Learning to drive a stick shift should be required....

[TRL]

i'll never forget having learning permit and my dad letting me drive and staling his ranger several times in the middle of town and finally dumping the clutch at the same time giving it a bit to much gas and smoking the tires across the intercetion, i looked over and see him slouching down in the seat

 

[tv1217]

My next vehicle will probably be a manual. The money I save by not going auto can go into another upgrade in the vehicle.

 

[confused89]

Some semi's are automatics now. Some people that go through the cdl mills only drive the automatics so that they can pass the test and get their cdl's and still don't know how to drive a manual. I was put in a different semi everyday and had to learn how to shift that gear transmission. Now I have shifted every transmission from an eight speed to an eighteen speed.

 

[tv1217]

Isn't there a restriction on CDLs that limits you to automatics if you tested on an automatic?
I learned and tested on a manual, but I thought I heard that somewhere.

 

[04DarkShadowGT]

I prefer a manual but its ludicrous to say it should be mandatory to know how to drive one.

 

[Bunnykid68]

I am tired of State mandated requirements

 

[littletommy]

I am tired of State mandated requirements

It should be mandatory that nothing can be mandatory......

 

[Bunnykid68]

It should be mandatory that nothing can be mandatory......

Finally, a mandate I can live with

 

[SnoopLoggyDog]

Glad Dad taught me how to drive a manual. When stationed overseas, manuals were everywhere. Amazing how few Americans can drive a stick.

 

[Aggar]

I learned to drive on a 48 Willys jeep in a pasture. Also rode 3 and 4 wheelers and then the tractors around 8 years old. Being on a farm stick shift was a requirement.

 

[22rssix]

If I didnt have traffic to deal with a 5/6 speed would be nice.

I also grew up on dirtbikes and quads and got a Ranger after my car got stolen. I went with a 5 speed due to the cost.

The night before buying the truck I went with my brother and his now wife to a meijer parking lot for a crash course. I just started/stopped and backed up a few times and that was it. Riding dirtbikes and quads gave me the concept of what to do. After that I tore the truck up and blew the motor some how. You would think at 36K it would have lasted longer.

I did teach my wife while in Mexico to drive a rental Jeep with a 5speed. Now that was funny. It was like a roller coaster..... everyone was laughing as we bounced around without hydros or airbags....LOL

 

[Benny]

I absolutely HATE automatic transmissions... and refuse to own one.

I was never given real manual lessons... When I was 19, my father drove me to Illinois to pick up an 89 Mustang GT. He did the test driving and gave me the nod that it was good to go. I handed over the cash and got the keys. My father simply said "Good luck getting home" and drove off away in his truck.

By the time I made the 300+ mile journey back, I had it down pat.

LOL!

I would have been nervous as hell...I learned in an empty parking lot.

(BTW, I've always owned automatics, but could pass a driving test...I still hate stopping on hills when a car is behind me)

 

[jeremy]

The truck I learned to drive on as a Teenager had two transmissions and 18 gears...

 

[flagtag]

My first manual was a VW Squareback. (stationwagon) My friend took me to look at it, I bought it, she drove it home for me, then taught me how to drive it. (Boy! I wish I had that car back!!)

I had a Geo Metro (3 speed) when I was driving simi's and nearly broke my arm and the gear shift when I left the truck and got into that little car!

Now, I have an automatic GMC truck and a Saturn 5 speed. The Saturn is great on gas (and speed), but it's so tiny inside that this old/fat body complains every time I drive it. (Climbing in and out of a "hole".) ALL kinds of SPACE in the truck!

 

[confused89]

Isn't there a restriction on CDLs that limits you to automatics if you tested on an automatic?
I learned and tested on a manual, but I thought I heard that somewhere.

I have been told that but have yet to verify it.

 

[Brandon]

i learned in my friends s10 for about 10 minutes if that. when i took a job at lowes in delivery i had to take a road test for lowes and of course they are all sticks. i later decided to have a car that was a stick.... ive now had 3 sticks... the M5 being the best of the 3 ive had all that power in a 4 door with a stick... LOVE IT.

 

[canav844]

I don't support any "common sense" driving laws including training to drive a car....oh wait that's right, drivings not a right; wrong discussion.

I've driven a stick shift car since I had my license, my girlfriend doesn't and refuses to learn because those that attempted to teach her weren't all that good at it; her not knowing does give me concern that if something were to happen to me if we drove somewhere that she would be stuck and unable to drive to get help. That has made it feel like more of a liability in recent years. But, better mpg, a little more fun, fewer parts to break, and thanks to stop and go traffic, unbelievable calf muscles.

 

[Brandon]

I have been told that but have yet to verify it.

Not sure, but there is nothing on my cdl that says automatic only. I tested in an auto. bus and all that is on my license is class b cdl, public passengers and school bus endorsements.

 

[tv1217]

BMV: Endorsements and Restrictions

According to that, the restriction exists (E on the license)

 

[Rayne]

We made it mandatory for our kids. If they wanted to get their license they had to be able to drive our manual truck. Not a problem for our son who had been driving since he could reach the peddles. Our daughter on the other hand gripped a lot but we didn't budge. She learned to drive our old manual truck with real sloppy linkage...I know not exactly fair. She now drives semi's and any tractor on the place. .