POLL: can you drive stick shift ?

[alexruiz]

I think the very high amount of "YES" is because of how the question in the poll was asked. Several have pointed it accurately, just because you moved a car once and made it in one piece doesn't mean you know how to do it. Yes, it is better that the ones who wouldn't even know what you are supposed to do, but still not a complete "yes I am fully capable"

I was also having a good laugh at all those who said "10 minutes and I was done" or similars. If you meant you were able to move the car once, 15 seconds are plenty. Can you do it consistently? I'll admit that the skill vary greately between persons, but 10 minutes is ridiculous. Even the most naturally talented drivers take weeks to fully do it like second nature. As someone that learned how to drive very old (>20) I realized that it didn't matter how much I knew about how it works..... It is even dangerous to take the car if you are not fully proefficient with it. It took me 3 days for about 2-3 hours each to barely become kind of consistent. Granted, my skills were always subpar (that is why I learned old) Now imagine a driver barely capable making it into Mexico City, where the term "awful traffic" get a new meaning..... :Q

Here almost everyone drives manual,so not learning it is not an option.


Alex

 

[TheLonelyPhoenix]

Yeah, learned on my dad's BMW (it was almost 10 years old at the time and the clutch was going to be replaced anyway). Took about a day before I could move the car consistently. Took 3 days before I could drive on public roads without fearing for my safety or the safety of others. Took 2-3 months before I could drive smoothly (both upshifting and downshifting) and not induce motion sickness in passengers or make stuff fly around my car.

Ladies like a man who knows how to use his stick. :thumbsup:

 

[user1234]

Originally posted by: TheLonelyPhoenix
Yeah, learned on my dad's BMW (it was almost 10 years old at the time and the clutch was going to be replaced anyway). Took about a day before I could move the car consistently. Took 3 days before I could drive on public roads without fearing for my safety or the safety of others. Took 2-3 months before I could drive smoothly (both upshifting and downshifting) and not induce motion sickness in passengers or make stuff fly around my car.

Ladies like a man who knows how to use his stick. :thumbsup:

Yeah, that's what I also meant when I said that out of the 80% that claim to be able to drive manual, less then half can drive safely and smoothly, the others probably just tired it a few times. People stop kidding yourself, it may be hazardous to your health someday...

 

[alexruiz]

Originally posted by: user1234

Originally posted by: TheLonelyPhoenix
Yeah, learned on my dad's BMW (it was almost 10 years old at the time and the clutch was going to be replaced anyway). Took about a day before I could move the car consistently. Took 3 days before I could drive on public roads without fearing for my safety or the safety of others. Took 2-3 months before I could drive smoothly (both upshifting and downshifting) and not induce motion sickness in passengers or make stuff fly around my car.

Ladies like a man who knows how to use his stick. :thumbsup:

Yeah, that's what I also meant when I said that out of the 80% that claim to be able to drive manual, less then half can drive safely and smoothly, the others probably just tired it a few times. People stop kidding yourself, it may be hazardous to your health someday...

You didn't expect different responses from the forums of the "badder than Van Damme with babes prettier than Lindsey Lohan and IQ>180 guys...." Did you? :Q

 

[Calin]

I can drive a sticky shifter, but those are the most common cars here

 

[meltdown75]

Yes. The first time I drove stick, I was so distracted that I forgot to put my seatbelt on. I got yanked by a cop on a bike and was ticketed.

 

[Snapster]

Drive a manual: Yes
Is it a big deal: No

Originally posted by: The Pentium Guy
How the hell do you guys with manual talk on the cellphone while driving?
And how on earth can you stand driving in the city..... "Gear one... gear two... oh crap traffic light... gear one.... gear two <repeat>."

Something called a handsfree kit if you want to be safe and legal. As for mass gear changing in the city, it gives you something to do in the boredom.

 

[Bryophyte]

Originally posted by: Muadib

Originally posted by: Bryophyte

Originally posted by: Red Dawn
Yep, it's what I learned to drive with.

Me too. My kids will have to show me they have mastered a stick shift before I'll even consider letting them get behind the wheel of an automatic.

Uh, WHY???

I want them to learn to drive competently. Any six year old could learn to drive an automatic. It's not like it requires any great skill. I want my kids to be able to drive any car they come across, be able to parallel park properly, drive on snow and ice, know how to get out of a skid when driving front or rear wheel drive (and know which they are driving just by how it feels to drive it.) After they have mastered driving a stick (including all of the above situations), I'll let them drive an automatic. They are damn well going to know how to change a tire by themselves, change the oil, understand the mechanics of an engine, etc. It is so fvcking sad to see people haul out their cellphones to call AAA to change their flat tire. Only excuse for that is if you're dressed up and have no way to keep your outfit clean.

Honestly, so many people driving nowadays are hazards behind the wheel. It's scary. We need to get schools to reinstate driver's ed classes (behind the wheel training.)

Ok, end of rant.

 

[user1234]

now that's a great skill to have - parallel parking. very important. especially in america. NOT

 

[OvErHeAtInG]

Originally posted by: user1234
now that's a great skill to have - parallel parking. very important. especially in america. NOT

Not sure I know what this means. Every time I see an out-of-town suburban chick take up three spaces with her SUV I just wish they would pass a law about parking PROPERLY. If you park in a city you need to be considerate of others, not scratch people's cars, etc.

:beer: to Bryophyte.

 

[Bryophyte]

Originally posted by: user1234
now that's a great skill to have - parallel parking. very important. especially in america. NOT

There is no excuse for not knowing how to parallel park. If you are a good driver, you will know where your bumpers and tires are and should have no problem parking between two cars on the street.

 

[Aquila76]

Originally posted by: user1234
now that's a great skill to have - parallel parking. very important. especially in america. NOT

AYFKM? You've never been to a city then, I take it? How long have you been driven around in your wife's Volvo 850 wagon?

Crap, I have to parallel park at work every day.

 

[user1234]

Originally posted by: Bryophyte

Originally posted by: user1234
now that's a great skill to have - parallel parking. very important. especially in america. NOT

There is no excuse for not knowing how to parallel park. If you are a good driver, you will know where your bumpers and tires are and should have no problem parking between two cars on the street.

why do you think cars have bumpers ? so you can tell when you hit the next parked car. no harm no foul. or if you've got extra cash get a bumper cam

 

[statik213]

no other way to drive.

 

[Priit]

I think I haven't driven a car with automatic gearbox. Manual only. I had to drive a truck with unsynchronized manual gearbox in driving school.

 

[TwoBills]

Originally posted by: Bryophyte




I want them to learn to drive competently. Any six year old could learn to drive an automatic. It's not like it requires any great skill. I want my kids to be able to drive any car they come across, be able to parallel park properly, drive on snow and ice, know how to get out of a skid when driving front or rear wheel drive (and know which they are driving just by how it feels to drive it.) After they have mastered driving a stick (including all of the above situations), I'll let them drive an automatic. They are damn well going to know how to change a tire by themselves, change the oil, understand the mechanics of an engine, etc. It is so fvcking sad to see people haul out their cellphones to call AAA to change their flat tire. Only excuse for that is if you're dressed up and have no way to keep your outfit clean.

Honestly, so many people driving nowadays are hazards behind the wheel. It's scary. We need to get schools to reinstate driver's ed classes (behind the wheel training.)

Ok, end of rant.

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Before my oldest daughter went off to college I taught her the sights, sounds, and smells (she drew the line at tastes) of a car. She came back w/a funny story:

She was out w/this guy one night and noticed his auto tranny wasn't shifting right so she mentioned he might want to check his fluid level. Well he just disregarded her (being a girl and all) and said it was allright. When they got back to his place his dad was still up and she mentioned to him that the tranny sounded sluggish. The dad went outside and checked the level, found it down 2 quarts, came back in the house and grounded his kid for 2 weeks. Turns out it was the dad's car and his son was only allowed to drive the car if he maintained it. "Dad, he never called me back!"

Oh yeah, just to keep this on topic. She could drive a stick before she was 16. Hard to stay w/her now, running the back roads of southern Md.