Ladies, can you drive a manual shift?

[PollyannaMom]

Nope, my parents had automatics, so that's what I learned on, and I've always had automatics myself. I don't really feel like I'm missing out.

 

[mickeymo]

Yes, I learned from my father who carried a cup of coffee (long before travel mugs with lids) while I practiced. I taught my husband how to drive a manual transmission.

 

[whogirl'smom]

If I had to I might be able, but not very well. I learned on an automatic and that's all I've ever driven...however, my h.s. bf taught me to drive his truck and another friend taught me to drive his little Honda in college, but I haven't touched a straight drive since.

But I'm all about the mid-life crisis, OP! (there, right now myself) So, by all means get the car and learn to drive it!!

 

[tigercat]

My daughter tried to teach me but because of my height it was either I could press the peddles or see, I couldn't do both. I use my left leg to hold me while I use my right leg to control the pedals and keep me up enough to see. I now have a van with extendable pedals so it really is much easier for me to drive but still wouldn't be able to use 2 pedals with both legs. Wish I could though.
tigercat

 

[Jennasis]

Technically yes. But I am not good at it at all. I can grind the gears till they fit!

 

[minkydog]

I know it seems like a silly question but I learned on an automatic and driven automatics all my life. Now I'm going through my mid life crisis and seriously want a little Mazda Miata. Trouble is most of the used cars I'm seeing have manual transmission and everyone is telling me a sports car should be a manual. So ladies....how hard is it to learn??

Of course you can learn to drive a stick shift. How silly! It's a skill just like any other skill. Take your little car out to a big school parking lot on Saturday and practice shifting. Once you get that under your belt, take the car through your neighborhood where you can practice moving forward from an uphill and downhill stop. It really is just as simple as that.

My dad used to say a person wasn't a "real driver" unless they could shift gears. Kinda snooty, IMO, but I get his point. When I was younger I drove a stick because that was the car my father bought. From time to time I had to drive my dad's 2-ton truck~! I currently drive an automatic because I prefer to not have to constantly shift(I live in the metro Atlanta area.) But if I needed to drive a manual I could.

 

[Sparx]

No. I can't. My dad drives one though. I'm sure I'll eventually learn, but I don't know how right now.


Good luck op!

 

[clgwli]

What does being female have to do with it? Most sales people will tell you that more women than men shop for manuals. I know I did.

I learned when I was a teen and taught my DH after we were married. The car I drive most of the time is an automatic (SUV) but I am glad when I get to drive my old sporty car

 

[Muffy]

Yes we have a 5 speed manual BMW!

 

[S. C.]

Yes.

 

[HsvTeacher]

Absolutely!

When I was learning how to drive, my parents let me drive their car with a "stick shift." My dad told me that everyone should know how to drive one. My first car was also a manual shift.

 

[Ceila]

My family only had automatics when I learned to drive, so I didn't learn back then. However, when my husband and I got engaged, he had a manual, and he taught me how to drive it. I'm OK at it, although I never really enjoyed it. I think with regular practice I would have gotten better.

 

[mtemm]

yes I do. my boyfriend taught me when I was 16 and I had a couple of different manual transmission cars after that. I didn't find it hard to learn, but i do remember struggling at first when I would have to come to a full stop then proceed on. I would stall out! didn't take me long to master it, though.

on the other hand, dh can't drive manual at all. we laugh that if we ever go on the amazing race I will be the designated driver most places!

 

[AndreaDM]

I also wanted to add that when we got married my husband couldn't drive stick at all! I had to teach him, yeah that was fun!

 

[browneyes106]

I learned to drive stick an old truck that belonged to my dad when I was 16. My parents thought it was very important that I learn to drive stick in case of emergencies and I needed to drive a vehicle with stick. I did use my dad's truck during my junior year of high school and the summer following my junior year my parents decided to buy me a car and it was automatic. The last time I drove stick was maybe 3 or 4 years ago when I needed to drive my aunt's car to her mechanic.

 

[NikitaZee]

I love driving a stick. Once you learn how to get in and out of first gear, the rest is easy. Takes practice, but it's a good skill to learn IMO. As others have said, it's hard to talk on a cell phone or eat or drink if you're in traffic, and moving your foot up and down for the clutch is really hard on high heeled shoes - ruins the backs of them.

 

[Imzadi]

Of course I know how. Everyone should learn. What happens if there is a medical emergency and the only car available is a stick shift?

Why is this a gender based question? It's not like women are stupider and can't figure out things that only men can. Many men don't know how to drive a stick shift either. I thought the days of asking those kinds of questions went out in the '80s when we women proved our superiority.

I'd just be careful if you drive in heavy bumper-to-bumper traffic because shifting got really old for me. It just tires you out of having to ALWAYS be opertating the car every three feet.

But, if I lived in a less trafficy area, I'd buy one in a second.

I totally agree with this. I started to get knee problems from all the shifting and hold down the gears. But, it really doesn't work well being stuck in rush hour traffic, moving at a crawl for two hours. Or driving in areas where there are stop lights every several hundred feet.
It looks like this after a while:

 

[Evil Genius]

Yep learned to drive a stick when I was younger. The arthritis in my knees is the only reason I don't drive one now

 

[diz8297]

I miss driving a manual transmission!! Learned when I was a freshman in college. Would love to have another car with it!!

 

[Lintasare]

Yep I do. And I love it.

My first manual was a little BMW 318ti hatchback. Great little car with a peppy engine. So fun to drive.

My current care is an automatic because that is how I got it from my parents. I am looking to buy a new car and it will have a manual. I figure why spend an extra $1000 for an automatic when I know how to work a clutch?