Question Of The Day, Friday, May 3

[Winchester]

Good morning! And Happy Friday!

I saw a blurb on tv the other night where only 18% of Americans know how to drive a stick-shift. Only 5% of all vehicles sold in the US have a manual transmission. I don't know; I rather find that sad. I guess it's because I enjoy driving stick so much. That's part of the reason I kept Clarence; he's got a stick and I've always loved tooling around town with him. It's a little difficult to find a car anymore that's got a manual tranny.

Do you know how to operate a manual transmission? Do you have a vehicle with a stick-shift? Why or why not?

As I said, Clarence has a stick. Our Tucson is automatic. Rick's Tundra is automatic.

 

[Mia6]

I know how to drive one. I've only owned one car with an automatic tranny.
I don't own a car anymore .

 

[muffy]

I learned on a manual transmission and I never had a stick. All of my cars have been manual.

 

[verna davies]

I have own both in my time but prefer a stick shift mainly because thats what I'm used to.

 

[mightyboosh]

only 18% of Americans know how to drive a stick-shift. Only 5% of all vehicles sold in the US have a manual transmission.

Now ya talking! cars yeah!
It's more than the opposite over here, the tradition being stick except for posh cars.
I now have an auto and it's fantastic due to being a modern one with seamless changes. I also have the option of paddle shifts on the steering wheel and sequential shifts using the auto control stick. So, three ways to get the gears changed.

 

[maggiedemi]

I can only drive an automatic. My friend tried to teach me stick shift and I ruined her car! I don't know what I did to it, but she never drove it again.

 

[rubysmama]

I learned on, and have only driven cars with an automatic transmission.

I have no idea how to drive a car with a manual transmission, and would expect that if I ever tried, I'd hear horrible grinding noises, as the car moaned and groaned begging me to stop torturing it.

 

[di and bob]

I grew up on a manual transmission, it is like riding a bike, you might be a little rusty but you never forget! We have 3 vehicles right now and all are automatic.

 

[Kat0121]

I learned on, and have only driven cars with an automatic transmission.

I have no idea how to drive a car with a manual transmission, and would expect that if I ever tried, I'd hear horrible grinding noises, as the car moaned and groaned begging me to stop torturing it.

Same here. I have no desire to learn anything else. Automatic is the new standard IMO.

 

[betsygee]

I drove a Mini Cooper with a stick for ten years. I'd been thinking about getting a new car since the Mini was getting kind of rattly, and then I broke my shoulder and couldn't drive a stick, so that speeded up my decision. I got a new Mini, but an automatic this time.

 

[Kat0121]

I drove a Mini Cooper with a stick for ten years. I'd been thinking about getting a new car since the Mini was getting kind of rattly, and then I broke my shoulder and couldn't drive a stick, so that speeded up my decision. I got a new Mini, but an automatic this time.

They are such cute cars

 

[Tobermory]

My boyfriend in college had a bright orange Vega with a stick (remember those? exploding gas tanks?) and taught me to drive it. In the years since, I’ve had only one car with a stick—a Mazda GLC (remember those? Great Little Car? ). My brother and I inherited this weird must-have-a-new-car-every-three-years gene from my dad, so I’ve had a lot of cars.

We currently have an automatic, which is my car (named Gus), and a six-speed manual Mini Cooper, which is The Spouse’s. It took awhile for me to get used to driving the Mini (named Bertie) because the space between the gears is very small and I kept throwing it into the wrong gear. But it’s incredibly fun to drive.

 

[Willowy]

I've always intended to learn, but I don't know anyone who has one I could learn on . The DMV should have some cars people could borrow for that purpose, lol.

 

[cassiopea]

I learned to use a stick shift in my preteen and teen years through my dad, but never owned a car with one. I admit I like being spoiled with an automatic

 

[Graceful-Lily]

Manual always seemed like so much work and I hate how the veichle jerks around when you change gears. Not a nice ride IMO.

 

[denice]

I learned on a stick shift, the old 3 on a column, and have owned a stick in the past. It has been years since I had a car with a stick shift and much prefer an automatic. I was always nervous when I had to stop on a hill and someone pulled right up on my back bumper.

 

[MonaLyssa33]

I've only ever driven automatics. I'd like to learn how to drive a stick, but nobody I know has one.

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

i no longer drive. i learned to drive on an automatic, my first car was an automatic, then my second car was a stick......and i learned to drive stick by driving it!

denice , funny that you mention having to stop on a hill with another car pulled right up on your back bumper! that happened to me within a few days of buying my second car. and it was a very steep hill, with several cars very close behind me/each other -- rush hour traffic. i had to think through exactly what i needed to do, and do right the first time......and when i was able to handle that, i knew i'd be fine driving stick shift.

 

[kashmir64]

I learned to drive on a '52 International truck with a column shift. Up until the last 10 years every car I owned had been a stick (and a truck). Now it's an automatic Camry.

 

[catapault]

Big - no, make that HUGE - advantage of a stick shift is that if the starter motor goes out and you cannot get it repaired right away just park pointing downhill. When it's time to get going put it in neutral, let it roll, pop the clutch, shift into 1st gear and away you go. Guess how I know . . .

Editing to add the query - am I confusing stick shift with manual transmission? I think of stick shift as 3 pedals on the floor - brake, gas, clutch, and a stick to shift gears.