Back up......No don't back up!

[Jadedcarguy]

I was reminded of this incident from a few years back by this thread, and I didn't want to hijack, so here ya go.

The dealer I used to work at was showing a used Honda to a girl and her father. This girl had just gotten her license, and this Honda was a stickshift. Guess what she'd never driven before? If you guessed lawn tractor, you're technically correct but still no cookie.

The salesman had pulled the car to the front of the store and nosed it into a parking space, and noob driver was behind the wheel. The salesman got into the passenger side, and as soon as he shut the door the front tires lit up ad the car shot backwards out of the spot into a parked Lincoln Navigator.

The Honda was several years old and she pretty much wiped the back end off of it. The body shop totaled it. The Navigator was not totaled but the damage took out the fender, door, wheel, running board, and suspension arms on the right side.

Of course she wasn't asked to pay for it, that's why dealers have insurance. But seriously folks, if your going to buy a stickshift car, learn to drive one first! And doing it on the test drive doesn't count!

[mattm04]

My worst nightmare job: DMV guy that goes around with drivers who are getting licenses. Getting into a car with a complete stranger AND having no clue if they have any clue as to what they are doing.

[solemnwarning]

Doesn't automatic transmission just encourage stupidity while driving?
I mean, you don't need to understand much to drive automatic, and it's ineffecient anyway

[iradney]

Doesn't automatic transmission just encourage stupidity while driving?

Not really. My Mom drives an automatic, and she's the safest driver on Earth. Seriously. She's been driving for near 40 years now, and the ONE accident she's been in, is from a truck ramming into her from behind, coz his brakes failed.

[symposes]

there is no real difference between automatics and manuals now adays.

My current car, was my first manual car, and i had never driven a manual before this one.(except motorcycles)
hehe. But I also didnt have any dangerous test driving.

[earl colby pottinger]

Yeah, right!

Doesn't automatic transmission just encourage stupidity while driving?
I mean, you don't need to understand much to drive automatic, and it's ineffecient anyway

That explains why almost every idiot who revs his engine at me while I am waiting at the stoplights has his hand on a stick-shift.

Just saying that what type of transmission you have says nothing about how much brains you have.

Plus, when the waste products hit the air movement device I want to be able concentrate on the road for the five (yes five) idiots spinning out of control in front of me, not on gear shifting.

[marlovino]

What's funny for me is that I have been riding motorcycles for several years and I still can't drive a manual transmission. (Well, I have not tried lately so I am not 100% sure)





p.s. On the thread title, Nice Travelocity - "Roaming Gnome" quote.

[Emrld]

My Mom only drives Automatic - ergo they only buy Automatic - and I have only driven Automatic.
Course my car now has the option of automatic - or the no clutch push up/down to change gear. Course to drive it that way you need to know when to tell it to shift . . .and that is knowledge I do not have.

Solemanwarning - your transmisson does not effect your brain - or your skill set when behind the wheel.

No matter what transmission - you have to be aware of your surroundings, pay attention to speed limit and speed of traffic, acceleration and braking speed of your vehicle and those around you. In otherwords their are many factors involved in driving above and beyond what gear is my car in. Where I live their are way more Automatics over Manual on the road.

[Primer]

I would prefer to drive a stick, except for two little problems--bad right arm and bad left hip. Makes it hard to handle the stick (north America), and hit a clutch pedal. I do much prefer the control a standard affords, though.

[Imogene]

I mean, you don't need to understand much to drive automatic, and it's ineffecient anyway

Understanding doesn't factor into it for me. I'm still weak on my left side from the stroke. I only barely am able to hit the parking brake on my car (left foot), plus, to shift, I'd have to take my one hand (I drive using only my right hand.) off the steering wheel. Not a wise idea.

[otakuneko]

Speed limit is way down on my list of priorities while driving, near the bottom in fact. I'm far more concerned about what the other cars are doing, than in the arbitrary number the local government has decided is "safe."


The only time I've even considered a stick shift is when I was shopping for my current car. Since I wanted to buy it outright (what do you not understand about NO PAYMENTS?) I was looking mainly at used cars. An Acura dealership had a car they would've given me for a song, only it was a stick. I said I'd buy it, despite the damaged tail light (the red lens was missing a piece, but intact for the most part and the light worked), if I could actually drive the thing. After the salesman pulled the car around and we were about to get in, his manager came and told him that he absolutely could not sell it with even that slight amount of damage. Oh well. Their loss -- I ended up getting a used Impala in pristine condition from the chevy dealer. Spent a lot more, but I love it. The other car would've been a temp job that I wouldn't have cared about.

[solemnwarning]

What I meant about the manual transmission comment is that it requires less concentration and one less arm, allowing the stupid to yak on phones/fiddle around with things while driving

[Raieth]

Then you haven't watched semi-truck drivers

At my work my delivery driver talks on his phone and drinks his coffee while driving a 35ft fully loaded truck that also happens to be stick. It's very impressive.

[solemnwarning]

Then you haven't watched semi-truck drivers

At my work my delivery driver talks on his phone and drinks his coffee while driving a 35ft fully loaded truck that also happens to be stick. It's very impressive.

I'm assuming that's while crusing on a motorway in a higher gear so he doesn't need to shift?

...HOLY SHIT :O

EDIT: This might look like a sarcastic remark, but it isn't

[Raieth]

Naw this is when he's pulling in to my parking lot and stopping.

also 9 times out of 10 he unloads my order while talking on his cellphone.