Can you handle a stick?

[JSmith]

And no... I don't mean that kind of stick.

 

I'm stuck drivin my brother's RAM for the next week and it's a stick shift. No one ever taught me how to drive one so I had to teach myself how. Today is the first day I've had it and it's been rainin every time I try to drive it.

 

Rain + Inexperienced stick driver = no fun

 

But I've managed to keep all the tires on the road so far so I think I'm doing good.

 

How many of you drive a manual transmission regularly, and how many of you can do it, but still have an automatic car?

[Menzoberranzen]

The lady who taught me how to drive had a stick, so that's what I learned on. I don't own a car, but I suspect that if I did I would probably go for an automatic. I'm not into the driving experience enough to appreciate the 'better ride' that comes from driving a stick. I had a friend in college though who insisted that manual was the only thing worth driving. I'm afraid to drive here though, I can't get used to driving on the other side of the car.

 

Menzo

[Dezlboi]

Every car I've ever owned has had a manual transmission.

 

The university vans I drive when traveling with the bike team are all automatic, so if I'm driving when tired, like late at night, I tuck my left foot under me or down beside the seat so I don't absent-mindedly slam on the brakes when reaching for the non-existent clutch pedal.

 

After a while, the shifting motions become completely unconscious during normal driving. My 10-mile commute on back roads probably involves enough stop lights or stop signs that I shift fifty or more times each way. That's a lot of shifting in a day, week, year... and I've been doing it for fourteen years.

 

The only time I think about it is when I'm doing something unusual, like downshifting to avoid skidding in snow or accelerating quickly off the line or something like that.

 

D

[Tom]

Well, Most of the vehicals I have driven had manual transmitions...Now the real challenge is to learn to shift one of those 18 wheelers(I'm still having some trouble with those)

[wildone]

Always have had manual, mostly due to having to drive on snow and ice covered roads. It easier to stop and start with the manual transmission.

[Graeme]

The car I normally drive has a manual transmission. Our other vehicle is an automatic, but that is largely because it used for towing a horse float, and my wife didn't want to worry about gears when she's busy worrying about her horse....

 

At one point (in the distant past), we actually had two different licenses, depending on whether you did you test in an automatic or manual -- if you did the test in an automatic you were not permitted to drive a manual transmission vehicle.

 

As a side point, whenever I hire a car in the USA I get an automatic transmission (I don't think they hire any other type) because I want to concentrate on driving on the other side of the road (I almost said "wrong side" but that would risk hijacking the thread) and unfamiliar roads and road laws.

[C James]

And no... I don't mean that kind of stick.

 

I'm stuck drivin my brother's RAM for the next week and it's a stick shift. No one ever taught me how to drive one so I had to teach myself how. Today is the first day I've had it and it's been rainin every time I try to drive it.

 

Rain + Inexperienced stick driver = no fun

 

But I've managed to keep all the tires on the road so far so I think I'm doing good.

 

How many of you drive a manual transmission regularly, and how many of you can do it, but still have an automatic car?

 

My current vehicle, an SUV, is an automatic (I prefer automatics for offroading) but I've driven sticks very often. I love 'em in smaller vehicles. Also, there's a practical side; it often costs more to rent an automatic overseas, and you don't get as good a gas milage. One of my cousins in the UK used to work in a car rental office, and he said the employees used to call the higher prices on automatics the "Yankee tax" becuase so many Americans can't drive a stick. LoL.

 

Recently, I drove a stick in Italy, and it was sort of interesting; I was rusty (hadn't driven one in over a year) and had jet lag, and was dealing with traffic in Rome, all at once. I survived though. LoL

 

They take a little getting used to, but what took me a while to learn was shifting with my left hand (for right-hand drive vehicles). The pattern is the same as for left hand drive, but that means that you are coming towards you for higher gears instead of away, plus you have the clutch on the same side (your left) as the gear stick. It always takes me a few minutes to adapt whenever i rent a car in the UK for that reason. It's just a little strange at first, but no big deal.

 

I strongly recommend that everyone learn how to drive a stick; it's real limiting if you can't, and they can be fun. There's nothing like 'em for sports cars, for one; and automatic in a sports car is an abomination IMHO.

[CarlHoliday]

Uh, yeah, I can handle a stick. Actually, it was part of my CDL driving test.

 

Of course, your piddly little RAM stick is nothing compared to the big truck. Yes, I double-clutch, too. Not every time, but almost always when downshifting to go up a hill or slowing down for a stop light. Most of the time, I simply don't use the clutch at all and pay attention to the RPMs. The engine will tell me when it's time to shift.

 

When I first started learning how to drive back when if you had a tv it was black and white, we had an automatic in the car and a stick in the pickup. But, I lived in Seattle and sticks are no fun on steep hills, especially if you're the second, third, or however many vehicles back from the red light and it's raining. There are tricks, of course, like using the hand brake to hold you in position until you can ease out the clutch, but sticks are a pain in the knee and the wrist.

 

Give me an automatic any day.

 

But, you need to learn how to use a stick.

[Rabble_Rouser]

I've always driven a manual and they are a blast to drive when you have the right roads (and road conditions... ok, an isolated snow covered road or parking lot car be a blast too!). One of the big attractions used to be that manual transmissions not only allowed you to control the car more adeptly (you can control the gear\revs which in a traditional auto you can't) but they also gave you better mileage (at least marginally). Modern automatic transmissions have eliminated most of the fuel economy benefit.

 

The only time I regret having a standard is in bumper-to-bumper traffic where your car is moving a couple of feet at a time or when I go to the office and have to stop on the very steep grade leaving the parking garage because someone always seems to stop behind me right on my bumper.

 

My next car will probably be an auto just because I'm getting to a point where I don't get to enjoy driving a stick very often and many of the cars I'll be looking at don't even offer it!

 

Steve

[AFriendlyFace]

I'm stuck drivin my brother's RAM for the next week and it's a stick shift. No one ever taught me how to drive one so I had to teach myself how. Today is the first day I've had it and it's been rainin every time I try to drive it.

You'll get it, Joe. Before I bought my last truck I had never even been behind the wheel of a stick, then I learned the same day and drove it 80 miles back home. As geeky as it sounds I dreamed about driving it that night, and by the next morning I'd pretty much nailed it.

 

Now the real challenge is to learn to shift one of those 18 wheelers(I'm still having some trouble with those)

 

I've been dying to get behind the wheel of one of those and give it a go!

 

They take a little getting used to, but what took me a while to learn was shifting with my left hand (for right-hand drive vehicles). The pattern is the same as for left hand drive, but that means that you are coming towards you for higher gears instead of away, plus you have the clutch on the same side (your left) as the gear stick. It always takes me a few minutes to adapt whenever i rent a car in the UK for that reason. It's just a little strange at first, but no big deal.

Now that would weird me out!

 

But, I lived in Seattle and sticks are no fun on steep hills, especially if you're the second, third, or however many vehicles back from the red light and it's raining. There are tricks, of course, like using the hand brake to hold you in position until you can ease out the clutch, but sticks are a pain in the knee and the wrist.

Good point, I've often been stuck in stop and go traffic on an incline and forced to balance the clutch perfectly to keep from going forward or backward. After awhile I'm always thinking "If I don't get off this hill/bridge/ramp/whatever soon my leg is going to fall off!"

 

The only time I regret having a standard is in bumper-to-bumper traffic where your car is moving a couple of feet at a time or when I go to the office and have to stop on the very steep grade leaving the parking garage because someone always seems to stop behind me right on my bumper.

A good point! That's something automatic drivers need to keep in mind! Please give the vehicle in front of you a little room, ESPECIALLY if you're on an incline!

 

 

Anyway, I don't really care too much either way. It is weird driving non-standard transmission vehicles now though. I'm always going for the imaginary clutch. I'm sure I'd happily fall back into the routine though.

 

One perk of driving a standard, Joe, if you're riding with a cute boy and you draw his attention to your hand (say by drumming your fingers) you can flirt delightfully dirty without saying a word and you can even act completely innocent while doing it

 

 

Happy Learning!

-Kevin

Edited December 15, 2007 by AFriendlyFace

[old bob]

If I remember well, this question was already the matter of a topic last year !

IMO, automatic cars are too "lazy" and they don't give you the pleasure of driving and controlling a car with manual transmission.

During 60 years, I drove about 15 different cars, with manual, automatic and semi-automatic transmissions, but my best memories come from my first Beettle in 1956 ! And today I'm still driving an 15 years old VW Golf (182'000 km) with the same pleasure

[TalonRider]

I've had a few stick shifts throughout the years. They're alright if you live in an area where you don't have a lot of stop and go traffic to contend with. They are more economical verses an automatic.

[Myr]

I learned to drive on a stick shift.

In the grand scheme of things, I prefer stick shift. Especially in a car with lots of go...

My current vehicle is an automatic though. Drives me insane this time of year because it is much harder to handle in the snow than a stick shift was.

[Drewbie]

I've always driven a manual and they are a blast to drive when you have the right roads (and road conditions... ok, an isolated snow covered road or parking lot car be a blast too!). One of the big attractions used to be that manual transmissions not only allowed you to control the car more adeptly (you can control the gear\revs which in a traditional auto you can't) but they also gave you better mileage (at least marginally). Modern automatic transmissions have eliminated most of the fuel economy benefit.

 

The only time I regret having a standard is in bumper-to-bumper traffic where your car is moving a couple of feet at a time or when I go to the office and have to stop on the very steep grade leaving the parking garage because someone always seems to stop behind me right on my bumper.

 

My next car will probably be an auto just because I'm getting to a point where I don't get to enjoy driving a stick very often and many of the cars I'll be looking at don't even offer it!

 

Steve

 

My uncle showed me a solution with being on a steep grade, give it more gas and at first hold down the clutch (at first as you know:P) but it's really more how you release/whe the clutch on a hill as well and you don't really go backwards.

Edited December 15, 2007 by Drewbie

[Graeme]

My uncle showed me a solution with being on a steep grade, give it more gas and at first hold down the clutch (at first as you know:P) but it's really more how you release/whe the clutch on a hill as well and you don't really go backwards.

I was taught how to do this as part of my driving lessons. It's just a handbrake start. You release the handbrake as you release the clutch, just when you feel the car wanting to move forward. I do handbrake starts all the time -- it's become a habit for me. I don't like having the car roll back, even on a hill.

[Davey]

I was taught how to do this as part of my driving lessons. It's just a handbrake start. You release the handbrake as you release the clutch, just when you feel the car wanting to move forward. I do handbrake starts all the time -- it's become a habit for me. I don't like having the car roll back, even on a hill.

 

 

Same here, the 'hill start' was part of my drivers test. Different to most here, I've never even been in an automatic car. I love driving my manual, I cant help but think it'd be boring to let the car do the gear shifts... thats where all the fun is!

[wildone]

I agree with some posts that when visiting a foreign place, and you don't know the roads and not familiar with the vehicle, that the automatic takes one less thing to worry about out of the equation.

 

Now does anyone have the experience of driving a "3 in the tree" manual transmission? Now that was idiotic in my opinion. Your gear shifter was on the steering column on the opposite side from your turn signal arm. It had 3 gears and a reverse. I didn't think the gearing was as well as a four or five gear floor mount. I had the pleasure of driving a van with it for six months, and I hope they retired the vehicle when I was done due most likely to a burnt out clutch, transmission, and a bent steering wheel from me pounding on it with my fists and cussing.

 

Steve

[rknapp]

Learned on an auto, practiced on an auto, tested on an auto, 1st three cars were autos, last three cars were autos, I've owned three cars. So I want to learn stick? ABSOLUTELY! I've driven a 2005 Nissan 350Z 5-speed for 100 feet, and that was because my friend, who was borrowing it to wash it for the owner, could not back it out of his driveway. Nissan uses one of those tranny's where you have to push down on the shifter before shifting into reverse to avoid knocking into reverse from 5th by accident, blown tranny FTL. When I backed out, a bunch of cars appear on his block and I had to quickly put that sucker in first and move it... and boy it did it move! Almost into his mailbox LOL. The reason it stalled is because I had to get out of the car so he could drive it back to the owners house, and I forgot to take it out of gear after pulling the hand brake.

 

Automatic Pro's:

Better stop'n'go traffic handling.

Better steep grade handling.

One less thing to worry about in harsh travel conditions (traffic, right-hand-drive, new road laws, towing, etc.)

Drag racing.

 

Con's:

Road racing.

Snow.

Fuel economy.

More expensive in certain models to buy or rent.

 

Standard Pro's:

Fuel economy.

Road racing.

Snow.

Cheaper.

Helluvalot more fun to drive in small cars.

 

Con's:

Learning it.

Steep grades.

Bad in thick traffic.

Clutch burns out quick in some cars if you treat it bad.

 

Some notes: Stick is good for gas mileage ONLY if you do it right. Getting up to highway speeds and then taking it out of gear is a great idea. Upshifting works wonders too... my mom's friend tends drive in 1st for as long as possible, which is HORRIBLE for fuel economy, engine wear, and tranny wear! Also, with more and more manufacturers producing 5/6/7/8 gear automatics, gas savings with manuals is almost obsolete.

 

Modern automatics totally decimate manuals in drag racing, particularly CVT, simply because shifting is instantaneous versus pressing the clutch, shifting, releasing the clutch, and hitting the gas. In today's racing there are automatics in a separate class for that exact reason. Bad thing about them, though, is that downshifting is largely up the computer and not the driver. I've lost street races to weaker cars simply because my engine was in such an RPM range that slamming the accelerator to the floor while in motion was enough for the tranny to kickdown to a lower gear to get the torque that I wanted. Shifting out of drive into a lower gear range doesn't always work, either, since the computer has to think first. That said, my previous car had the Chrysler Autostick function, which was essentially a clutchless manual (F1). I could shift from drive down to "A/S" mode, then slap the stick right to upshift and left to downshift. That proved wondrous to street racing and won me my first race against a modded car in my unmodded 3600lb four-door sedan, haha.

 

Because of their horrible down-shifting abilities, manuals obliterate automatics in road racing and rally racing, where downshifting is more important than upshifting.

 

As such, I want for my next car be a stick. I'm looking at the Pontiac G6 GXP Street Edition and the base G8. Both have powerful V6's and are available with sticks. This is still a few years away though.

[glomph]

Now does anyone have the experience of driving a "3 in the tree" manual transmission?

 

The car I learned on in driver's ed and also my first car were like that.

 

My first car was 12 years old when I bought it and then I drove it for four years, including trips halfway across the country. Toward the end something was worn out, so you had to hold your mouth right and do a little twist with your wrist to shift into first.

 

All my cars since then have been automatics, but I find that I have no trouble driving stick shift when needed.

 

My most trouble was in England, remembering to change gears with my left hand. Once I got in a tight spot and instinctively reached for the gear shift and opened the door.

[JamesSavik]

I drove a 1979 280Z for 4 years. It was the one and only stick I ever drove. Preparing for it I played a lot of a driving video game in an arcade with a 5 speed overdrive just like the Z car. I guess you can call it cheating. I prefer to think of it as learning in a simulator rather than inflicting that experience on my car and the public.

 

No problems with the stick. The car was ~7 years old when I got it. It was more of a mechanical hobby than reliable ride.

[BeaStKid]

Well, I've always driven a manual transmission car. I have driven an automatic two-wheeler, but never an automatic car...

 

It is just not feasible in India...

 

And I'm way too comfy with the manual thing...

[Hylas]

I'm Asian!

 

LMAO... I've never been behind the steering wheel of a moving vehicle. Partly coz I don't have a car, and the family car is always being used by dad. I never got taught. Someday I'll force him at gunpoint to teach me. LOL. It's manual, like most vehicles here.

[Jack Frost]

All of the cars I drove regularly were automatic. Sometimes it's a pain to go up the mountains (they're everywhere were I live in Pennsylvania) with that, but I just turn off the overdrive button that my mom loves to keep on to get more control on the gears. My mother never learnt to drive the stick, but my dad loves it and would prefer that at any chance...but now for years he's been driving automatic since he doesn't have a truck of his own, apart from the company's, anymore.

 

But I know how to work the stick. My dad taught me with his old truck, but I never really drove it beyond the driveway. Glad he did because one time I had to move my roommate's car (she wasn't home) during the weekly street cleaning or it would've been towed. Only thing I need improvement is try not to make the wheel squeal every time I press the gas after stop.

 

1) Press the clutch (the pedal to the far left) when you start the car. Always keep it down or you'll stall the engine.

2) Shift your stick to one or two and ease the clutch and press the gas to drive (that's where I usually have a problem, since I made the tires squeal not knowing the exact time to press the gas).

3) When stopping, press the clutch or you'll stall the engine.

4) The faster you want to go, the higher the gear should be...depending on the roads of course.

 

That's all you need to know to figure out the basics of manual driving.

 

I'll have to drive the stick when I am in Europe because I don't want to pay more to have automatic. Americans and Canadians are hopeless cripple when it comes to manual. lol Maybe I'll buy a manual here since they're cheaper and I don't mind learning to use it better.

[NaperVic]

I've only driven an automatic, never a manual. I wish I learned, but never really had the opportunity. My fear is that I might be in a situation where I have to take control of a manual car (drunk friend's car, car blocking mine in a driveway ala JackFrost, pregnant friend needing to go the hospital, etc).

 

I couldn't imagine having to deal with something else while driving, in addition to a coffee cup and a cell phone

 

Vic (who doesn't really use his cell phone while driving )

Edited December 16, 2007 by NaperVic

[Drewbie]

Grandfather (cappy) never taught my grandmother (lola), how to drive a stick, cause he wanted the fiat to himself

 

I driven one a few times. but like to learn how to drive one better, just need to take a friends car out

Edited December 16, 2007 by Drewbie