), there are two licenses, one with manual transmission, one with auto transmission. If you take the manual transmission license you can drive both, with auto transmission you can only drive cars with auto transmission. Pretty rare to find anyone who goes for the auto transmission license, unless they have some sort of physical impairment that makes it impossible to use manual transmission.
Outside bigger cities it's reasonably hard to find a driving school with auto transmission cars for the classes and driving test.
Also, strangely enough, the auto transmission license is more expensive so you might as well just get the manual transmission license and never think about it again. 

Answering the topic question, manual all the way. Every time I look at the inside of an automatic car I think "I wouldn't be able to drive this, there's one pedal missing...due to that I would end up only exercising one leg."


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## RyanJ (Mar 31, 2009)

Oh Europe...you and your funny rules... ;P I suppose we have funny rules too lol...

I learned on an auto, took the test using an auto, then promptly bought a car with a manual. I rather like it and will probably continue buying cars that way. The next car I get will have a 'snick snick' action though instead of the current 'kawumph smudge'.


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## rainbowOne (Sep 26, 2010)

I can't drive, am starting to learn, but will learn with a manual, drive a manual...
barely anyone drives an automatic here.


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## kindasorta (Apr 20, 2009)

As with Norway, same applies to Sweden. You are only allowed to take your driver's license test driving a manual. After that you can chose for yourself what to get for your own car. Automatics weren't that common in Sweden up until a while ago and still the majority is manual.

I've driven both and although automatic is simpler and gives you less to think about in traffic (if this is a good thing I'm not entirely sure; having to be alert while driving is key to driving safely) I'm entirely with Ospi on this one. I wouldn't get an automatic ever. Manual is so much more fun and rewarding!


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## crsohr (Dec 30, 2010)

Yep I learnt how to drive in a stick shift car and I passed the test in one too. I still remember the first time I ever drove by myself a little after I passed, I did 2 hours driving non stop and didn't stall once it's not as hard as it looks so don't be put off.


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## JayDontCareEh (Jul 16, 2007)

I pretty much drive like an old man, so driving a stick shift makes it kinda hard for me to get my '10-and-2' on.

I prefer automatic transmission.


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## Karuni (Jun 26, 2011)

Nope. My dad's always had manual vehicles, and he tried to teach me in his Jeep Wrangler but I just kept on killing his engine without moving. It was really disappointing to me. I feel like worrying about the clutch and gears would make driving too complicated, especially at first. =/ 
My car has an automatic transmission and so does my mom's truck. Auto's are really common around here anyway, so I should be okay. I don't think I could ever drive in Europe. xD;


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## theseshackles (Apr 23, 2011)

I'm about a month in! :banana

Of course it was frustrating at first, stalling and having to do the almost impossible gearing up while in a corner...but if you commit yourself you will become fluid with the controls.


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## Akane (Jan 2, 2008)

I could but I see no logical reason.


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## Roberto (Aug 16, 2004)

I'll teach anyone who wants to learn.


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## Hello22 (Feb 10, 2010)

Ya my car is manual. Because i did my test in a manual, i can drive both.


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## Oscar7 (May 20, 2011)

I'm surprised there is more manual drivers, for some reason.

I can't myself. Just automatic. I need to learn, though....


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## foe (Oct 10, 2010)

Only automatic. I did try to drive a manual once when my former supervision let me drive his car around the parking area of the plaza where our food place was. I didn't crash it or anything but it was very hard to drive!


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## Glacial (Jun 16, 2010)

Akane said:


> I could but I see no logical reason.


Well it tends to be more spirited driving, for those who care about that type of thing. Also, not sure if it's true anymore, but they used to be about $1000 cheaper on the car lot and used to save on gas.


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## Catherine Cavatica (Feb 2, 2011)

Are you serious?!! Bahahahaha

I love automatics! It's so much easier:b


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## Toad Licker (Nov 2, 2007)

Nope, too much thinking involved for me so I never learned. I did try several times though, I was told that eventually it would "come naturally"... they were wrong.


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## J.T. (Jan 9, 2009)

Of course. Hopefully, I will never have to own an automatic car. I love manual transmission.


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## Brokenxx (Jul 11, 2011)

I drive a manual car.

I don't understand how someone could pass in an automatic and then be allowed to drive a manual with no lessons, it's not like it's easy to pick up..


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## straightarrows (Jun 18, 2010)

I was may be 15,, I learned that alone at 11 P.M.,,, u feel more control but Auto is the best,,,


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## Nathan Talli (Dec 13, 2010)

Yep.

This is probably the coolest manual car I have had the privilege of driving.










2011 Audi S5

With this one being a close 2nd place:










2011 Impreza WRX STI


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## asdfasdfasdfas (Jul 10, 2011)

Yes, I love them.


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## millenniumman75 (Feb 4, 2005)

No, but I would like to try again.


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## MissElley (May 15, 2011)

I can't even drive Automatic, let alone Manual ... I don't even know how to drive.


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## Tino (Jul 9, 2011)

I doubt i will ever drive an automatic, it just doesn't sound like much fun.


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## Fluffy (Apr 9, 2011)

I always wanted an automatic, but my dad forced a manual on me, and I love it ^__^ it's so much easier to speed up and slow down, and power up hills


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## zookeeper (Jun 3, 2009)

Yuppers.



liero133 said:


> Cultural difference here is huge. As far as I know nobody in europe can even get their license without being able to handle a manual transmission. At least here in norway it is completely unheard of not being able to drive stick.


As it should be. If you can't learn to drive standard, you probably don't have any business driving in the first place.


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## Akane (Jan 2, 2008)

I fail to see how the fact it's a manual rather than just the model and power of a vehicle makes it more "free spirited" driving. Aside from that a manual only gains you 1-2mpg given everything else is identical. I was looking to replace my chevy blazer with something and saw comparisons. It really doesn't gain you much. It probably depends on how much skill you have at driving it as well. Most manual cars I know of aren't designed to be fuel efficient in the first place or people's "free spirited" driving is far from fuel efficient as they see just how fast they can accelerate on every little stretch which immediately negates the benefits. Majority of the accurate model for model mpg comparisons I could find were in trucks that produced both a manual and automatic version where a manual is desired sometimes for utility or just plain nostalgic reasons rather than to show off or feel better which leads to less efficient driving. I know a lot of farmers get manuals simply because they've driven manual vehicles only since they were a kid.

So logically there is still no reason for me to get a manual.


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## Neptunus (Oct 29, 2007)

Yep. Learned how to drive on one.


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## zookeeper (Jun 3, 2009)

Akane said:


> I fail to see how the fact it's a manual rather than just the model and power of a vehicle makes it more "free spirited" driving. Aside from that a manual only gains you 1-2mpg given everything else is identical. I was looking to replace my chevy blazer with something and saw comparisons. It really doesn't gain you much. It probably depends on how much skill you have at driving it as well. Most manual cars I know of aren't designed to be fuel efficient in the first place or people's "free spirited" driving is far from fuel efficient as they see just how fast they can accelerate on every little stretch which immediately negates the benefits. Majority of the accurate model for model mpg comparisons I could find were in trucks that produced both a manual and automatic version where a manual is desired sometimes for utility or just plain nostalgic reasons rather than to show off or feel better which leads to less efficient driving. I know a lot of farmers get manuals simply because they've driven manual vehicles only since they were a kid.
> 
> So logically there is still no reason for me to get a manual.


You don't drive standard, do you?

It has nothing to do with "free spirits" or mileage or showing off. It's about having control of the vehicle you're driving, understanding what's happening when you're driving, bump starts to get it going, downshifting to control speed, etc. etc.

It's also about the huge price difference in getting manual trans repaired vs. automatic, in addition to being cheaper and easier to produce.


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## leave me alone (Apr 1, 2011)

Meh, people who cant drive a manual shouldnt own a driver license :b


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## heyJude (Aug 1, 2009)

Nope. I learned on an automatic back when I first learned to drive and now that's all I ever drive. My brother drives a manual and it just looks...complicated and intimidating!


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## Resonance (Feb 11, 2010)

Of course I can, I'm European, we know how to make cars, and drive them!

Whou would want to drive an automatic, it takes all the fun out of it and you can't hope to race poorer drivers with better cars and win.

Manual all the way - hang the gears to **** and pedal to the metal! Worry about clutch-replacement costs later!


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## dp88 (Mar 18, 2011)

Yep, I learned to drive a manual when I first got my license. But I drive an automatic whenever I borrow my parents' car. I definitely prefer to drive a stick shift, primarily because of this:



zookeeper said:


> It's about having control of the vehicle you're driving, understanding what's happening when you're driving, bump starts to get it going, downshifting to control speed, etc. etc.


Plus, automatics just bore me.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

Still Waters said:


> I can,I had the misfortune of being forced to learn on one.


I had the misfortune of learning on a stick as well, made even more unfortunate as it was a 1987 Ford F-150 with the worst clutch possible. Even those who know how to drive a stick would stall that beast where the clutch goes from entirely disengaged to fully engaged within an inch to produced bucking or stalling. Even the cheapest Toyota has a smooth clutch.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

Saving Face said:


> Also, not sure if it's true anymore, but they used to be about $1000 cheaper on the car lot and *used to save on gas*.


In the US there are many models where a stick isn't even offered since so few Americans can drive them or want to even if they can. I'm in the can drive a stick very well, but don't want to category.

Sticks are only marginally more fuel efficient (about 1 mpg) when one does a valid comparison. This big thing about fuel efficiency comes from comparing econo-box cars of the 1980s where they'd have a 5-speed stick vs some truly crappy automatic with only 3 speeds (no overdrive) & no lock-up torque converted. Well, of course the stick is going to get vastly better efficiency than some horrifically bad automatic that makes the engine run faster due to lacking a high enough gear for the highway and a torque converter that keeps slipping while driving at a steady 65 mph.

As for sticks providing higher performance, sure, if you have a Corvette on a closed course with a skilled driver. In the real world I see folks who roll back 3 feet when starting from a stop on a hill because they don't know how to drive a stick. Or their car pulses forward & back as they work on destroying the clutch at a stop instead of using the brake. I guess they're doing their best to make sure auto mechanics remain fully employed.


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## fonz (Oct 15, 2008)

yes,of course


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## fonz (Oct 15, 2008)

leave me alone said:


> Meh, people who cant drive a manual shouldnt own a driver license :b


This.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

This makes me wonder, what do little old ladies drive outside the US where sticks are the norm?

Here in America the 80+ crowd loves to simply idle down the street with an automatic. Hardly being able to drive an auto, I can't seriously imagine this geriatric crowd handing a stick. My late 80s neighbors can't manage to even pull out of their driveway without hitting the curb on the other side of the street. Would a stick make the roads more dangerous by making it even more difficult for those two ladies, or safer by entirely removing them from the road?:stu

My father was a die hard supporter of sticks, critical of how "automatics are unreliable." He shut the hell up about that after paying nearly $2,000 to have a crappy Ford manual rebuilt (they put the undersized Ford Ranger transmission in the much larger F-150 where it's not up to the demands of a full-size pickup). Ironically, even after half a century of driving sticks he still did it poorly IMO, always shifting up at too low a speed and doing each shift in a very slow methodical motion that put the engine speed back to idle.

On the other hand, my brother complained that my shifts were too abrupt, instead of his smoother shifts (something you'll only notice in the lower gears). He was correct that I didn't slip the clutch much when I switched gears. Not sure if that's actually a bad thing though as slipping causes wear.


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## AussiePea (Mar 27, 2007)

I just feel more in control of a car which is manual. Ability to determine how the car is using the engine has some big benefits, specially when braking since you can adapt engine braking into the stopping process which has saved my bacon enough times!

I think people should have to learn to drive manual since it gives them a better understanding of car mechanics and generally a better feel for how a car works. From there on they can drive an auto all they want though. It's also handy to know manual since there are occasions where you need to drive one for some unexpected reason.


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## Glacial (Jun 16, 2010)

UltraShy said:


> This makes me wonder, what do little old ladies drive outside the US where sticks are the norm?
> 
> Here in America the 80+ crowd loves to simply idle down the street with an automatic. Hardly being able to drive an auto, I can't seriously imagine this geriatric crowd handing a stick. My late 80s neighbors can't manage to even pull out of their driveway without hitting the curb on the other side of the street. Would a stick make the roads more dangerous by making it even more difficult for those two ladies, or safer by entirely removing them from the road?:stuOn the other hand, my brother complained that my shifts were too abrupt, instead of his smoother shifts (something you'll only notice in the lower gears). He was correct that I didn't slip the clutch much when I switched gears. Not sure if that's actually a bad thing though as slipping causes wear.


My 79 year old grandmother only has driven Buicks with the gear shifter on the steering column; so when she sees any car with a gear shifter down in the center console, she assumes its a manaul and I am like "No Grandma, it's still an automatic, you can drive it." It's quite funny.


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## Resonance (Feb 11, 2010)

UltraShy said:


> This makes me wonder, what do little old ladies drive outside the US where sticks are the norm?
> .


Manuals...you'd have to be pretty "special" not to be able to operate a gearstick and clutch.

Besides which, in the land of proper-driving, everyone learns on manuals, so our elderly know what they are doing even if yours don't :s


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## prudence (Jan 31, 2010)

My ex tried to teach me to drive his manual. Even though we were in a parking lot surrounded by ants and pavement he still thought I would kill him and wreck his terribly confusing stupid car. So no, can't drive one.


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## zookeeper (Jun 3, 2009)

Mr Self Destruct said:


> Hell yeah, never going back to automatic. None of that "flappy paddle" crap either.


Dude!! I know someone who got a car with those. They're the stupidest things ever. I wanted to reach across and change gears on him for being an idiot.

P.S. - i don't know why, but it's kind of hot when a woman knows how to drive standard. And I mean that totally apart from any "driving stick shift" jokes that might be made.


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## scriabin221 (Nov 16, 2008)

zookeeper said:


> Dude!! I know someone who got a car with those. They're the stupidest things ever. I wanted to reach across and change gears on him for being an idiot.
> 
> P.S. - i don't know why, but it's kind of hot when a woman knows how to drive standard. And I mean that totally apart from any "driving stick shift" jokes that might be made.


I would agree, but I just think it's a hot ability in general. I can only drive automatic at the moment, but learning manual is definitely on my bucket list.


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## Ms Squiggle (Jul 19, 2011)

liero133 said:


> Cultural difference here is huge. As far as I know nobody in europe can even get their license without being able to handle a manual transmission. At least here in norway it is completely unheard of not being able to drive stick.


I was just thinking about that.


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## Ms Squiggle (Jul 19, 2011)

I love to drive therefore a manual gearbox is essential . However, in the U.S. I did own a big automatic american car ... just coz ...
Right now I have a Mitsubishi 3000 GTO mk1 twin turbo - but I can't afford to keep her ... so sad.


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## moxosis (Aug 26, 2009)

I own a manual, driving automatic makes you fall asleep driving. Borrowing my parents automatic I end up hitting the breaks with my left foot, mistaken for the clutch. So I can't drive auto


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## leonardess (Jun 30, 2009)

yes, but I hate to drive manual cars. too much work. as life weren't hard enough.


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## jsgt (Jun 26, 2011)

Automatics can be good for city driving, but are boring. My first car(which I took the test on) was an 87 Dodge Shadow with an automatic. It was a 4cylinder too and that made it slooooooow. I had an 86 Ford Ranger with a 4cylinder and automatic and 0-60 was a little over 17 seconds. 

Give me a stick shift and a powerful motor and I'll be happy. Current car has a modded turbocharged 4cylinder and a 5speed..and its a blast to drive!


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## Hypnotoad (Jun 10, 2009)

yep..I'll never drive an automatic again. Can't stand automatics


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## zookeeper (Jun 3, 2009)

UltraShy said:


> I had the misfortune of learning on a stick as well, made even more unfortunate as it was a 1987 Ford F-150 with the worst clutch possible. Even those who know how to drive a stick would stall that beast where the clutch goes from entirely disengaged to fully engaged within an inch to produced bucking or stalling. Even the cheapest Toyota has a smooth clutch.


My dad has an '82 Chevy pickup. Beast doesn't even begin to describe these things. It's about 90 feet long, it's as wide as a (canadian) football field, and I swear that it's sole purpose on this earth is to make me its b*tch. On most cars I try to be gentle so I don't burn out the clutch. This truck, however, was like "Gentle? Don't you "gentle" me, you girly man! You're going to shift those gears when I ****ing feel like it! And you're going to like it!!"


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## Paragon (Apr 13, 2010)

Yep, automatics are pretty rare in the UK though.


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## alwayswannabe (Jul 18, 2011)

i can drive both manual and automatic transmition


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

leonardess said:


> yes, but I hate to drive manual cars. too much work. as life weren't hard enough.


^Exactly. Folks tell me sticks are oh so fun. Really? After shifting 100+ times in an hour-long traffic jam I sure wasn't finding any fun.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

jsgt said:


> I had an 86 Ford Ranger with a 4cylinder and automatic and 0-60 was a little over 17 seconds.


Can you seriously blame the automatic for that? I've driven sticks that couldn't do any better than that due to dinky engines.

Wonder what the actual 0-60 times are on a Corvette with an auto vs with a stick. With a professional driver I'm sure the stick wins by a bit (though both are damn fast). In the real world, I'm not so sure a stick would actually accelerate any faster since only a skilled driver can take advantage of the superior performance potential of a stick.

I bet my Impala could do 0-60 faster than many Americans could in a manual Corvette. A sports car doesn't go too fast when you stall it at the starting line!


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## carefree (Nov 16, 2008)

You should have had a barely option, haha. I have driven a manual once for a stunt car driving course and another time just for fun.


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## cafune (Jan 11, 2011)

I can't drive, period.

But, when I do get my license, which shouldn't be too far off, I'll probably learn how to drive a manual just to say that I can.


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## Revenwyn (Apr 11, 2011)

No my family was afraid that if I learned how to drive at all that I would become a fallen, worldly woman (since the Bible says that women are to be "keepers at home," which means never leaving the house apparently) So I don't know how to drive any car.


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## xxLambyxx (Aug 2, 2011)

Can drive a manuale easy peasy 
Round here youd get the piss taken out of you if you drove an automatic and didnt have a decent reason (eg missing leg etc)


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## Canadian Brotha (Jan 23, 2009)

I made sure to take some lessons so I have an idea of how to should it come up


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## sarafinanickelbocker (May 16, 2010)

I haven't driven anything else.


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## JS13 (Jul 21, 2011)

If you own a Siliva/240sx then it's only right.


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## HowDaddyIsDoing (Aug 14, 2011)

God, i wish i could...i tried learning once...i think it's very attractive. i don't know why. i can't seem to do anything really cool


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## equiiaddict (Jun 27, 2006)

Nope. My car's an automatic. My boyfriend wants to teach me though.


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## zomgz (Aug 17, 2009)

I've driven a manual so long I'm pretty sure I forgot how to drive an automatic.


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## Glacial (Jun 16, 2010)

HowDaddyIsDoing said:


> God, i wish i could...i tried learning once...i think it's very attractive. i don't know why. i can't seem to do anything really cool


Yeah, it really has an appeal to me as well. They're super cool.


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## Rodeo3point2 (Jun 18, 2011)

Manuals only for me. Automatics have become far too boring to even contemplate. It's a shame they won't be readily available in America after a few more years. There aren't enough petrolheads left who like rowing through the gears.


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## Elleire (Jul 24, 2011)

Indeedles, 'cause dad "doesn't believe in automatic transmissions" :no


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## au Lait (Sep 8, 2010)

No. I'm way too lazy to remember to do something like switching gears. I need an automatic.


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## Lonelyguy (Nov 8, 2003)

I've been driving manuals for years and I prefer them over automatics. I always laugh whenever I see automatic cars with those silly "auto stick" or paddle shifters.


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## purplefruit (Jan 11, 2011)

Ugh I hate driving period but I'm starting to want to learn manual. It looks a bit fun, and manual cars seem to have a bit more... zip :um Plus I just want to be able to say I can, seems like all the Cool People drive manuals


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## Lasair (Jan 25, 2010)

Yup - still in the learning phase of driving


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