Does anybody else drive a stick shift?

auntiebabs

Why would anyone have that silly left foot exerciser and stirry stick any more? Unless of course they like black and white TV and filofaxes. Stick shift is so last century.

The good lord gave you two feet, one for brake and one for accelerator, if he'd meant us to have stick shifts he'd have given us three feet! And as you know, three feet is a yard, and that is where your stick shifts should be stored, permanently, to rot.

Just my not so humble opinion.

Even if I drive an automatic I still use my right foot for both brake and accelerator, and my left ankle gets a little rest. In the uk, its mostly old people or nervous young women who drive automatics. I prefer to drive manual, and even miss the [/b]manual choke in certain weathers.

the first stick I drove had a choke... I have never met anyone who drove a car with a choke before.

auntiebabs

Whenever I drive my mom's automatic car I always get whiplash when I mistake the brake for the clutch and slam on it lol

Ha! Driving automatics make me nervous... that is a horrible feeling.

auntiebabs

Hi, Europe here.

Most of us drive manual transmission.

then I'll think of myself as continental

RonnieLodge

Am I the only person in the world who drives a stick?

No, I drive a manual car. Always have. I feel much more connected to the vehicle driving stick shift/manual.

Automatics just feel like driving a go-kart. Good for nanas who want to drive below the speed limit and never overtake.

As for fun, how many driving simulation games in arcades are manual gearboxes?

And as for them being last century - I don't have a tv but I do have a filofax. No doubt fitter and better organized for it.

The_Enginerd

I can drive one and have a car that's manual but that's the fun car. My main car is automatic.

Why would anyone have that silly left foot exerciser and stirry stick any more? Unless of course they like black and white TV and filofaxes. Stick shift is so last century.

The good lord gave you two feet, one for brake and one for accelerator, if he'd meant us to have stick shifts he'd have given us three feet! And as you know, three feet is a yard, and that is where your stick shifts should be stored, permanently, to rot.

Just my not so humble opinion

For one, manual transmissions are better on gas.

For two, they're better in snow.

For three, they're easier to maintain than automatic transmission

For four you have a lot more control over the car

For five they're really fun to drive

For six I can't imagine buying a really sweet sports car and having it be an automatic transmission. That's almost blaspheme.

And I really hope you're not driving with two feet, unless you're a cop.

The difference in gas mileage nowadays is minimal. How you drive, auto or manual makes a bigger difference.

Who says a manual is better in snow? In fact you have less control particularly pulling away from stationary.

Easier to maintain? Where on earth do you get that. Autos are more reliable than manuals and clutches.

How does a manual give you more control exactly? Have you ever driven an auto?

Fun to drive? How exactly? More to think about and get wrong maybe, more to distract you away from the road which is what you should be concentrating on.

High end sports cars from Ferrari to Aston Martin have had semi or full autos for years.

No I'm not a cop and yes I drive with both feet, I'll guarantee my reactions are quicker than moving right foot off accelerator and onto brake.

For the bolded points:


And yes, I have driven both auto and manual. On the last two points, the automatics used in Ferrari's and the like are not like most autos, and they are still clunky in slow stop and go traffic, and left foot braking is a bad habit for road driving. People tend to rest their foot on the brake, wearing the brakes and having the brake lights always on or flickering on/off while driving.

whierd

I used to drive a manual. I kind of miss it.

And as a person who has driven both automatics and manuals in the snow, I overall prefer the manual. I feel that I have better control that way.

Gas mileage? Comparable.

Fun to drive? Yes, by far.

auntiebabs

I drive manual. 94 Toyota corolla. Learned when I was in undergraduate. Hated...with a passion...having to stop going up a hill. There was one stop light on the edge of our campus that I had to go through to go home. One time I stalled 3 times in a row and scared the crap out of the guy behind me. I let everyone go and waited til I had like 50 yards behind me (steep hill) before I got going again. From then on I took the longer route home.

I've driven a stick in San Fransico.... Sounds like that might not be your idea of fun.

Dude, in a pinch pull up the emergency brake and release it just as your clutch engages... yes, that's right foot on the gas, left onthe clutch, left hand on the steering wheel and right on the brake... (My old boss used to get irritated because I wouldn't pick up the cell phone when I was driving)

auntiebabs

OP, I hope you get the opportunity to travel to other countries, one day.

Drove a VW stick in Mexico

SummerLovesPhil

Yes. I'd like to say it's because I'm cool enough to prefer it, but it's really because this is the truck that was available when I needed one and so I bought it. That said, it does outperform an automatic when off-road.

xvxCelticWandererxvx

Though I do not drive a manual now, I do prefer them over automatic. Great in snow but better overall. I've driven 1940s 10 wheeler trucks for a couple years - two sticks! Weeeeee!

auntiebabs

I'd own zero automatic vehicles if I could. It was impossible to find my Silverado with a stick though so that's my one exception currently.

From 17- 21 I was driving either my Dad's car or my Boyfriend's car. Moved to NYC when I was 21 got my first car when I was 44, Dad's 20 y.o. 5-sp MT Toyota Corolla.

auntiebabs

We should make a non US equivalent saying "Does anybody else drive an automatic?" :laugh:

But yes, I drive a "stick shift", and a toe shift if referring to the motorbike :glasses:

you're right! I so narrow minded of me. thank you for broadening my world view!

auntiebabs

My Dart is 3 speed on the column. :glasses:

I love a manual transmission!

3 on a tree, my sis had a royal blue plymouth duster, with 3 on a tree.:smokin:

auntiebabs

Am I the only person in the world who drives a stick?

Lol

abberbabber

Yes! And it's absolutely my preference!

auntiebabs

Though I do not drive a manual now, I do prefer them over automatic. Great in snow but better overall. I've driven 1940s 10 wheeler trucks for a couple years - two sticks! Weeeeee!

I'm impressed you go girl!

auntiebabs

I can drive one and have a car that's manual but that's the fun car. My main car is automatic.

Why would anyone have that silly left foot exerciser and stirry stick any more? Unless of course they like black and white TV and filofaxes. Stick shift is so last century.

The good lord gave you two feet, one for brake and one for accelerator, if he'd meant us to have stick shifts he'd have given us three feet! And as you know, three feet is a yard, and that is where your stick shifts should be stored, permanently, to rot.

Just my not so humble opinion

For one, manual transmissions are better on gas.

For two, they're better in snow.

For three, they're easier to maintain than automatic transmission

For four you have a lot more control over the car

For five they're really fun to drive

For six I can't imagine buying a really sweet sports car and having it be an automatic transmission. That's almost blaspheme.

And I really hope you're not driving with two feet, unless you're a cop.

The difference in gas mileage nowadays is minimal. How you drive, auto or manual makes a bigger difference.

Who says a manual is better in snow? In fact you have less control particularly pulling away from stationary.

Easier to maintain? Where on earth do you get that. Autos are more reliable than manuals and clutches.

How does a manual give you more control exactly? Have you ever driven an auto?

Fun to drive? How exactly? More to think about and get wrong maybe, more to distract you away from the road which is what you should be concentrating on.

High end sports cars from Ferrari to Aston Martin have had semi or full autos for years.

No I'm not a cop and yes I drive with both feet, I'll guarantee my reactions are quicker than moving right foot off accelerator and onto brake.

For the bolded points:


And yes, I have driven both auto and manual. On the last two points, the automatics used in Ferrari's and the like are not like most autos, and they are still clunky in slow stop and go traffic, and left foot braking is a bad habit for road driving. People tend to rest their foot on the brake, wearing the brakes and having the brake lights always on or flickering on/off while driving.

thank you rallyengr, I concur

auntiebabs

* nevermind

robindina

I do

Canman51

I used to but the fun factor fadded. Much more convienent driving an auto in the city. I do occasionaly hire a 4wd for some bush bashing and then its always a manual.