Ladies, can you drive a manual shift?

[Mrs. Charming]

Oh you can do it! I love driving a stick.

 

[Karlzmom]

Not hard at all! I love mamual transmission cars and the only reason I ever switched to automatic was living in Los Angeles and hating to sit in traffic. I do however, still have a "toy." Enjoy learning, have fun and keep the shiny side up!

 

[Maridw]

I learned how to drive on a manual transmission. I taught a friend of mine years ago how to drive one.

One of the easiest ways to learn, is if someone you know has one. I started teaching my friend by having her do the shifting. Even though she was in the passenger seat, it got her used to the way it moves, etc. Then I had her drive and work the clutch while I did the shifting. It got her comfortable with the clutch. Then we hit the back roads and she did everything. She said it made it so much easier for her to get comfortable with everything by learning it all separately and then putting it all together.

 

[Nancyg56]

My kids all learned on a tractor. My niece learned by taking DD's Saturn all around the access road at teh farm. Nothing she could hurt and plenty of room.

 

[wdw4us2]

OP - Of course I can. Learned how when I had my permit 35 years ago. We have always had at least one vehicle with a standard transmission. I taught my DD how to drive one 3 years ago when she got her license. She's the only one of her female and male friends that can drive one.

Make sure that whoever teaches you has you practice start offs on a hill when you start getting comfortable driving stick. You don't want to suddenly be in that position after you think you've mastered a standard transmission!

 

[LoraJ]

I can. I learned how to drive on one and an automatic at the same time. When I bought my first car it was a manual and the second car was also a manual. I just switched to automatic though because I would get stuck in traffic on a steep hill every day and would just be miserable with the manual.

But I liked driving it most of the time.

 

[frndshpcptn]

I can - I learned to drive manual when I was 17 and the first car i had with me at University was this amazing red manual-shift Toyota Celica (back in 1995 / 1996). I LOVED that car.

then I got a manual shift Honda Civic (loved that one too).

Then I moved into NYC and gave up having a car.

But when I head back out to the suburbs one day, I'm totally getting a sporty stick shift again!!

 

[bumbershoot]

I can, most definitely.

 

[tonilea]

Sports cars should definitely have stick shifts. DH asked what kind of tranny I want in my Mustang.... it isn't a matter of auto/stick.... what type of stick. It has three on the tree right now, but I would like a 4 speed w/ OD.... maybe a 5 speed.

 

[mrodgers]

You ladies give me thoughts on starting a new thread. "Men, Can you drive an auto tranny?"

I've been stuck in my wife's hand-me-down for 3 years now since I had to prematurely get rid of my vehicle and bought her a new one instead of me. It's an automatic and I can barely drive it. The car does nothing what I want it to do. There is no control. I don't know how people can stand driving automatics.

 

[Ember]

I prefer a manual. I've been driving an automatic for a year now and I *hate* it. I still keep trying to downshift at stoplights.

Hehehe! I'm like this whenever you put me in an automatic! Not only am I trying to shift (which can startle the person in the passenger seat whose knee I sometimes grab) but I also try to clutch when I break, so if the break pedal is large I get two feet on there and wind up stopping really hard.

 

[lucyanna girl]

I can and a tractor too.

Penny

 

[Cruisin]

Yes I can.

 

[bytheblood]

Yes I can.

 

[Totally Tink]

The first car I ever bought was a stick, so I had to learn how to drive one to get it off the lot! LOVE shifting a 5 speed and would like to have another one day.