Who Here Can't Operate A Standard Shift Vehicle?

[ZX9RCAM]

Take it out of gear to stop, kill motor, put in gear, hit the starter and there ya go.
Done that a few times with a gone throw out bearing.

Wouldn't start without depressing the clutch.

 

[stuhoevel]

I was assigned a Ford Ranger pickup at work for a while. This truck was and old survey truck before I got it. Go imagine. We'll this Ranger was a five speed and no power steering. Many times my cell phone (pre bluetooth) ended up on the floorboard because I needed both hands to shift and turn the wheel. It taught me what was important, and holding that phone was not. To this day, I don't text and drive, check texts on the phone, etc. Now I'm Bluetoothed and I answer and make calls while driving but that phone doesn't leave the center console. It's weird answering or calling someone while on the motorcycle.

 

[Brains]

Again I'm probably the weirdo, but I enjoy driving. I don't enjoy my phone. That time behind the wheel? That's my time. I'm not answering your text, and if you call I might answer but it'll be a short conversation.

 

[leVieux]

You should never get used to using your left foot to brake in an auto, you will inadvertently rest your foot on the brake, then you heat up and wear out your brakes inadvertently and there is none when you need them.

That is orthodox teaching BUT my life experiences have taught me different.

That is why i posted it !

You are welcome to differ.

I wear size 12 shoes & boots.

 

[GeorgeB]

I can drive a manual transmission. I can also shoot a single action revolver, a derringer, and a bolt action rifle.

I was a drivetrain engineer before I retired. For US manufacturers, many automatic transmissions were cheaper to produce than manuals due to production volume. But they could still get away with charging hundreds of dollars more for the automatics. I don't believe that's true for all manufacturers though since manual transmissions are still very popular in much of the world.

 

[mroper]

The first thing I learned to drive was a school bus 5 speed with a creeper gear. My dad got me a job as gopher at the place he was working at in the summer. I drove a chevy pickup with a three on the tree. In Houston area I would never own a manual unless it was on a classic

 

[tedwitt]

I was assigned a Ford Ranger pickup at work for a while. This truck was and old survey truck before I got it. Go imagine. We'll this Ranger was a five speed and no power steering. Many times my cell phone (pre bluetooth) ended up on the floorboard because I needed both hands to shift and turn the wheel. It taught me what was important, and holding that phone was not. To this day, I don't text and drive, check texts on the phone, etc. Now I'm Bluetoothed and I answer and make calls while driving but that phone doesn't leave the center console. It's weird answering or calling someone while on the motorcycle.

I answer the phone by pressing a button on my right hearing aid, makes it easy.

 

[Lonesome Dove]

Here's my 4 speed standard transmission car.

 

[tedwitt]

I was just thinking and remembering, when I was about 7 or 8, when the family went to town on our 1954 chevy pick up, Dad would drive, I sat beside him behind the shifter, Mom on the right side, my Brother stood between her knees and my Sister in her lap, this was about 1962. I did the shifting for dad so he didn't elbow me while shifting.

 

[General Zod]

I'm about 30 years out of practice, so it wouldn't be fun. A friend taught me when I was in college. My dad tried when I was 15, but was not what you'd call a "good teacher". When teaching me to use the clutch, he apparently didn't know the phrase "gradually as you push the gas at the same time". I lurched and stalled his Jeep around the big circle driveway we had, and damn near hit an oak tree with it. Instead of clarifying, he'd say "let up on the clutch" louder...and I got the impression I was letting up on it too slowly. Predictable results ensued.

Once I did learn, I took turns driving a VW van across West Texas and back a couple of years in a row for camping trips with my friends. My wife had a Ranger with a manual transmission, but I couldn't drive the thing - sitting behind the wheel, I had a choice between using the pedals or having my knees clear of the steering wheel and shifter, but not both at the same time. Can't drive what you can't sit in.

Part of the problem with manual transmission skills being lost is that driving schools and school driver's ed (do they even have that anymore? They didn't out here) stopped teaching in standard transmission cars back in the 80s. In fact, there was almost nothing in my driver's ed course that taught anything about using a manual transmission or even acknowledged that they exist. If the parents don't own a manual transmission (or if they can't teach their way out of a paper bag), there's simply nobody to teach the kids how to drive one.

I do have paddles shifters in my car that are a hell of a lot of fun, but there's no clutch to press. It's still an automatic, it just accepts instructions sometimes.

 

[Axxe55]

I, too, learned to drive a manual and still do today.
Several times I have had to drive it onto the lift jack for tires/rotation etc.
The mechanics couldn't drive a stick???
Once the manager heard it was a stick, so he drove it out for'em.
Said for the trucks age it was still shifting smooth as silk.
I told him when Mom taught me she made me pause 1/2 second between gears.
So I still do.

i even learned at an early age to shift a manual transmission not using the clutch!

 

[Sasquatch]

I can. Its not my preference for most situations though.

Around town, manuals suck. Stop & go, clutch in, clutch out, barely make speed then you gotta down shift cus some asshole cuts you off... meh.

Commercial rig in town - same story, only way more leg exercise.

Now where things go different - if I'm driving for fun, in the country or on the highway in a car that handles well then a manual makes the driving experience a lot more fun and gives the illusion of more control. The other time I'd rather have a manual would be in situations I need real honest to God low gear on a hill because manual transmissions don't auto-shift like most modern automatics.

I *hated* pulling hills in my old flatbed, because the fucking computer controlled fly-by-wire automatic would autoshift up at a certain rev regardless of speed. So pulling nasty hills under load I'd be trying to chug along at 40-45mph, getting passed by geriatrics in land yachts, Volkswagon beetles, and San Franciscans in Fiat 500's with rainbow stickers all over, when the fucking rev limiter upshifted and then suddenly all my speed goes away and I'm crawling and trying to do 20 now.

 

[tedwitt]

If I said I didn't like shifting a standard transmission, I would call myself lazy and unfit to drive.

 

[kbaxter60]

I'm about 30 years out of practice, so it wouldn't be fun.

It's pretty much like riding a bike. You would need about ten minutes to get the feel back.
I know this from experience.

 

[AZ Refugee]

Learned to drive my dads Ford with a 4 speed with a granny gear, had several others with the same and a 5 speed Ranger in the late 90's. My knee says no thank you though today!

 

[RaySendero]

Years ago, shortly after got married, Wife's parents decided to move across town.
FIL was unusually thrifty. He bought a 1950s PU for $150 to move.
Me and his son helped him move for the next couple of weekends.
We would load up that old truck. His son would ride with him to unload and they would come back for more.
So I never rode it that truck.

After the move, FIL had that truck parked in front of the gate to backyard. Everyone but me was arranging furniture and straightening-up inside. I was cutting grass. Asked him to move truck so I could get through the gate.
He tossed me the keys to move it. Was kinda rude - I always felt FIL was kinda rude to me!

When I got in the truck it was a 3 on the column.
I remembered to pull and up for reverse (Pull and down for 1st). No problem
As I was getting out, I notice everyone in family was looking at me from the windows.
After that FIL wasn't rude to me!!!

PS: Next month FIL sold that truck for $450!

 

[Geezer]

For the last few months I have been moving around all kinds of vehicles for our local fleet dealership. I have driven everything from small econo SUVs to F-550 Fords and 5500 Chevys. All have had automatic transmissions. I keep hoping that something with a manual transmission (we called them straight gear) would come through. I'd bet that more than a few wouldn't know how to operate them.

 

[Tnhawk]

Part of the problem with manual transmission skills being lost is that driving schools and school driver's ed (do they even have that anymore? They didn't out here) stopped teaching in standard transmission cars back in the 80s. In fact, there was almost nothing in my driver's ed course that taught anything about using a manual transmission or even acknowledged that they exist. If the parents don't own a manual transmission (or if they can't teach their way out of a paper bag), there's simply nobody to teach the kids how to drive one.

When I took driver's ed in 1965, the vehicles were supplied by auto dealers and all provided with automatic transmissions. My first vehicle was a 53 ford with a 3 speed on the column.

 

[striker55]

I think the title of this discussion is who can't drive stick? No one commented that they couldn't. Or did I miss it?

 

[tedwitt]

Years ago, shortly after got married, Wife's parents decided to move across town.
FIL was unusually thrifty. He bought a 1950s PU for $150 to move.
Me and his son helped him move for the next couple of weekends.
We would load up that old truck. His son would ride with him to unload and they would come back for more.
So I never rode it that truck.

After the move, FIL had that truck parked in front of the gate to backyard. Everyone but me was arranging furniture and straightening-up inside. I was cutting grass. Asked him to move truck so I could get through the gate.
He tossed me the keys to move it. Was kinda rude - I always felt FIL was kinda rude to me!

When I got in the truck it was a 3 on the column.
I remembered to pull and up for reverse (Pull and down for 1st). No problem
As I was getting out, I notice everyone in family was looking at me from the windows.
After that FIL wasn't rude to me!!!

PS: Next month FIL sold that truck for $450!

Ya got your man card.