Can you drive a stick shift/manual car?

[lspst8]

I can't. I have no desire to learn how to do it. My DH thinks this a really weird. He tried to teach me once, but I was an awful student.

Is this an important life skill I am missing? My DH insists that almost everyone can drive one, but I think he is wrong about that. Other than his parents and sister, I don't even know anyone who owns a stick shift for their regular, everyday vehicle.

 

[SC Minnie]

Yes I can drive one. Actually when I was learning to drive both our cars were stick shifts. I had been driving about 2 years before ever driving an automatic.

 

[Ilivetogo]

Yes. Drove one for many many years before getting a mini-van with the kids.

.

 

[nexttrip4us]

I do know how...my parents wouldn't let us get our licenses unless we could drive one...until we upgraded both our cars to minivans, we always had at least one manual transmission car.

That said, I don't know that a lot of people can drive one or how prevalent they are anymore . My sister did just get a new Honda Civic SI (manual) and it is a fun car to drive. I am glad I know how just in case I ever need to. I loved my manual trans cars...fun to drive and I always felt like I had more control, especially in snow.

 

[iwrbnd]

I can and am very glad I was forced to learn 20 years ago!

 

[nashville_minnie]

Nope, I have never learned, and have been driving "normal" cars for 17 yrs.

 

[Feralpeg]

Yes. When I was younger, I loved driving a stick. My first car was a 5-speed, Fiat 124 Sports Coupe. From there, I went to a VW Super Beetle. Following the Beetle, I had the first Mazda RX-7 model. It was the little 2 seat-er. It was very sporty and so much fun to drive.

When I had my daughter, I decided I needed to go with a less sporty, automatic.

 

[NeverlandClub23]

I learned to drive on a manual car. My parents thought it was important. My first vehicle I had for several years was a Jeep Wrangler that was a manual. I now have an automatic and love it (especially when sitting in traffic). I'm glad I know how to as I've been out with friends (or boyfriends) and have had to drive their car home which was a manual. We also rented a four wheel drive vehicle in St. Croix and they were all manual and my boyfriend at the time didn't know how to drive a manual vehicle. It's just something nice to know.

 

[mom2travel]

I can't. I have no desire to learn how to do it. My DH thinks this a really weird. He tried to teach me once, but I was an awful student.

Is this an important life skill I am missing? My DH insists that almost everyone can drive one, but I think he is wrong about that. Other than his parents and sister, I don't even know anyone who owns a stick shift for their regular, everyday vehicle.

I can drive a stick shift, but DH cannot. Among my parents/sibs, my sister and dad can drive them, but not mom and at least one of my brothers. Dsis and I both owned manual transmission at one point in each of our lives. I do not know anyone who owns a stick, at least not that I'm aware of. Most cars these days come with automatic standard so I'm thinking you are not missing out on anything not being able to drive manual

 

[Pakey]

I am in my mid-50's and do not know how to drive one.

 

[TangaroaTiki]

Yes, I learned how to drive one because the car I wanted at 17 was a stick shift! Glad I learned then

 

[foolishmortal]

taught on a manual, still buy and drive manual.

Faster, better gas mileage, more control in bad weather, transmissions dont go out as fast.

I will be teaching my sons on a manual as well or they dont get license!

 

[SingingMUA]

I drive a stick. I definitely think everyone should learn how to drive one, whether they actually own one (or have a desire to) or not.

My mother has always only owned manual shift cars, but when I first learned to drive, I refused to try learning a stick because I thought it was too hard. So, I learned to drive on other people's (automatic) cars, and even took my driving test in a rental car, because my mom's car was a stick.

Fast foward a few years, and I got tired of having to sit in the house, when my mom's perfectly good car was out there that she would let me drive if I knew how. We tried together a few times, but I got frustrated and gave up. Then a few months later, while I was home alone, I took her spare keys and drove around the block. It was shaky, but I made it. I went in the house and called her at work and told her what I did, and from then on, she let me practice during the day (it was summer and I was home from college), and within about a week, I was driving it with no problems, and I've never looked back.

 

[Straitlover]

Op, just don;t plan on beng on the Amazing Race then! That's what causes so many teams problems, not knowing how to drive a stick!

Yes, I know how. I have owned 2 vehicles w/ a stick.

 

[AmyinKY]

Yes, I do know how to drive one. I taught my husband how to as well. I plan on teaching our kids. I believe it is one of those life skills that you need to know how to do it, even if you only need to do it an emergency or a once in a lifetime situation. Besides, it can be a lot of fun in a sports car on an open road.

A

 

[sbsteel]

Learned how to drive before I got my license. My dad thought it was important I know how to drive stick and change a tire, less chance of being stranded or dependent on someone else. I remember he said something along the lines of, "The more you know to get out of bad situations, the better I can sleep at night."

 

[Stephanie218]

Both my husband and I drive stick daily. He thought it would be fun apparently, and got his first manual transmission in college (Mazda 6). During his first deployment, I gave my automatic car to my sister and had to learn to use his. I liked it so much that when he got back, we bought me a Mazda 3 with manual transmission.

I much prefer it to driving automatic. I don't feel the temptation to multi-task (talk on the phone without a headset, eat while driving, or anything) because it's really not possible with having to shift constantly. It's made me a much more attentive driver, and I feel like I have more control over the car.

 

[Shutterbug]

I liked it so much that when he got back, we bought me a Mazda 3 with manual transmission.

"waves" to a fellow mazda 3 owner. They are fun cars arent they?


Yep! I actually was taught by a girlfriend to drive her 5 speed car back in 1983.
All my cars have been manual transmission ever since 1995.
My current car a mazda 3 took a long time to find since I wanted one that came with a manual transmission.

Reason I want a manual transmission is...generally a manual transmission version of a car will give you better gas mileage than the automatic version.
I know this is the case with my friends car. My 5speed version gets 24 city her 4 speed automatic version gets 19.

Also using a 5 speed helps in the winter I can shift the car into higher gear to keep the power and torque off the wheels so they dont spin.

I like shifting into a lower gear to give me more power and torque when going up a hill or passing someone.

Manual transmissions are less costly to fix depending on the problem.

A manual transmission is alot better for auto-xing.

 

[dislaney]

Yes. When your 16 and your Dad buys a sporty new car that has a stick - you definitely want to learn how to drive it. I already had my license but REALLY wanted to drive that car! I'm glad I learned how and have driven lots of fun cars with a stick, but I don't know that it's a skill you have to have. It's nice to know how though.

 

[Disney845]

Yes and both of our current cars are manual.

It is sort of a "thing" for SO, and I don't really care either way. Any of his future cars will always be manual. He quotes much of the reasons already listed (gas, transmission repair cost, weather conditions, etc)

I have previously owned automatic cars and would go either way in the future, but I have to say that it can be a pain in stop-and-go traffic.

I do think that some cars (sporty cars) are just silly to have as automatic because it kind of defets the purpose of having the car for the sporty distinction.

I think I know quite a few people who know how to or own a manual currently. SO has 3 brothers/2 sisters-in-law all of whom and his mother and step-father can drive manual (at least two of those brothers had a manual within the last 5 years, the rest all know how but drive an automatic regularly). My best friend, her husband and her brother have all owned a manual within the last 5 years. One of my coworkers currently owns a manual.

I never saw it as odd and in fact thought that most people, even if they didn't own a manual knew how to drive one.