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Post by doctork on Nov 13, 2015 19:35:47 GMT -5
And, if you can, do you drive a stick shift?
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Post by doctork on Nov 13, 2015 19:47:49 GMT -5
I am a confirmed stick shift enthusiast. I prefer to actually drive my car, so not only do I drive a car with manual transmission (the car I drive comes ONLY with manual, no automatic available), I rarely use Automatic Speed Control. Nope, I watch/feel/hear the rpm's and go by that.
I was prompted to ask this question because reviewing all the WSJ's that arrived while I was away for two weeks, I noticed an article on Tuesday about how few US cars are now sold with stick shift, 7% now vs 30% in 1980. I am surprised it was that high in 1980.
The article noted that a manual transmission can be an auto theft deterrent because many would-be thieves don't know how to drive a stick. There were some comments on the "difficulty." I recall obtaining my very first car (graduation gift from my mom) from a friend of a friend about 40 miles from home. I learned to drive it on my way home, it wasn't that hard.
Another advantage for me with my stick shift - only one of our three teen-aged kids learned to drive it, so hardly any "Mom, can I borrow your car?"
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Post by joew on Nov 13, 2015 21:37:31 GMT -5
I can, but my current car, given to me by Mom when she stopped driving, is an automatic transmission 1997 Camry with just over 90,000 miles on it. I don't know if I'll need another car before I stio driving.
When I was driving in Ireland, I insisted on an automatic because, while I'm fine with shifting with my right hand, I was leery of trying to shift with my left at the same time I was learning to drive on the left side of the road.
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Post by joew on Nov 13, 2015 21:38:09 GMT -5
BTW, standard transmissions seem to standard outside the U.S.
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Post by doctork on Nov 14, 2015 9:59:58 GMT -5
BTW, standard transmissions seem to standard outside the U.S. Yes, the WSJ article quoted one driver who said he learned to drive a manual "to prepare for Europe." You can certainly rent automatics, but they cost more. I've never driven in England, but would probably opt for automatic there for the same reason you do - muscle memory trained to shift with the right hand, re-learning that while also remembering to "Keep to the left." |
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Post by Jane on Nov 14, 2015 10:49:00 GMT -5
No, I can't. I can't do anything that requires any dexterity at all. Can't swim, can't dance, can barely change a lightbulb.
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Post by booklady on Nov 14, 2015 14:03:22 GMT -5
I can (used to drive a VW bug) (an old one), but I don't. I have a 15-year-old dented Camry.
I also taught my younger son how to drive a stick shift when he was learning to drive! He did great!
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Post by dwarnold on Nov 14, 2015 18:13:10 GMT -5
I can, but it has been a while. I wonder if it is like riding a bike?
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Post by Jane on Nov 14, 2015 18:30:09 GMT -5
My mom tried to teach me to drive a stick shift since my dad said I couldn't get my license until I could drive my mom's car. She gave up and passed the duty on to a friend of mine. She tried really hard until I hit our insurance man's car. Consequently, I didn't get my license until I was 19 which I figured was my dad's intention all the time.
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Post by Jane on Nov 14, 2015 18:32:42 GMT -5
Needless to say, I also can't parallel park. (Nor can I spell it) I spend a lot of time circling the block until I find two or, even better, three spots that I can pull into.
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Post by doctork on Nov 14, 2015 20:15:50 GMT -5
Last Sunday I went to pick up the NY Times at the news stand in Winchester, and I had to parallel park for the first time in years, being as how I have lived outside the city for a while.
I attracted an audience! And really, it only took one try, I don't see what the fuss was about. Probably my bright blue sports car with the Arizona license plates - AZ 2468! like I am some AZ cheerleader or something. I was "inside the lines" and I did not hit anything, I guess they just don't see too many Arizona cars in Winchester, Virginia.
However, unless you are in San Francisco, parallel parking is not different whether it's a stick or an automatic.
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Post by gailkate on Nov 15, 2015 20:08:17 GMT -5
I drove a stick for years and really kind of prefer them in winter driving, especially on hills. But eventually my cranky back made it really hard to work the clutch, and I went to wimpy automatics. I didn't know they were getting rare. You mean all those macho guys in big trucks are just driving old lady transmissions? (''-)
I've been unable to comment for a while because my keyboard suddenly stopped typing. The backlighting still worked and the Best Buy geek tried everything to figure out what was wrong. Finally she said I'd just have to buy another one. I used Jerry's laptop to research and ended up ordering an identical keyboard, expecting to pick it up yesterday. I was bereft! But I dreamed that when I got up I'd find it had healed itself - and so it came to pass. Spooky.
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Post by BoatBabe on Nov 16, 2015 9:37:11 GMT -5
Oh, Cool Story, Gail! Yes, we depend on the self-healing powers of machines and electronics. My Dahhlink has the enviable skill of healing things by looking at them.
I can drive a stick and prefer driving a stick. My current car is an automatic, due to the hills and other drivers in Seattle.
I taught my son how to drive in my stick shift car. He did very well, but I got car sick. Fortunately, I always carry Sea-Bands with me and the driving lessons continued successfully.
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Post by gailkate on Nov 16, 2015 10:04:46 GMT -5
Sea-Bands? I'm imagining all kinds of powders and potions and magnetic bracelets - what are they? I was plagued by motion sickness as a child and still am whenever I'm not driving. Passenger beside a lurching new stick-driver sounds like pure hell, so do tell what these are. If they're only sold near oceans, I'll order online.
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Post by BoatBabe on Nov 17, 2015 9:43:09 GMT -5
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Post by liriodendron on Nov 17, 2015 22:45:35 GMT -5
I drive a stick. My Subaru Forester is a stick, just like the Subaru before it and the one before that. (Though in between Subaru #1 and Subaru #2 I drove a minivan that was not a stick. We bought the minivan after we had to make the decision to take either the double stroller OR our suitcases when we went on a vacation with two kids in car seats. We chose the double stroller and packed our clothes in backpacks and such and stuffed them in wherever they would fit. I was pretty happy when our oldest son did not manage to learn how to drive Subaru #2, which had been purchased as a third family vehicle when he got his driver's license, and I got to drive it while he made due with the minivan.)
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Post by BoatBabe on Nov 18, 2015 9:25:42 GMT -5
Oh Yeah, a son who is a new driver in a mini-van. That's such a good solution for hot rodding! Nice, Lirio!
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Post by brutus on Nov 19, 2015 22:40:22 GMT -5
Checking in, after such a long time, and this thread is going on. Most of you know I spent quite a few years behind the wheel of a big truck. Yes, they were "stick" transmissions. 13-speed, 15, 18,10,9, and a couple 5X4's. 5-speed main box with a 4-speed auxiliary gave you 20 speeds to work with. It becomes automatic, after a while. Don't even think about working the clutch which is, normally, used for starting out and stopping. The rest of the time, just let off the throttle, slip into neutral, and let it slip into the next gear, when the RPM's wind down enough, step on the throttle and go. Downshifting is done by getting into neutral, then easing into the throttle to raise engine speed to match the transmission and slip into the next lower gear.
Since I started working for the City, all I drive are automatics, even the dump trucks and the sewer vac trucks. Kinda makes one feel like he's missing out on something.
Personal vehicles are all automatics,now. Last pickup did have a 5-speed, though. I kinda miss the 13-speeds. They could be fun!
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Post by BoatBabe on Nov 20, 2015 8:59:26 GMT -5
Good to see you, ~B~!
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Post by brutus on Nov 20, 2015 9:12:28 GMT -5
Good to see you, too, BB, and everyone!
~B~
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Post by Jane on Nov 20, 2015 15:00:08 GMT -5
Hi, guy! Glad to see you in these parts.
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Post by jspnrvr on Nov 20, 2015 20:12:52 GMT -5
Yo, brutski! How you doin' feller?
I can drive a stick, I just haven't had one for a while. One that was real memorable was on my first truck, a '57 International half-ton. The shift was on the column, not the floor,Reverse, 1'st, 2nd and 3d, the old fashioned"H". I went up into 2nd one time and all of a sudden the shifter broke off right near the base and I'm sitting there in 2nd gear with a shift lever around loose in my hand! That's a real attention getter. I wound up getting over to the side of the road OK, rooted around and found a pair of channel locks in my tool box which I clamped on to the shifter stub and was able to get home. Plus get to a junk yard the next day and get a "new" shifter. Some of the stuff I went through and stunts I've pulled, it's a wonder I'm even here.
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Post by Jane on Nov 20, 2015 20:33:31 GMT -5
I think we could all say that. That's why we are so tense when our kids start driving. I'm staying at my daughter's tonight taking care of two of her sons while she takes the other two to an overnight waterpark visit. The 16 year old is out with his car. I hate it. He's supposed to be home at 11:30. For some reason, he didn't want to spend the evening with his grammy.
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Post by BoatBabe on Nov 21, 2015 14:13:43 GMT -5
Only a 16-year old would not want to spend the evening with his Grammy. Give him 20 years. He'll come around.
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Dopey Member
