POLL: can you drive stick shift ?

[freegeeks]

yes,

automatics are considered something for old farts and 99% of the Belgian population drives a manual

if you do your driving exam in an automatic you get a stamp in your driving license that says that you are only eligible to drive automatics. If you want to drive a manual you have to take the exam in a manual

 

[EMPshockwave82]

my dad made me learn how to drive on a stick... i'll never forget

 

[Megadeth]

never tried but my ATV has a clutch and I have to shift gears, I dont seem to have a rpoblem with that.... Is it anything similar to that?

 

[DivideBYZero]

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
The WRX trans is by no means more difficult than most. As you know I have one and have driven more stick cars of more types than most.

I'll see your :roll: and raise you a

I eat the and raise you a :beer:.

There's still no way I'm going to believe that someone will have the same experience learning to drive stick on an old beater econobox with a clutch looser than Britney Spears and a ropey shifter, versus a fresh, new, unforgiving pedal and stick. One of these lets them slip out and gives them damn near half a foot of travel before they stall. The other gives you an inch.

- M4H

Better to learn on a tight box (smirk!) IMHO than a beater with a fubar'd tranny.

 

[DivideBYZero]

I said Tranny.

 

[CVSiN]

Originally posted by: rh71
^

The M3 thread got me thinking... oh how I wish I had someone's car to learn on...

automatics are for pvssies of course I can drive a manual
anyone that drives or orders a sportscar with anything other than a manual needs to turn in thier man card..
panseys..

 

[Promethply]

Only used auto tranny when learning how to drive,

but afterward taught myself to drive manual, and haven't looked back ever since.

 

[iamwiz82]

Both Lola and I can drive a stick just fine

 

[rh71]

Originally posted by: CVSiN

Originally posted by: rh71
^

The M3 thread got me thinking... oh how I wish I had someone's car to learn on...

automatics are for pvssies of course I can drive a manual
anyone that drives or orders a sportscar with anything other than a manual needs to turn in thier man card..
panseys..

you've got issues. Then again, so do I - I never had an opportunity to learn and as much as I would've liked to, I wasn't going to learn on my $27k car off the lot, as that was my first car - and still is. I don't know how that makes people like me pussified. I'd like to hear the reason... honestly. Try keeping off the testosterone juice first...

BTW, anyone who doesn't play hockey or football is a pansy. Anyone who doesn't have a surgical scar at least 6" long is a pvssy. I'm the man. The good ole all-American mentality. Yeah ok.

 

[Lonyo]

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
I went to testdrive a used Civic 5-speed at a local dealership with a friend.

Him: "Where's the tach?"
M4H: "Can't you shift without one?"
Him: "No, I just watch the revs."
M4H: ""

I second the "makes you think about driving more" bit. Something tells me that if automatics didn't exist, the majority of ricers around town would be too busy stalling off the line to blast their stereos for more than an instant. That or they'd slam into a tree.

- M4H

I learnt manual in a car with no rev counter and it was pretty easy, as long as you have a sense of hearing to start with.
When I did get in a car with rev counter, I barely paid attention to it, it's just a distraction. If you use it to know when to change gear, your eyes aren't on the road, and than means you are a risk.

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
The WRX trans is by no means more difficult than most. As you know I have one and have driven more stick cars of more types than most.

I'll see your :roll: and raise you a

I eat the and raise you a :beer:.

There's still no way I'm going to believe that someone will have the same experience learning to drive stick on an old beater econobox with a clutch looser than Britney Spears and a ropey shifter, versus a fresh, new, unforgiving pedal and stick. One of these lets them slip out and gives them damn near half a foot of travel before they stall. The other gives you an inch.

- M4H

I've driven a few different cars, one was an old Land Rover, and that was ever so easy on the gearing. You could put your foot almost flat to the floor (accelerator/gas pedal) and then lift the cluth almost as easy as you liked, and it wouldn't have any issues. It wouldn't really go anywhere either (4 speed farmers vehicle with 4WD and 2 gearboxes, one for low torque work IIRC).
It's easier to get the basics in an old beater but you get no sense of mastery if you don't need to be careful in your control.

That all said and done, hopefully I'll be going out in a 6 speed Saab 93 in half an hour or so

 

[CVSiN]

Originally posted by: rh71

Originally posted by: CVSiN

Originally posted by: rh71
^

The M3 thread got me thinking... oh how I wish I had someone's car to learn on...

automatics are for pvssies of course I can drive a manual
anyone that drives or orders a sportscar with anything other than a manual needs to turn in thier man card..
panseys..

you've got issues. Then again, so do I - I never had an opportunity to learn and as much as I would've liked to, I wasn't going to learn on my $27k car off the lot, as that was my first car - and still is. I don't know how that makes people like me pussified. I'd like to hear the reason... honestly. Try keeping off the testosterone juice first...

BTW, anyone who doesn't play hockey or football is a pansy. Yeah ok.

I do play Hockey.. roller and Ice at the silver amature level =P
Sportcourt or Ice Bring it... and after i check ya into the boards ill zip past you in a 6 speed stang or my bike

 

[rh71]

Originally posted by: CVSiN

Originally posted by: rh71

Originally posted by: CVSiN

Originally posted by: rh71
^

The M3 thread got me thinking... oh how I wish I had someone's car to learn on...

automatics are for pvssies of course I can drive a manual
anyone that drives or orders a sportscar with anything other than a manual needs to turn in thier man card..
panseys..

you've got issues. Then again, so do I - I never had an opportunity to learn and as much as I would've liked to, I wasn't going to learn on my $27k car off the lot, as that was my first car - and still is. I don't know how that makes people like me pussified. I'd like to hear the reason... honestly. Try keeping off the testosterone juice first...

BTW, anyone who doesn't play hockey or football is a pansy. Yeah ok.

I do play Hockey.. roller and Ice at the silver amature level =P
Sportcourt or Ice Bring it... and after i check ya into the boards ill zip past you in a 6 speed stang or my bike

big fvcking deal, I've won championships higher than that level. That doesn't make me more of a man. Answer the question.

 

[CVSiN]

what question?

 

[psteng19]

Originally posted by: Skoorb

Originally posted by: miri
Its obvious people prefer automatics. Manual transmission sales are like 15% of total vehicle sales, but 80% of people here can drive manuals.

Considering a lot of the respondents are young and driving their parents' cars, which are probably automatic, I dare say that a lot of the yes respondents are people who choose manual when they're playing gran tourismo, or they once spent 30 minutes burning the clutch on a friend's car in a parking lot and now they "know how to drive a manual". That's like me saying I know how to walk a tight rope. Sure I know how (Just walk!), but I can't.

Exactly.
I don't care how quick you are at learning. You can't learn it in an hour, not even in a day.
It takes at least a couple of weeks to a month to really know how to drive a stick.

Here's the test.
If you can drive a stick in the local roads of SF without stalling, burning your clutch, or slamming into the guy behind you, then you can say you can drive stick.

 

[rh71]

Originally posted by: CVSiN
what question?

I don't know how that makes people like me pussified. I'd like to hear the reason... honestly.

 

[loic2003]

Of course. Only old people and women have a use for auto's. Where's the fun in not having gears???

 

[wondersteve]

5 speed 97 Dodge Dakota

 

[loic2003]

Originally posted by: psteng19

Exactly.
I don't care how quick you are at learning. You can't learn it in an hour, not even in a day.
It takes at least a couple of weeks to a month to really know how to drive a stick.

Here's the test.
If you can drive a stick in the local roads of SF without stalling or slamming into the guy behind you, then you can say you can drive stick.

Took me ~10 minutes to move and shift gears in a car no problem. Took less than 5 minutes on a motorbike. Seriously guys... it's fvcking p!ss-easy! You just have to know the physics of it so you know what you're actually doing, then after that it's just about being careful with hand/foot eye coordination.

 

[KC5AV]

Every single day.

 

[CVSiN]

Originally posted by: psteng19

Originally posted by: Skoorb

Originally posted by: miri
Its obvious people prefer automatics. Manual transmission sales are like 15% of total vehicle sales, but 80% of people here can drive manuals.

Considering a lot of the respondents are young and driving their parents' cars, which are probably automatic, I dare say that a lot of the yes respondents are people who choose manual when they're playing gran tourismo, or they once spent 30 minutes burning the clutch on a friend's car in a parking lot and now they "know how to drive a manual". That's like me saying I know how to walk a tight rope. Sure I know how (Just walk!), but I can't.

Exactly.
I don't care how quick you are at learning. You can't learn it in an hour, not even in a day.
It takes at least a couple of weeks to a month to really know how to drive a stick.

Here's the test.
If you can drive a stick in the local roads of SF without stalling, burning your clutch, or slamming into the guy behind you, then you can say you can drive stick.

Dude driving stick is so easy... after riding bikes all my life it took less than an hour to master driving a stick including speed shifting and heel toe..
its natural..
and yes I grew up in the San Francisco area took my drivers license test in Redwood City CA.
Stick is easy as pie...

automatics are for rich lazy people.. they eat up horsepower as they are a less effiecent system compared to a direct gear drive of a stick..

less horsepower and pure lazyness = less than a man... never see Tim Taylor driving a automatic =P

 

[psteng19]

Originally posted by: loic2003

Originally posted by: psteng19

Exactly.
I don't care how quick you are at learning. You can't learn it in an hour, not even in a day.
It takes at least a couple of weeks to a month to really know how to drive a stick.

Here's the test.
If you can drive a stick in the local roads of SF without stalling or slamming into the guy behind you, then you can say you can drive stick.

Took me ~10 minutes to move and shift gears in a car no problem. Took less than 5 minutes on a motorbike. Seriously guys... it's fvcking p!ss-easy! You just have to know the physics of it so you know what you're actually doing, then after that it's just about being careful with hand/foot eye coordination.

So in other words, after 10 minutes, you were comfortable enough to drive around without crapping in your pants stopped at a light on a 10 degree uphill incline with a Ferrari Enzo 4 inches away from your rear bumper?

Good for you then

It's one thing to be able to get the car moving, and another to really know how to drive a manual car.
Knowing what's going on mechanically doesn't mean much. It's all about practice and experience.
I bet there's people that have no clue what the clutch pedal is connected to, and they can drive better than me.

 

[luckysnafu]

Both of my cars are stick, love it!! Still trying to teach my gf manual so her next car can be one. Cant stand driving her automatic.

 

[KokomoGSTmp]

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
I second the "makes you think about driving more" bit. Something tells me that if automatics didn't exist, the majority of ricers around town would be too busy stalling off the line to blast their stereos for more than an instant.


->>That or they'd slam into a tree.

- M4H

Well, they tend to get into accidents regardless. All that street ricing you know.

I've driven a WRX and it's not really any harder than a typical manual trans car. The only thing different is that it's a tad easier to bog the car with AWD. My current car is an AWD Talon from a FWD Eclipse.

It still surprises me how many people do not rev-match when downshifting a manual.

Seems like the days of the manual trans with a clutch will be numbered as more tech like Audi's DirectShift and SMG and whatever become more popular and mature.

Methinkds it'll become a niche option... already starting to see it with the fact that the Getrag 6spd is an OPTION on the GTO.

I learned on my first car, a 90s Honda Civic with no tach. If you want to learn you can probably rent a car to beat on. I do second freebee's post though, if you work at a dealership or parking garage or anything that involves constantly moving around cars, you'll get used to it quickly.

Hmm, now that I think about it, I've never daily driven a car without a manual.

 

[hevnsnt]

Originally posted by: iamme
yes

 

[Scarpozzi]

I've been able to since I was 15. I think everyone should know how....sad that most americans drive autos and most europeans drive stick.