POLL: Can you drive a manual transmission?

[ms.sydney]

Yes, I learned on a new car I was driving home from the dealer in 1977, but I learned to drive on an automatic when I was 16. My age is older than dirt! 

[apuszczalowski]

Taught myself in my 20s to drive it.

 

Bought a Toyota pickup off a friend that was stick. Didnt know how to drive it when I bought it. After they laughed at me trying to get it onto someones trailer to get it home and they found out I had never drive one before, I drove it around the neighbor hood for a few weeks and figured it out. Then I bought a truck later that was stick to replace it and drove it for about 5 years until I got rid of it. Haven't driven one since but could do it if needed.

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

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

 

 

 

[RaoulDuke79]

The first time I ever drove a manual car was when I bought my second vehicle when I was 17 which was a 1989 Chey Cavalier.  I grew up riding dirt bikes and other toys, so I understood how a clutch worked. I just had to get used to using my feet instead of my hands. 

1 minute ago, Joe in Winslow said:

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

 

 

 

A guy I work with bought one of those and fixed it up. Pretty neat toy if there's a state of emergency. 

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

5 minutes ago, RaoulDuke79 said:

The first time I ever drove a manual car was when I bought my second vehicle when I was 17 which was a 1989 Chey Cavalier.  I grew up riding dirt bikes and other toys, so I understood how a clutch worked. I just had to get used to using my feet instead of my hands. 

A guy I work with bought one of those and fixed it up. Pretty neat toy if there's a state of emergency. 

 

The clutch and gearbox in that thing is heinous, especially when driving off-roads.

 

If you can learn on one of those, you can drive manual in any vehicle.

 

[keepthefaith]

9 hours ago, row_33 said:

 

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

 

More evidence of white male privilege?

 

 

3 hours ago, mead107 said:

He’ll yes and both my kids can also 

 

 

 

My sons and wife do.  I gave my daughter a lesson in our then stick Honda Accord when she was 16.  We got about 10 minutes into the lesson in the neighborhood.  She was doing OK, pretty typical for a first timer, but she was getting frustrated.  She turned the car for home, pulled into the driveway, got out and yelled at me something like "I'm never doing this again" and "why can't we be a normal family and own automatic cars?". 

Edited February 16, 2019 by keepthefaith

[bdutton]

I once rented a car in England and demanded a manual.  The Rental car people had to ask me 5 times if I was sure.  Yeah... I drove that car left handed for 2 months.  Yeah... I can drive a manual.

[MarkyMannn]

5 hours ago, row_33 said:

 

haven't seen 3 on a tree for at least 35 years

 

68 Dodge van at the height of van customs

[Just Jack]

Learned the summer between high school and college, when I was working and my parents were going to be gone for a week, and I needed to use my Dads truck to go to work. But it wasn't until almost three years later that I learned you should downshift when going up steep hills. It seems I never encountered any in those years that were steep enough to start slowing me down in whatever gear I was in. 

[LeGOATski]

I'm glad all us men can talk about how manly we are.

 

Feels good, you know?

 

God, I feel like grilling now.

[BeginnersMind]

Just bought one. I bet it is my last. My guess is that in 10 years there won’t be more than 1-2 on the market. Just doesn’t make sense any more and the rise of hybrids and electric is hastening their demise. The mpg advantage over auto is long gone. 

 

Enjoying the last jog down memory lane. 

Edited February 16, 2019 by BeginnersMind

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

10 hours ago, RaoulDuke79 said:

A guy I work with bought one of those and fixed it up. Pretty neat toy if there's a state of emergency. 

Buster Bluth?

[BeginnersMind]

21 minutes ago, Ridgewaycynic2013 said:

Buster Bluth?

 

My dream auto is the stair car. 

[ExiledInIllinois]

1 hour ago, BeginnersMind said:

Just bought one. I bet it is my last. My guess is that in 10 years there won’t be more than 1-2 on the market. Just doesn’t make sense any more and the rise of hybrids and electric is hastening their demise. The mpg advantage over auto is long gone. 

 

Enjoying the last jog down memory lane. 

Might be long gone... But still an mpg advantage IFF driven properly.

 

My son has Cooper S manual.  Driving to conserve... Can get close to 40 mpg.  Driving in sport mode... Just under 30.  It does 0-60 in around 6 seconds... Top end is around 140 mph... And it's very comfortable easily doing 100 mph.  But, roll, 65-75 mph on highway, conserve through town, the thing sips fuel.

 

Weight doesn't matter any more... All vehicles are heavy.  That little car is over 3,000 lbs.

Edited February 16, 2019 by ExiledInIllinois

[BeginnersMind]

13 minutes ago, ExiledInIllinois said:

Might be long gone... But still an mpg advantage IFF driven properly.

 

My son has Cooper S manual.  Driving to conserve... Can get close to 40 mpg.  Driving in sport mode... Just under 30.  It does 0-60 in around 6 seconds... Top end is around 140 mph... And it's very comfortable easily doing 100 mph.  But, roll, 65-75 mph on highway, conserve through town, the thing sips fuel.

 

Weight doesn't matter any more... All vehicles are heavy.  That little car is over 3,000 lbs.

 

I drive less than 60 miles a week on average with a lot of travel on rails, so I got a GTI. Looked at Wranglers but they carry a high price and have minimal practicality. GTI was inexpensive, has a ton of room for a tall person, I can throw the dog in the back or fold down to get some gear in,, and I still get a fun ride. I’ve had better cars but as a third car for the family, it’s been a good buy. 

[dhg]

Learned how to drive on my dad's Ford truck that had 3 on the tree

[plenzmd1]

10 hours ago, bdutton said:

I once rented a car in England and demanded a manual.  The Rental car people had to ask me 5 times if I was sure.  Yeah... I drove that car left handed for 2 months.  Yeah... I can drive a manual.

long story, but when we were renting a car in Ireland I was doing as normal and waiving the insurance, but I was paying up to get an automatic as I was worried the gear pattern would be different. On the way to pick up the car, dude I knew convinced me to get the manual and get the full insurance as I was bound to hit something driving a week in Ireland. And the cost was just about the same, as I guess most Americans can not drive a stick so the premium iver the manual was quite high.

 

Gear pattern was the same, , easy peezy..and yes I put like 10 more scratches and a busted side view mirror in that already beat up car...but never worried as i had full coverage!

[Fan in Chicago]

On 2/15/2019 at 1:39 AM, ExiledInIllinois said:

 

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). 

 

I learned to drive stick shift in the streets of Mumbai. Does that pass your criteria ? 

Edited February 16, 2019 by Fan in Chicago

[Lurker]

22 hours 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?)

 

Nah...just old.

[Saxum]

On 2/15/2019 at 5:34 AM, 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. 

 

So you are saying the tester was a nanker for letting you on road putting others in danger when you took your test?