Ladies, can you drive a manual shift?

[tonilea]

I love driving a stick and apparently I am pretty good at it. I was driving to school with the gal I carpool with and after we had driven about thirty miles she blurted out, "I didn't know this was a stick! It is really smooth!"

 

[Feralpeg]

It's not hard to learn. It took me a couple of days to really feel comfortable driving a stick, but I drove one for many years. My first car was a Fiat 124 sport coupe. I went to a VW Superbeetle and then to the first version of the RX-7. I used to be a sports car person. Then I had a baby!

 

[Kimberly]

I love driving a stick and apparently I am pretty good at it. I was driving to school with the gal I carpool with and after we had driven about thirty miles she blurted out, "I didn't know this was a stick! It is really smooth!"

I had someone tell me the same thing recently. She didn't believe my car was a stick because I tend to shift much more nicely when I have someone in the car with me.

 

[sjs314]

I learned to drive on an automatic, the second car I decided to buy was a Subaru XT and had a manuel transmission, I had to have DH drive it home for me since he knew how to drive one

I learned to drive it and loved it, such a feeling of power when you shift, two cars later I could not find the car I wanted in a manuel so went back to an automatic and was never happy with it.

I no longer drive do to a disability but if I did and could it would be a manuel

 

[LadyTrampScamp&Angel]

Yes, I learned to drive with a manual shift.

I've owned a red Mazda Miata since 1990 when they first came out - you are going to love it! So much fun to drive After a while the manual shift becomes second nature, you'll get good at it!

 

[geffric]

I learned to drive on a stick shift.. always had a manual transmission until I had my first child and it was hard to shift and watch the baby..

 

[disney1990]

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??

Absolutely YES. I started driving one somewhere about 1980 and haven't owned an automatic since then.

 

[CursedAngel]

No, but i wish I did.

 

[tasha99]

Driving a stick isn't so hard--you'll probably get it after an afternoon of practice. And Miatas are awesome; my dad has one and it's so much fun to drive!

 

[morgan98]

I learned to drive a stick and my first several cars were a stick. The past 10 years I was stuck with an automatic.

Now that I am 40, I am the proud owner of a 6 speed manual Acura TL SH-AWD. I live in Atlanta in-town and love it. The best thing about it is the bluetooth phone capabilities and the voice recognition, so I can still talk, control the radio, etc. I really don't eat or drink while driving anyway...

 

[Lanshark]

Oh yea! I had a stick when I lived in Indiana and when we first moved to GA. Then we had children and I've had a manual ever since. A stick is a lot of fun but not when you're in bumper to bumper traffic.

 

[ksjayhawks]

Yes. In fact that is all I drove for over 10 years and I must say I miss it! I drive my ds's car sometimes and it is manual.

 

[CaliforniaDreamin]

Yes, I do and so do both my daughters. I made them learn on my car (a stick). Now my DD16 has a Jetta that is a manual and my DD15 can drive my car just as good, if not better than I can. I learned how to drive on a stick and was determined they do the same. They were mad for a while, but now, esp 16 y.o. gets a lot of comments from the boys about how they don't know any other girl that can drive one.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Yes...and I miss it. Family cars and minivans don't come with a clutch.

I found that once I got the hang of it, it was easy. I think I was motivated by circumstance. Stepdad taught me illegally before I was even of age for a permit. I ended up never getting one and took my test using a manual.
The tester was a bit...worried....and likely perplexed when I passed my test.

I do not recommend learning unlicensed, but not wanting to get busted for my stepdad's unwise parenting decision---I picked it up quickly.

I hope one day to return to a car with a clutch.

 

[HugsForEeyore]

I currently own 2 manual Hondas, and love them! I doubt I will ever buy an automatic if I can avoid it. I first wanted a stick shift when I was in high school - I had a really awesome female teacher who drove a cool stick shift car, and I would see that car in the parking lot everyday, making me wish I had one, too!

When I finally got my first car (used) at age 20, I only wanted a stick, so my dad helped me shop for one. I was so excited when we found one and bought it home! But then I tried to learn stick, and I had major troubles. I was stalling everywhere, rolling backwards, etc. For over 2 months, I coudn't "get it" - I was so frustrated I couldnt drive my first car! My parents finally called a driving school to come and teach me stick! That did the trick - I finally "got it" and could really drive. But I certainly didn't learn in one afternoon - it took a good 3 months of practice.

To this day, I owned 3 stick shifts. I am convinced they are much better in snow, and I also believe the engines last longer (one of my cars has 251,400 miles on it).

Most people I know don't know stick - it seems everyone drives an SUV or minivan, and it's a non-issue in their lives.

 

[drag n' fly]

I learned to drive stick when I was 14 in a farm field. I love them for winter driving!

 

[2cats1kid]

It's actually very rare here for anyone not to learn to drive on a manual car.

One of the reasons we never hire a car in the US is that I'd be the main driver and I've never driven an automatic in my life!

 

[NMAmy]

Yes, but you made me realize that I learned how to drive a stick 30 years ago. My mom taught me and later, I taught my younger sister. It's pretty easy, I think. I also think it's a skill that everyone should have.

 

[RC Fan]

I prefer a standard. They are much more fun! I got my first standard at the age of 32 after some prodding from my husband. I also got my motorcycle license the same year.

I do think it is a skill everyone should learn. Learning a new skill is good for the brain!

 

[PatsGirl]

Yes, I can drive a stick. I went cross-country, MA to CA via Texas in a van with three on the wheel, can drive a 6-speed, and a motorcycle.

I was really surprised a few years ago during one of our "girl trips" to Mexico that no one else in my group could drive a stick and the only rental cars available were manual Jeep Wranglers so guess who got stuck driving