Can You Drive A Standard

[valo403]

Originally Posted by polak

White yields to black. Boom. Done.

Much easier than driving stick.

All of those cars are white

[automaton 3]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

How many standard drivers can double clutch or have had to drive a vehicle that needed double clutching.

I do, we used to have an old '54(?) Dodge Truck with a hoist. Straight six and wow gutless.

I learned to drive on the grain trucks for the most part, not sure when first started but was on my own by 14.

[Nuje]

Originally Posted by Tiger

I was 16... My parents bought me a Standard, and said the best way to learn is go out and drive. I drove a standard a couple times before that with my learners.

If you want to drive in other countries (europe, S.A, etc) you should learn stick

Yep. My parents can't, and I had to drive an auto diesel focus wagon last year when I was there. I certainly seemed very slow off the line at the very least, plus I was used to driving just stick. Also, since it's mostly unique to North America that most people don't or can't drive stick, and it's expensive for us to fly to Europe, you pay a harsh premium to rent an auto for sure.

[polak]

Originally Posted by Tiger

I was 16... My parents bought me a Standard, and said the best way to learn is go out and drive. I drove a standard a couple times before that with my learners.

If you want to drive in other countries (europe, S.A, etc) you should learn stick

Yup, I've heard stories about people who rented a car in europe, asked for an auto but when they got their the company only had sticks. Never know.

Originally Posted by valo403

All of those cars are white

I meant the arrows.

[Nammer403]

Nope, 23 and never had the urge to learn but did wish I learned how to drive stick when I went to europe over the summmer

[jtfrogger]

Yes, I do. I only learned at the age of 29 or 30 when I was dating my wife and she had a standard. We still have the car as a second vehicle, but it will probably be sold if car2go becomes a bit more stable.

I don't really care if I drive automatic or standard. However, I would recommend that everyone learn how to drive standard. Pretty much all of the cars in Europe are standard. Trying to find a rental car that is automatic would probably be tricky.

[nik-]

I would refuse to buy a car without manual transmission. Which is why the IS350 broke my heart.

[J pold]

26. Yes I can and have driven one for the last 10 years. Sadly last summer I seriously injured my left knee and driving standard wouldn't be good for my recovery so I bought an automatic.

I have to admit that enjoy I the convenience of the automatic from time to time, but at the end of the day I miss my standard transmission. The driving experience is much superior and engaging.

Every man should know how to drive one. Just saying’

[Galakanokis]

36, first two cars were stick. Older brother taught me to drive. Sadly no stick now as it is virtually impossible to find a mini van with a manual transmission.

Really, really, really miss my Tacoma pickup truck. Awesome vehicle and stick is the only way to go when off road. Will buy another one once the little ones get a little older and we are not packing so much stuff around and the car dies.

[Kybosh]

Thirty years from now, the question will be "Can you drive an automatic?" when a lot of urban vehicles are computer controlled.

[Dion]

I was 20 years old when I learned to drive a standard. It was between my first and second year at NAIT in Edmonton. I applied for a summer job at a Honda dealership as a lot attendant. Manager asked if I could drive stick and I said nope. He tosses me some keys for a car out back and said go learn. By the end of the summer I could squawk the tires in all four gears.

That above said, all my own vehicles have been automatics.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Kybosh

Thirty years from now, the question will be "Can you drive an automatic?" when a lot of urban vehicles are computer controlled.

Easy there Popular Mechanics...

[CRXguy]

I'm 32 and yes I can. First time trying was when I was about 8-9 years old helping my uncle fix his '76 Civic. Have gone through about 6 cars and all but 2(SUV's) were manual transmission.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by InglewoodFan

Yup, I'm 42. Have always been able to drive a stick. But I can see it dying out. It's getting to be a bugger finding manual cars.

As for the traffic argument, I drove a manual Mini Cooper S in Toronto in 401/427 traffic for a year and it was never really a problem. Guess I'm just used to it.

The only downside is my current S4 is a stick and my GF can't (won't) drive standard.

Women seem to universally dislike driving. You have an S4, if that's not enough to inspire her to learn, you could bring home that Google car that drives itself and she'd take the passenger side.'

EDIT: And yes, I'm 24 years old, can drive a standard. For all the reasons others have mentioned it's a skill I'm pretty happy I have. On top of that, simply in terms of buying a car, it makes your life easier to be able to drive both. You could find several cars that are really good, fit the price points, etc but then if it's a standard, you're screwed. I don't for the life of me understand why it isn't mandatory to learn, TBH. You're noticeably more aware of your surroundings by necessity (Starting out) and I know that made me a better driver.

[puckluck2]

No because I don't want to. I'd never drive a standard, I'm too lazy to put it in drive some days.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by Iginla

No because I don't want to. I'd never drive a standard, I'm too lazy to put it in drive some days.

I can just picture you in your garage, revving the crap out of it in P.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Table 5

I can just picture you in your garage, revving the crap out of it in P.

You said pee

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by Iginla

No because I don't want to. I'd never drive a standard, I'm too lazy to put it in drive some days.

Originally Posted by Table 5

I can just picture you in your garage, revving the crap out of it in P.

"Put it in H!"

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Iginla

No because I don't want to. I'd never drive a standard, I'm too lazy to put it in drive some days.

It is good to know though in case in an emergency you need to drive one.

[Reaper]

I know how to drive stick but have yet to find a vehicle that I can both afford and fit into comfortably in order to do so. I'm put together weird so my hips do take some punishment when driving a manual transmission.