The lost art of...

[Shift]

Driving a stick.

Seems like nobody my age (24) can drive one....I don't get it....

I grew up sitting next to dad shifting the 4 on the floor..

I've been driving a semi since I was 19 and have driven a 3 on the tree and an 18 speed and everything in between...

Why are people so lazy? I will never buy anything with an automatic transmission....And I've lived in the stop and go inner city my whole life.


Sorry....Frustrated because I just had to go pick up a drunk friend because none of his 4 buddies could drive a 5 speed.

 

[gunman41mag]

The last two trucks I bought have been automatics, hope I don't forget how to drive stick shift

 

[96firephoenix]

I hate driving my fiance's automatic. I keep stepping where the clutch should be... not sure there's not a dent there from hitting the floorpan so many times trying to clutch in.

Can't spell Manual without Man.

 

[jd4320t]

The last two trucks I bought have been automatics, hope I don't forget how to drive stick shift

I think it's impossible to forget. I've been a city boy for six years now but I can still jump in a manual transmission truck, semi, tractor or combine and it all comes right back to me

 

[dans4420]

but how can the people of my generation text while shifting?

 

[Jacobm]

My kids are your age and they learned from driving an old 5 speed farm truck thru the fields after the crops were out. They also learned where to hook the tractor chain when stuck, that tractors can pull off auto body parts, that's it's a long walk back if you are stupid, etc.
I too have driven a wide range of manual trans vehicles. Now being on the south side of 50 and hauling nothing more than a 5th wheel camper I just want to put it in "D" and go.
No more dealing with stop and go traffic and a heavy clutch for me.

 

[chuddly]

I have 3 cars (not counting my wifes) and all 3 are sticks. I wish my daily commuter car was an automatic because traffic sucks with a stick...but its not that big of a deal.

 

[kbailey]

You just need to spend more time around farm kids. I'm 28 and have a '98 Cummins 5-speed and a '53 Chevy 3600 pickup with 4 on the floor. Both are very enjoyable to drive unless you are following a school bus that stops every 50 feet or driving downtown where you hit a red light or stop sign every 100 ft.

 

[chef larry]

Driving stick is a lost art, but a good anti-thieft device for thiefs and car jackers. Like that commerical PRICELESS.

 

[Leo]

I have had many cars that were manual shift. Some of my old british sports cars even had a non sychronized first gear that required double clutching to engage on a rolling downshift.

I have had to teach several girlfriends including the one I married to drive a manual. No big deal, just like dancing, you have to make the steps in order.

Especially in urban areas, I really appreciate an automatic transmission. Having to sit for hours at a time in stop and go traffic after work every evening is really inconvienent, and more so with a manual transmission. Clutch life is pretty short when that is your normal commute. Plus, who wants to manual shift a Grand Marquis or a Lincoln?

 

[perry]

I hate driving my fiance's automatic. I keep stepping where the clutch should be... not sure there's not a dent there from hitting the floorpan so many times trying to clutch in.

Can't spell Manual without Man.

I have a 5spd Mazda 3 that I bought new in August 2007. It was my first 5spd and the car salesman ended up teaching me how to drive stick on the test drive (of a different car ) Well, I had driven a college friend's 5spd a couple times before but it had been several years. He wanted someone to be able to drive his car in case he got drunk and needed it driven home.

We have minivans at work. On several occasions I have almost put my passenger through the windshield when coming to a stop and pressing down on the pedal under my left foot.

 

[grahamsy2k]

Driving a stick.

Seems like nobody my age (24) can drive one....I don't get it....

I grew up sitting next to dad shifting the 4 on the floor..

I've been driving a semi since I was 19 and have driven a 3 on the tree and an 18 speed and everything in between...

Why are people so lazy? I will never buy anything with an automatic transmission....And I've lived in the stop and go inner city my whole life.


Sorry....Frustrated because I just had to go pick up a drunk friend because none of his 4 buddies could drive a 5 speed.

Hey hey, I am 19. I had a 1991 BMW e30 what was a stick... And I taught my girlfriend(20) how to drive stick. She also now drives a Subaru which is also a stick. My brother(21) drives a stick. And a couple of my friends know how too.

 

[88GT]

Oh, yes, I know I feel superior to people when I can drive a stick and they can't.

 

[ws6guy]

A lot of cars and trucks don't offer manuals anymore. If they would put a manual in a 1/2 ton truck with a v8 then I would buy it. I drove nothing but manuals until 2005 when I needed a new truck, it took a long time to get use to an auto. I still have my firebird that's a stick while I only drive it about 200 miles/year it is still like second nature to grab gears.

 

[CountryBoy19]

Driving a stick.

Seems like nobody my age (24) can drive one....I don't get it....

I grew up sitting next to dad shifting the 4 on the floor..

I've been driving a semi since I was 19 and have driven a 3 on the tree and an 18 speed and everything in between...

Why are people so lazy? I will never buy anything with an automatic transmission....And I've lived in the stop and go inner city my whole life.


Sorry....Frustrated because I just had to go pick up a drunk friend because none of his 4 buddies could drive a 5 speed.

You must certainly be my younger brother...

He will be 24 in a bit over a month. We all grew up driving sticks. He now has his CDL and his own semi on the farm. I can still drive a stick, but I don't drive semi just because I don't have my CDL.

 

[CindyE]

i like manual transmissions, but my last 2 have been automatics (other than my motorcycle), just because that's what was available. my ex was against helping my daughter buy and learn how to drive a stick when she was a teen, for some dumb reason. she's 30 now and still drives a manual.

 

[findingZzero]

Try finding a car with a stick.

 

[eldirector]

My wife can't drive a manual. I've tried to teach her, but she doesn't see the point. Heck, some new cars can PARK themselves. Why not let them shift gears, too?

My old Jeep is a 4-speed. I wish my newer one was a stick, but I couldn't pass up the deal.

I much prefer the control and "feel" of a manual. Then again, I also enjoy the experience of driving, not just getting from point A to B.

 

[hooky]

Wifey's car is a 5 speed. I grew up driving manual transmission trucks of all sizes. I'll haul grain on occasion in the old man's semi.

I'll never buy another vehicle with a manual transmission. PITA

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

Don't worry about forgetting. After my first Mustang got wrecked, it was 17 years until I could get another one. It was a little bumpy at first, but a couple of minutes and I was back in the saddle. Taught myself on a 5L/5sp.