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POLL: Can you drive a manual transmission?

ExiledInIllinois

By ExiledInIllinois
in Off the Wall Archives

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Operating Manual Transmission Vehicles  

102 members have voted

  1. 1. Can you operate a manual transmission vehicle with enough proficiency to pass a road test administered in 1959?

    • Yes
      85
    • No
      17

  2. 2. If answering: "Yes", what is your age?

    • 0-19
      2
    • 20-29
      4
    • 30-39
      19
    • 40-49
      24
    • 50-59
      24
    • Older than dirt
      13
    • I answered: "No"
      16

  3. 3. If answering: "No", what is your age?

    • 0-19
      0
    • 20-29
      4
    • 30-39
      5
    • 40-49
      3
    • 50-59
      4
    • Older than dirt
      2
    • I answered: "Yes"
      84

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ExiledInIllinois Hall of Famer

ExiledInIllinois

Posted
Posted (edited)

I was reading somewhere that around 7% of the US driving population knows how to drive a manual transmission (ie: "Stick Shift) vehicle.  I figured a poll of the board can be asked to see what the percentage here is.  I expect the numbers to be higher than 7% of the drivers here.

 

This is NOT a public poll. If you want to divulge who you are, you can in a post.

 

I added the 1959 profiency requirement because we all know how soft we've become.  Back then they actually failed people for driving like poo.  LoL... Long story for possibly later in this thread (if this thread even goes anywhere before the usual suspects wreck things). 

 

Feel free to critique my poll-making skills/methodology.  This is one of the few polls I have ever done. Go easy on me.  Also, free-form... Add anything you want (within reason people! ? )... Stories, crashes, rolling back into another vehicle, stalling on train tracks and running from your vehicle the wrong way while a speeding train is approaching, stories about learning, starting the vehicle without clutch pedal pressed down (pre-safety days) and almost crashing through garage door, etc... etc... You know, "good stuff."

 

Only one rule:  @BringBackFergy and his ilk are NOT allowed to wreck this thread and all my not so hard work.

Edited by ExiledInIllinois
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Pine Barrens Mafia
Pine Barrens Mafia

I learned how to drive a manual in a US Army deuce-and-a-half.      

SlimShady'sSpaceForce
SlimShady'sSpaceForce

FB must be watching   

Nanker
Nanker

I got my license in NYS. Took the test in a manual transmission car. Had to parallel park, do a K turn, park the car on a hill at the curb, and use hand signals for turning. The road test was on the c

LeGOATski Hall of Famer

LeGOATski

Posted
Posted

The car I learned to drive in was a manual. In a snowy climate. Idk what the 1959 test was like, but I assume I could pass it. Who knows.

 

I remember my dad getting super-frustrated with me. He wasn't a good teacher because he lacked patience and I learned better by just doing it alone. When I still didn't quite understand how the transmission functioned, I downshifted through a hairpin turn and my dad was like "you didn't need to do that, you're going to ruin the car."

Nanker Hall of Famer

Nanker

Posted
Posted

I got my license in NYS. Took the test in a manual transmission car. Had to parallel park, do a K turn, park the car on a hill at the curb, and use hand signals for turning. The road test was on the city streets - not in a plaza like parking lot. 

  • Like (+1) 3
LeGOATski Hall of Famer

LeGOATski

Posted
Posted
Just now, Nanker said:

I got my license in NYS. Took the test in a manual transmission car. Had to parallel park, do a K turn, park the car on a hill at the curb, and use hand signals for turning. The road test was on the city streets - not in a plaza like parking lot. 

Is that a thing?

 

I've never heard of a road test not being on the road.

1 hour ago, unbillievable said:

How do you shift gears and text at the same time?

You have 4 limbs. Use them.

  • Haha (+1) 1
Gray Beard Veteran

Gray Beard

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, LeGOATski said:

The car I learned to drive in was a manual. In a snowy climate. Idk what the 1959 test was like, but I assume I could pass it. Who knows.

 

I remember my dad getting super-frustrated with me. He wasn't a good teacher because he lacked patience and I learned better by just doing it alone. When I still didn't quite understand how the transmission functioned, I downshifted through a hairpin turn and my dad was like "you didn't need to do that, you're going to ruin the car."

This echoes my thoughts. I drove a stick almost exclusively for many years, something like 1977 to 1997.  Since then it’s only been occasionally.  I took a hard driving test on the city streets of Lowell, Mass. in a giant station wagon (with an automatic).

/dev/null Hall of Famer

/dev/null

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, unbillievable said:

How do you shift gears and text at the same time?

 

not enough hands to shift gears, text, vape, and drink that super tall latte grand frappa diabetic double caffinated mocachino

  • Like (+1) 1
ExiledInIllinois Hall of Famer

ExiledInIllinois

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)
1 hour ago, Nanker said:

I got my license in NYS. Took the test in a manual transmission car. Had to parallel park, do a K turn, park the car on a hill at the curb, and use hand signals for turning. The road test was on the city streets - not in a plaza like parking lot. 

My 17 year daughter was telling me they don't even take them out on road anymore.  Not sure how true it is?  Liability issues???

 

Son 20, goes in for road test and gets the brother of one of his teachers... Doesn't even make him parallel park, 3-point turn... What a little shhhhhh     it!  /smh

 

Brother inlaw in MA was amazed my nephew passed.  Was telling my Sister inlaw: "Don't worry, we got time, he won't pass, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts will never pass him right now!"  Dude comes back from test smiling that he passed, BiL almost dropped dead!

 

LMAO... Why I put the 1959 stipulation in there!

 

Ut oh... @BringBackFergy signal just went off!  Too the Carp Poles!

Edited by ExiledInIllinois
  • Haha (+1) 1
SlimShady'sSpaceForce Hall of Famer

SlimShady'sSpaceForce

Posted
Posted (edited)

I was maybe 16 years old working at Anderson beverages on Hudson Ave loading trucks with pallets of pop after school (HS) and the manager said go bring in a truck.  

 

I started to say I don't kn..  GET THE F OUT THERE and bring in a F ing truck..     Like this BUT 

eb56e3046f0e295331484e155a6a07ad.jpg

 

This vintage.  No power steering or power breaks 

 

005.jpg

 

Edited by ShadyBillsFan
ExiledInIllinois Hall of Famer

ExiledInIllinois

Posted
  • Author
Posted
5 minutes ago, BringBackFergy said:

Ford Escort, 4 speed. Passed road test in Warsaw NY the day before Prom. 

Oh... Forgot... Did you get lucky that night?

 

?

1 minute ago, ShadyBillsFan said:

stupidly??? 

 

 

My son claims he can.  What a wise azz.  Gets it from his Mom!!!

  • Like (+1) 1
SlimShady'sSpaceForce Hall of Famer

SlimShady'sSpaceForce

Posted
Posted (edited)
28 minutes ago, ExiledInIllinois said:

 

My son claims he can.  What a wise azz.  Gets it from his Mom!!!

slap him upside the head for me 

 

or just that he drives stupidly? 

 

Edited by ShadyBillsFan
  • Like (+1) 1
Cripple Creek Veteran

Cripple Creek

Posted
Posted
5 hours ago, ExiledInIllinois said:

I was reading somewhere that around 7% of the US driving population knows how to drive a manual transmission (ie: "Stick Shift) vehicle.  I figured a poll of the board can be asked to see what the percentage here is.  I expect the numbers to be higher than 7% of the drivers here.

 

This is NOT a public poll. If you want to divulge who you are, you can in a post.

 

I added the 1959 profiency requirement because we all know how soft we've become.  Back then they actually failed people for driving like poo.  LoL... Long story for possibly later in this thread (if this thread even goes anywhere before the usual suspects wreck things). 

 

Feel free to critique my poll-making skills/methodology.  This is one of the few polls I have ever done. Go easy on me.  Also, free-form... Add anything you want (within reason people! ? )... Stories, crashes, rolling back into another vehicle, stalling on train tracks and running from your vehicle the wrong way while a speeding train is approaching, stories about learning, starting the vehicle without clutch pedal pressed down (pre-safety days) and almost crashing through garage door, etc... etc... You know, "good stuff."

 

Only one rule:  @BringBackFergy and his ilk are NOT allowed to wreck this thread and all my not so hard work.

Where is the ***** you option? Older than dirt? How dare you you little snowflake?

2 hours ago, Gray Beard said:

 in a giant station wagon (with an automatic).

Clark, is that you?

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