What percent of Americans can drive a stick shift car?

[Old Gringo]

Originally Posted by CaptainNJ

im thinking its just baby boomers who seem to think that everything they did was better than everything young people are doing. so even if its using obsolete technology, they seem to think everyone should learn it.

This old Boomer is content to let the auto trans do the shifting for me after years of driving manuals. Especially in city traffic. Or hilly/mountainous terrain. What someone else prefers to drive isn't a concern for me. Automotive technology has made great strides over the past couple of decades and most of it enhances safety and driveability.



Now, if drivers would just focus on the road instead of their phones...

[Fleet]

Originally Posted by ecko_complex24

My siblings and I all know how to drive stick shift. My parents had stick shift cars, so we were always interested in learning how to drive stick shift. Most of my friends don't know how to drive stick shift. I notice that a lot of the people who I encounter in my age group don't know how to drive stick (late 20s, early 30s). I love driving stick shift though; I feel like I have way more control of the car and it keeps me more focused on the task at hand.

Well, I have heard that before... "more control of the car."

I drove a '66 Dodge Dart GT V-8 regularly for 16 years. In practically all types of conditions (including snow). The engine was slightly modified and I did many burnouts, winding 1st gear to 40 mph and 2nd gear to 70 mph. In all those years, I never thought I would have had more "control" if it had a manual transmission. Since the automatic on my car could be manually shifted, I could choose what gear I am in just like with a manual transmission.

[CaptainNJ]

Originally Posted by HJ99

And some youngsters think newer and high tech is always better.... when in fact it tends just to be more complex and more expensive. I dont care if its cave man tech, if it works and works well, then its fine with me. Sometimes you really dont have to reinvent the wheel. Usually its just sell more wheels when that happens. Make people think they have been using old and lousy and need new and improved even if it requires mega debt. Improved profits for seller that is.

im glad it is fine with you. however, most people prefer to use improved technology over something that is sufficient. there is no justification for this attitude that people should learn to drive stick other than "i did so you should also."