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I recently traveled to Costa Rica and attempted to rent a car. After all the paperwork was filled out the man took me to my car. It was manual transmission! I told him I did not know how to drive a stick shift car. He acted like I was crazy and then told me that in this small tourist town, that was the only car they rented. They told me I would have to go to the Capital City, San Jose CR if I wanted to rent an automatic transmission. Even there only a few cars are automatic.
He acted like I was the only American he ever met who did not know how to drive a stick shift car. I am in my 50s and have driven since I was 16 years old.
Do you drive a stick shift car? What percent of Americans could drive one who have a drivers license?
2010 Legacy GT - manual. i love manual transmission.
I just bought a new car and got it in a manual. I had never driven a stick before but always wanted to learn. It took me all of 5-10 minutes to learn on the lot and feel comfortable enough to drive home. It was rough for a couple days but I would say learning is more psychological than mechanical. Within a week it was second nature. I'm proud to have joined the stick shift fraternity. My brother and I both drive stick and will never go back to automatic again. Funny thing is neither of our parents can drive it and neither can his wife. I love my stick shift. The way I describe it is that it is a much more intimate experience while driving. You listen to your car to tell you what it needs and you provide it. Stick shift for life!
Modern stick shift cars are easier to learn on than older cars too. My dad taught me to drive in a 79 Corolla with a manual transmission. He took me out for the first lesson, and I thought, "why are we taking the Corolla?" But since then, with one exception, I've only owned manual transmissions. That one time I had an automatic, I really missed shifting. I am sad that the selection of new cars one can buy with manuals shrinks every year, though.
This thread is still around? I don't think I ever responded. I don't think OP is crazy. Less than 25% of the people I know can drive stick and probably less than 10% can actually drive one comfortably.
For me personally, I'm a procrastinator and realized the day before classes started that I either needed to buy an airplane ticket or buy a car in order to get to campus. I found a car I liked (Maxima stick shift) and had a friend drive it home for me. He taught me how to drive it in 15 min that same night (on his Ford Probe actually, not on my Maxima) and the next day I drove it 1000 miles back to campus.
Notice one thing about all these stick shift stories of how easy it is to learn? the common thread IS that it's esy to learn.
So no, you're not a special snowflake because you can do a repetetive manual chore to help make your car go. Even my grandma drove a stick shift Plymouth wagon. It's not that hard, so quit acting like you're superior for being able to do it.
I learned on a three on the tree. my '63 Comet has a 5 speed manual, my MINI has a 6 speed manual. I've been racing cars for 30+ years and can shift better than most people and it's STILL not a special skill, or something I find necessary when choosing most cars. My 740iL was as much fun with an automatic as it woudl have been with a manual. My Volt is a single speed "automatic" with no shifting at all. And it would NOT be improved on by having a manaul.
Notice one thing about all these stick shift stories of how easy it is to learn? the common thread IS that it's esy to learn.
So no, you're not a special snowflake because you can do a repetetive manual chore to help make your car go. Even my grandma drove a stick shift Plymouth wagon. It's not that hard, so quit acting like you're superior for being able to do it.
I learned on a three on the tree. my '63 Comet has a 5 speed manual, my MINI has a 6 speed manual. I've been racing cars for 30+ years and can shift better than most people and it's STILL not a special skill, or something I find necessary when choosing most cars. My 740iL was as much fun with an automatic as it woudl have been with a manual. My Volt is a single speed "automatic" with no shifting at all. And it would NOT be improved on by having a manaul.
Exactly. When my wife first moved to the U.S. she had to get a drivers license. She took the drivers test with my car which was stick shift and passed the test just fine after practicing on my car for a day. Anyone can do it, even "Asian women" LOL.
I suppose it depends? I got my license driving an automatic, but my first car was stick-shift. It took a while for me to drive it comfortably. But that's all I've been driving for 10+ years and I enjoy it. Every so often I get a chance to drive an automatic, I'd forget and wonder why the car isn't moving faster. Haha. But everyone learns it at a different rate.
I took Drivers Ed in 1967. We had Mercury Cougars with automatics, and Mercury Comets with standards. We HAD to master the standard shift to pass Drivers Ed. The Comets had three speed shifters on the steering column. I preferred the Comets not only for the standard shift, but also because they did not have power steering. The power steering in the Cougars was very numb, and gave little road feel to new drivers.
I want you to identify where in any of these posts anyone is trying to act like a "special snowflake" in any of their posts. Even your analogy shows a lack of intelligence. Every snowflake is different and therefore special. Do some research before making a stupid comment. No one on here is acting high and mighty because we can drive stick...all we are discussing is our passion for driving them. The only "special snowflake" post on here is the one person who trolls forums to try to make fun of people for having a passion. Because you seem to lack common sense, I'll give you a hint...I'm referring to you. Your entire post comes off as you being an arrogant moron. Go troll some other site you cyber pansy.
I learned to drive on a stick shift. I've owned 5 cars in my life including my current car and 3 of them have been stick shifts.
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