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

[protege]

I forgot to mention that my MGB GT is a stick. You could get it with an automatic, but of the half-million MGBs made from 1962-80, it was rarely, if ever ordered. I've only seen one...as most owners preferred the 4-speed Now that mine is nearly finished, I have to remember that reverse is on the *left* side of the gate

One car I couldn't *stand* as a stick, was my parents' '97 Saturn SL. I managed to stall that thing out at every damn stop sign I'd become so used to my Toyota's smooth transmission, I simply wasn't prepared for it. With the SL, I had to stay in the gears longer (ignore that stupid shift light) to maintain momentum on the hills.

[Andara Bledin]

*blinks* Isn't reverse normally on the left? I've only driven one manual that wasn't.

A manual is actually pretty easy to learn, if the person teaching knows what they're doing. And the first thing to be done is to have the person about to learn, watch the teacher, while the teacher explains what they're doing as they drive.

My uncle (the one who 'taught' me how) was not only a lousy teacher, but he was pretty bad at driving a manual, too. But I'm mechanically inclined, so once I knew the basics, I was good to go. It doesn't hurt that I've always listened to when my cars shift gear.

A big tip my mother gave me that really, really helped is that you push/release the clutch with your whole leg. You don't just tilt your foot at the ankle like you do with the gas or break. The difference in control over how much clutch you're using is amazing.

^-.-^

[Tigress]

Now I feel silly. When coming home from the Ren Fair tonight, I dropped my car down to third gear to better handle the dirt road we were traveling on. Then when I got out on the highway, I was wondering why my car was working so hard to get up to speed.

Oops! I forgot to put it back in drive. A quick shift and my car was happy again. And I rag on my husband for my knowing more about cars than him. I won't be living this down for a while.

[TrainedChimp]

Oops! I forgot to put it back in drive. A quick shift and my car was happy again. And I rag on my husband for my knowing more about cars than him. I won't be living this down for a while.

Sure you will just don't let him find out.

Wait, was he in the car with you?

[RichS]

I rode motorcycles before I was taught how to drive a stick, from my dad, on a 4-speed '83 Escort wagon. What an awful experience...until I got the chance to get an '85 Omni GLH.

Refined?...no, but it was fun. One of the saddest days I had was when I had to sell it.

I wouldn't mind getting another car with a manual, but minivans don't come with one.

[Tigress]

Sure you will just don't let him find out.

Wait, was he in the car with you?

He was.

[myswtghst]

I had a friend teach me to drive stick in his Golf when we were younger, for fun, in a high school parking lot. This was after working as a valet and being THE ONLY ONE on the lot who didn't know how to drive stick. We had a system going, where we wrote a note on the tags for my sake, so I didn't run out to get a car I couldn't drive, but it was definitely a big ol' pain when someone forgot.

[protege]

*blinks* Isn't reverse normally on the left? I've only driven one manual that wasn't.

It seems to be a European thing. All the Japanese cars I've driven, and some of the American ones have it on the right.

[ahanix1989]

My car had two transmission options: 3-speed automatic, or 4-speed automatic w/ overdrive.

Thank goodness we have the 4-speed. Never knew a 5500-pound fullsize conversion van with a big-ass V8 engine could get nearly 21mpg (11.2 liters per 100km)

I know how to drive a stick just enough to get me to Advance Auto Parts to get whatever tool I need to fix the van.

[Mikkel]

Again... HOLY CRAP :O

How the hell does he shift and steer with one arm? :\

If you really want to know: you wait for a more or less straight bit of road before you shift, and steer with a knee, just in that halfsecond you shift.
I won't advice it in rushhour but it works fine .

[cheese]

Its strange how different it is here, everyone I know learnt to drive in a manual car and has a manual license, I think its pretty rare to have just an automatic one. Also everyone I know drives a manual car, I don't think I've been in an automatic for a long time. I think having an automatic would take all the fun out of driving, personally

[Emrld]

On this side of the pond . . . at least in Texas . . .you get a drivers license to operate a car/ truck/ SUV. It does not mater the type of transmission.
Granted it is necessary to get a different license for large semi- trucks, motorcycles, and limosine services. But, not automativ vs manual tranmission.

[Andara Bledin]

Also everyone I know drives a manual car, I don't think I've been in an automatic for a long time. I think having an automatic would take all the fun out of driving, personally

Rush hour is what takes all the fun out of driving.

An automatic transmission just makes rush hour a little less painful.

^-.-^

[Shengirl]

I don't know of anywhere in the US that specifies what kind of transmission you can drive. I didn't know they did that in the UK, but hey - you learn something new ever day.

[Spiffy McMoron]

I think having an automatic would take all the fun out of driving, personally

Having arrow-straight roads here takes all of the fun out of driving--on the 22 mile commute to high school, I had to turn 5 times:

Mile 0.1: Turn right onto grid road
Mile 6: Turn left onto highway
Mile 21: Gentle left down into river valley (highway speeds)
Mile 21.25: Gentle right going back up river valley (Slowing to enter town)
Mile 21.75: Turn left onto main street

We had some relatives that came over from Scotland that who had rented a car at the airport. They wanted to go to the nearby "city" of about 15 000-18 000 people for a day (It's about an hour's drive away). We gave them directions to there from our house. They read the directions, and then they asked for the rest of the directions--we only needed to write three turns on the sheet of paper! (Left, right, then left again)

Anyway, getting back onto the topic of sucky customers:

I was a "sucky customer".

This happened during my freaking amazing company trip. You need to have a "basic proficiency with a manual transmission". I kinda did--I learned to drive a stick about 7-8 years ago using my uncles battered 1984 Dodge 2500--a four-speed that you had to manhandle like you're swinging a baseball bat with one hand--and I drove an ex's manual Kia once a couple of years ago.

That was proficient enough for me!

But I get there, and I'm wedged into a cockpit designed for a 14-year-old European. (I'm not making that up, either--that's where the cars started life at, and who was first using them) And then the gear shift is pointed out to me...and it's the size of a friggin' grape on a drinking straw. Remember how I learned to shift? Not gonna happen--we were specifically instructed to gently guide it into gear using our thumb, pointer and middle fingers. The tach had to be nailed to 2000 rpm's for it to even think about leaving the pits. Clutches in when starting, ease off gently...blah, blah, balh, etc.

You got all of that? Well, at least you did.

I get into the car for the first time...and I stall out. I'm bump-started, out on the track, and I'm blushing. Second time...I stall out and they bump-start me. Third and fourth time...well, you know. Finally, on the fifth and final time, I got it right! (Naturally, this was the time that they got mechanics ready to bump-start me. )