POLL: Can you drive a manual transmission?

[teef]

i don't.  my 78 yr old mother made fun of me recently for it.  we just never had a manual car in our family, so i never learned.  I want to if i ever get a bad ass sports car, but i have no idea.  i even bought a roadster years ago and figured it would be a great opportunity to get into it.  it was actually difficult to find one.  with the engine size, color, options, etc...they all came with  paddle shifters.  my dad bought a zr1 (zo6?) two years ago, and same thing...paddle shifters.  I'm sure he could have gotten a manual, but he had so much trouble getting the car, he just took it.

[Steve O]

Both my cars are 5 speed manual Civics. Half the time don't even bother locking them, read the same article as the OP, only 7% of population can drive them. Judging from the poll people on this board are way above average (judging from some comments, perhaps not?)

[teef]

2 minutes ago, Steve O said:

Both my cars are 5 speed manual Civics. Half the time don't even bother locking them, read the same article as the OP, only 7% of population can drive them. Judging from the poll people on this board are way above average (judging from some comments, perhaps not?)

that's pretty insane.  

[row_33]

13 minutes ago, Steve O said:

Both my cars are 5 speed manual Civics. Half the time don't even bother locking them, read the same article as the OP, only 7% of population can drive them. Judging from the poll people on this board are way above average (judging from some comments, perhaps not?)

 

A population of mostly men who are football fans isn't a surprise for this stat.

 

[Jauronimo]

38 minutes ago, The Real Buffalo Joe said:

When I first moved to Texas, my first car was going to be a Mustang. It was manual, but my uncle that I lived with at the time was on a very small back road and had no problem teaching me.We made a verbal agreement, and told him we'd be there in the morning with cash, and the dude sold it to someone else without telling us, over a $200 difference. After that I got an Explorer, and just never got around to buying one.

 

I'm also not a car guy whatsoever. Don't know why. My dad is. My brother is a licenced mechanic. When my car breaks down I only care about two things. How long will I be without a car, and more importantly, how much will this cost me? I know how to jump a battery ( from the multiple times I forgot to turn my headlights ON), and change a tire. But other than that, I'm clueless.

After you've wrapped the car around a mailbox or put her in the lake I presume?  Not sure what jumping the battery will do in those situations.

[Gugny]

Bought a car in Norfolk, VA whilst in the Navy.  I was sharing an apartment with my brother at the time (he was also stationed there; on a different ship).  The car was a Ford Escort GT Manual Transmission.  I'd never even attempted to drive stick.

 

My brother said, "buy it.  it's a good deal and I'll teach you."  So I did.

 

Learned in one day.  He taught me in parking lots then got me right out into traffic.  Learning curve speeds up when you're at a red light and can't get the car to move without stalling it out!!

 

Those skills made learning to ride a motorcycle very easy.  I can't imagine learning to manage clutch, gas and brakes for the first time on a bike.

[SinceThe70s]

The first car I ever bought new was a manual even though I had only driven automatics and neither of my parents had a manual since I was born. Dad drove it off the lot for me.

[707BillsFan]

Never learned. My parents cars, in which I learned to drive was a sweet 77 Monte Carlo w/ a gorgeous Landau top / interior - automatic. My first car was '66 Mustang, also auto. Followed up by a series of SUV's and now a Subaru, each an automatic. Never been in a situation where I need to drive a stick. Not an issue. 

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

LOL  all of you wimps in cars 

 

 

[row_33]

11 minutes ago, ShadyBillsFan said:

LOL  all of you wimps in cars 

 

 

 

i walk and take the subway and put about 40 miles total for 350 days of the year on the car

 

 

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

1 minute ago, row_33 said:

 

i walk and take the subway and put about 40 miles total for 350 days of the year on the car

 

When I lived close to work I walked and in the summer I would ride a bike 10 miles.

 

I was referring to the truck I had to drive that I posted on page 1.  

[Mr Info]

We still have a 2007 6 speed special order Accord w 150k on it. Really enjoy driving it when traffic is not an issue. But learned how to drive a manual quite a while back. My first 2 girlfriends post college had cars with sticks so helped I knew how to drive one.

We taught our two boys how to drive a manual because you never know when you are stuck @ college where somebody should not be driving & nobody knows how to drive a manual.

[row_33]

16 minutes ago, ShadyBillsFan said:

When I lived close to work I walked and in the summer I would ride a bike 10 miles.

 

I was referring to the truck I had to drive that I posted on page 1.  

 

i'm 6 miles from the office, but there's no impetus to walk or jog or take a bike....

 

and i like it that way!!!

 

 

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

Just now, row_33 said:

 

i'm 6 miles from the office, but there's no impetus to walk or jog or take a bike....

 

and i like it that way!!!

 

let me clarify   I lived less that 1/4 mile from work   
cross the street, hot the train tracks and poof I was at the front door. 

 

other times I lived roughly 10 miles from work.  the bike ride (after a week) was relatively easy 

[row_33]

26 minutes ago, ShadyBillsFan said:

let me clarify   I lived less that 1/4 mile from work   
cross the street, hot the train tracks and poof I was at the front door. 

 

other times I lived roughly 10 miles from work.  the bike ride (after a week) was relatively easy 

 

no need to clarify.....

 

good posts!

 

[GoBills808]

10 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.

7% seems ridiculously low, cite your sources asap.

 

I can drive a damn rig w/a 16 speed gearbox, who are these 93%ers who can't find 1st?

[ExiledInIllinois]

Just now, GoBills808 said:

7% seems ridiculously low, cite your sources asap.

 

I can drive a damn rig w/a 16 speed gearbox, who are these 93%ers who can't find 1st?

We are a skewed buch here.  The Ladies need to chime in!  But I am Googling as we speak!

[PromoTheRobot]

It's been a while since I've had to but I could probably do it.

[ExiledInIllinois]

 

EDIT:  Ooops.  I had #s reversed.  Yet, I didn't recall how many manual trannys were sold.

 

18% is still weak and worthless.  We are going soft!  MAMA!  Make America Manual Again!

 

The report from U.S. News and World Report show only 18 percent of U.S. drivers know how to operate a stick shift. It says that because of advancements in automatic transmissions and fuel economy, only about 5 percent of vehicles sold in the U.S. today come with a stick shift.Oct 11, 2016

2 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

It's been a while since I've had to but I could probably do it.

My wife will drive manual... But I have to be 3 States away! LoL...

[GoBills808]

1 minute ago, PromoTheRobot said:

It's been a while since I've had to but I could probably do it.

I've only had standard vehicles since driving age so I'm biased but I have to think if you know/knew how to do it you could relearn fairly easily.

 

I mean, I had to drive a little right hand Toyota diesel the other day, shifting w/my left hand...now that is a task. Still managed though, pedal configuration was still the same re clutch brake...like riding a bike imo.