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Most of the cars I have owned have been stick shift. I think I drive better because of it (you HAVE to pay attention with a stick shift).
Now I have an automatic, which I like better for city-driving since I drive so much. I bought it in April 2007, and I've put around 33,000 miles on it already. I miss driving a stick though.
I will never forget first learning a stick shift. I was 16 and lived in a small town, but there was a main highway right in front of my house. As I was crossing the street in the car, it stalled out since I wasn't comfortable with the clutch yet. I was in the middle of the road, and a semi-truck was heading towards me (about a block or 2 down the road). I was able to re-start the car and get it into 1st gear and cross the street in the nick of time. I was in the car with my brother and a couple of friends, and I think all of our lives flashed before us!!!!
I drove manual transmission car all my "driving life", in Italy cars with automatic transmission are not popular at all...the first time I drove one was here in US when I met my husband the first time, it felt kind of funny, like driving a moped :P I miss the feel of control, the sound of the engine that the shifting gives and also I think keeps you more alert while driving. But it's fine I guess
Out of 4 licensed drivers in my family, all 4 of us know how to drive stick. My husband and I learned as teenagers in the 70's. Our 2 sons both happened to buy first cars that had standard transmission--so they learned how to drive it.
I don't like driving stick in large cities or up hills at stop signs---so needless to say, I never tried to be the best at driving stick--but in a pinch I can do it...
Location: Still in Portland, Oregon, for some reason
890 posts, read 3,699,404 times
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My dad made me learn and I'm glad he did. Personally I prefer a manual, especially in a car with cajones.
I used to work for an Audi dealership and would occasionally be treated to drive some cars for road testing purposes. The Audi RS6 is a 450 horsepower twin-turbo V8 sedan that is unfortunately teamed only with a 5-speed automatic. It makes straight-line go a bit more fun but the driving experience always feels slightly disconnected.
On the other hand is the Audi RS4, a garden-variety A4 that has a 4.2-liter, 450 horsepower V8 teamed to a 6-speed manual, just as God intended. The clutch is a bit finicky but once you get it, oh man hang on! That car will rip your nads off at a quarter throttle. WOT requires a life-insurance policy and will make even the most testosterone-rich 16 year old grab for the assist handle on the roof. But the grandest thing? You can involve yourself in this Niagara Falls of speed; quick-shift, do whatever gets you going. In the RS6 that's not really an option.
I am a woman and can drive a stick. I was actually taught how to drive using a stick. I now have a toyota solara that is automatic but has the feature of using it manually. I never do but it was put in the car for those who love that rush of down shifting. (its very awkward with no clutch to use)
As far as I know, most auto trans can be shifted manually. I do that quite a bit with one of my cars ('69 Cad). It will stay in 1st or 2nd gear until I choose to upshift. And I also downshift sometimes, like just before going around a curve or downhill.
I have to say it took me a while to get used to the transmission going off by itself at the on ramp. For a while I thought I couldn't get to the fast enough speed to merge and that took some getting used to.
Interesting. It would depend on the type of car, of course, but I've merged on to freeways many times and never worried about not going fast enough. In fact, sometimes once I'm on the freeway, I have to let off the accelerator or even use the brakes because I am mistakenly already going 70+ mph.
I forgot something which comes in handy with the 3-speed automatics used in many '60s/'70s American cars with a high or somewhat high axle ratio... with many of them, 2nd gear was good up to 70, 80, even 90+ mph. Comes in very handy when passing or, as mentioned, merging onto a freeway.
Here are a few examples: (All with 3-speed automatics)
Car------------------------------ Max Tested Speed In Gear
--------------------------------- 1st gear----------- 2nd gear
Interesting. It would depend on the type of car, of course, but I've merged on to freeways many times and never worried about not going fast enough. In fact, sometimes once I'm on the freeway, I have to let off the accelerator or even use the brakes because I am mistakenly already going 70+ mph.
I forgot something which comes in handy with the 3-speed automatics used in many '60s/'70s American cars with a high or somewhat high axle ratio... with many of them, 2nd gear was good up to 70, 80, even 90+ mph. Comes in very handy when passing or, as mentioned, merging onto a freeway.
Here are a few examples: (All with 3-speed automatics)
Car------------------------------ Max Tested Speed In Gear
--------------------------------- 1st gear----------- 2nd gear
I grew up in the Philippines and when I learned how to drive in the early 70's almost all the cars there were manuals. Due to constant gridlock traffic in the city it was a nightmare for a beginner when I get stuck on snail pace or stop and go while hanging on an incline on bridges!
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It makes straight-line go a bit more fun but the driving experience always feels slightly disconnected.
