To Shift or Not to Shift?

[bobs66440]

That's the question...for those of us with teenagers about to enter the world of driving. Do you start them out on a stick-shift, or the easier automatic?

I learned on a '61 VW Bug and my first car was a '65 Ford pickup with three-on-the-tree. It was essentail to know how to drive a stick back then because there were so many around. But now...not so much.

My boy's first car will be a stick. I just see so many kids now that can't drive a standard and it just seems wrong to me. Is it even necessary any more?

How about yours?

[resq302]

When I was 16, I did my driving school with an auto trans the first day.  The instructor said I did such a good job he brought a manual trans pick up truck the next day and was impressed at how well I did with the manual trans.  (Little did he know that I already had my first car at my parents house and it was a Datsun 280ZX Turbo 5 speed that I had been practicing on in our driveway!)  Every vehicle up till my dads 97 Ram pickup I bought from him had been a manual trans.  Since then, my daily drivers have been automatics due to towing and the wife not knowing how to drive a stick shift.  My charger, however, is a 4 speed.   

[elacruze]

Stick, for sure.

I learned to drive on a tractor, and practiced shifting that unsynchronized bugger until it was smooth as glass. Scared the crap out of my Grandfather first time he rode with me after I learned that trick.
My first car was a '66 MGB. Although I've had many automatics and they have their place in traffic, boat ramps, and trailer pulling I have no love for them at all. It's in my .sig.

[speedfreak68]

The first vehicle I drove was a 95 ram with a V-10 an a 5-speed. I was 12, Over the years I REALLY learned how to drive it!! 

[stripedelete]

Don't make him take the test with a stick...


On the same subject....
Sportscaster in Atlanta told the story.  The plumber, at his house, was rushed to the hospital with a heart attack leaving his standard shift van blocking the drive.  He, along with the crowd of nieghbors, couldn't move it.  Finally, some went down the street and got 85 year old Mrs. X.   She moved the van.

[ITSA426]

I'm guardian of a 16 year old niece and she has been driving our newer Chargers and the Rumblebee; all automatics.  I recently picked up a five speed Neon for her to learn how to drive a stick.  She might never drive it after she has her license, and she won't take her test in it, but I think everyone should at least know how to drive one.  Just a useful life skill. 

I recently sold a 67 Coronet with three on the tree.  I was out of town for the delivery, and my bride had to call me when the shipper arrived because he didn't know how to drive it onto the transport truck. She couldn't remember where first and reverse are on the column shifter.  She learned to drive on a three speed but it was decades ago.

[General_01]

The car I mostly drove after I got my license was my dad's '77 Plymouth Volare. It was a slant six with a 4 speed overdrive. I did take the drivers test in my mom's '83 Dodge Omni w/auto though and 6 inches of fresh snow.

My wife can't drive a stick. She thinks she can, but she tried it many years ago and I have not let her do it since.

[TK73]

Drove a column 3spd ('50 Ford) once.  Just could not get it down. After somebody told me to get it in my head not to view the shifting facing the column but from the side.  Ah, GOT IT now...

Most cars are auto now but the ricer and turner guys like stick

[skip68]

Hey Dean, did you get your dad's 77 volare 4spd?  That would be a cool car to have.  As for learning to drive, I say every kid should know how to drive both auto and stick.

[twodko]

Don't make him take the test with a stick...

Good advce and I think every new driver should know how to operate a manual shift vehicle. 

[TruckDriver]

Don't make him take the test with a stick...

Good advce and I think every new driver should know how to operate a manual shift vehicle. 

Everyone should learn on stick I think. anyone can drive a automatic.

[Cooter]

Too many people don't/won't take the time to teach their kids to drive a stick anymore. Easier to just throw 'em into the street with an automatic and be happy. My boy BEGGED for his car to be a 4-speed and wouldn't hear of an automatic. Pretty pathetic that most of the kids today get their knowledge of driving from either Vin Diesel, or "Test Drive 5"....

Oh sure, they all THINK they can drive a striaght gear, but when it comes down to it, they have had no formal teaching and suck badly at it. My boy sees this on a daily basis. Parents buying their little Johnny/Susie a Brand new Mustang GT with a straight drive and the kid can't even make it two weeks be fore it needs a clutch. Too many pampered kids these days. The ones i love to hear about are the kids that say things like "Oh, that ones ok, but I want the stick shift if your gonna buy me a car Mom"...

I wished i had the balls to say something like that to my Dad. I'd still be picking my jaw up off the floor. You got what you got and that was it, but you knew how to drive a stick shift just in case you ever had to do so. Today, with cell phones and AAA, it would seem all kids need to do is "Call somebody" to make all their problems go away. Therefore, you have these "Brainless" morons stacking up vehiclkes left and right as Momma/Daddy will just buy them another one, when the REAL problem stems from not being taught how to freakin' drive...


Don't even get me started on Texting while driving...

[bobs66440]

Don't make him take the test with a stick...

No, the test will be with an automatic. Mine was...it was a 1970 Buick LeSabre. Huge boat but it sure did ride nice...

[tan top]

Don't make him take the test with a stick...

Good advce and I think every new driver should know how to operate a manual shift vehicle. 

Everyone should learn on stick I think. anyone can drive a automatic.

[General_01]

Hey Dean, did you get your dad's 77 volare 4spd?  That would be a cool car to have.  As for learning to drive, I say every kid should know how to drive both auto and stick.

My mom and dad gave it to me when I left for college. My sister ended up using it to trade in on a vehicle when I left it at mom and dad's to drive my '74 Charger for the summer. Oh well. They made up for it and found me a '77 Toyota Celica. I liked that car.

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

anyone can drive a automatic.

You've obviously never been to NYC then have you?

[Arthu®]

Learn them to drive a manual, it's invaluable. Maybe not in practice, because as I understand most cars in the US are automatics, but it teaches you about the inner workings of a car. It gives you more feeling for it and know what the effect of gears are. I still find it crazy that you can take your test in an automatic and still be allowed to drive a manual, here that is prohibited.

Why are you all advising against taking the test in a manual?

Arthur

[bobs66440]

I still find it crazy that you can take your test in an automatic and still be allowed to drive a manual, here that is prohibited.

You have to take separate tests for automatic and manual?
Here, they leave it up to the individulal to master the manual if they choose to go that route.

Why are you all advising against taking the test in a manual?

Arthur

Because there is less chance of making a mistake on the test if they don't have to worry about the clutch and shifting.



I wish they would give a separate test here for common sense...most people I commute with don't have it. Almost no-one uses their directional on the freeway anymore. Drives me nuts!  

[doctor4766]

Yep we also have the dumbass choice of an automatic or manual license.
If you only have an auto license you CANNOT drive a manual by law. If you get caught there are penalties.
I believe the automatic license should be banned myself as mastering a manual is REALLY NOT THAT HARD.
And if it IS too hard for some, even just for licensing purposes, I'd rather not share the road with those who are not coordinated enough to push a 3rd pedal and move a stick.
I learned to drive in a manual, my own car in my own time on back streets away from people and other obstacles.
Driving instructor lessons were a breeze after that.

[resq302]

I still find it crazy that you can take your test in an automatic and still be allowed to drive a manual, here that is prohibited.

You have to take separate tests for automatic and manual?
Here, they leave it up to the individulal to master the manual if they choose to go that route.

Why are you all advising against taking the test in a manual?

Arthur

Because there is less chance of making a mistake on the test if they don't have to worry about the clutch and shifting.



I wish they would give a separate test here for common sense...most people I commute with don't have it. Almost no-one uses their directional on the freeway anymore. Drives me nuts!  

Bob,

You mean that directional signals on cars now adays are not an extra cost option that people cant afford?  Here I thought they saved money by not buying that option so they could get the 26" blinged out rims and lowering kits!   

[bobs66440]

I still find it crazy that you can take your test in an automatic and still be allowed to drive a manual, here that is prohibited.

You have to take separate tests for automatic and manual?
Here, they leave it up to the individulal to master the manual if they choose to go that route.

Why are you all advising against taking the test in a manual?

Arthur

Because there is less chance of making a mistake on the test if they don't have to worry about the clutch and shifting.



I wish they would give a separate test here for common sense...most people I commute with don't have it. Almost no-one uses their directional on the freeway anymore. Drives me nuts!  

Bob,

You mean that directional signals on cars now adays are not an extra cost option that people cant afford?  Here I thought they saved money by not buying that option so they could get the 26" blinged out rims and lowering kits!   

There are times I feel like reaching in their window and breaking the damn directional lever off their steering column and yelling "There! You don't use the %*#@^?# thing anyway!" 

[stripedelete]

Who cares about directional levers?  Someone teach young drivers not to cruise in the left lane.  This practice has reached epidemic proportions in the 35 and under crowd.  Can't figure it out.  Is it an entitlement thing?

[doctor4766]

Who cares about directional levers?  Someone teach young drivers not to cruise in the left lane.  This practice has reached epidemic proportions in the 35 and under crowd.  Can't figure it out.  Is it an entitlement thing?

Hey it's the same the world over... except they cruise in the RH lane here 

[440]

Who cares about directional levers?  Someone teach young drivers not to cruise in the left lane.  This practice has reached epidemic proportions in the 35 and under crowd.  Can't figure it out.  Is it an entitlement thing?

Hey it's the same the world over... except they cruise in the RH lane here  

I'm guilty of cruising in the RH (fast) lane but I think it's by a bad habit. In the California Bay Area 90% of people drive 5 - 10 miles over the speed limit. Sit in the fast lane and cruise by everyone with a group of cars... As long as you're not the fastest car on the road you wont get a ticket

Here in SA people are the worst drivers in the world, and the speed limits are ridiculous. There are no freeways here and stop lights every block with a speed limit of only 60km's. 90% of the people drive 10Km's under the speed limit anyways and the traffic cameras are nuts, spend more time watching the speedo then the road itself. I got a speeding ticket for 73km's in a 60 within a month of buying a car here    

[Arthu®]

You have to take separate tests for automatic and manual?

If you took the test in a manual car you are allowed to drive both manual and automatics, if you took the test in a automatic you are just allowed to drive an automatic. In my opinion (unless you have a handicap that prevents you from being able to operate a manual) automatics should be banned from license tests all together. As mentioned before it really is not that hard.

Arthur

[hemigeno]

I fooled around a little with clutched equipment before getting my license (tractors & construction equipment), but did not practice driving a manual transmission car until later.  It was baptism-by-fire training too... my Grandfather and I had to travel about 4 hours to go to a construction site where we stayed for the week.  He tosses me the keys to his early-80's Ford Ranger 4cyl pickup and says "Can you drive a stick?"  "No", I replied - to which he says  "Well, you'll know by the time we get there."  It worked...

I tried teaching my younger sister how to drive a manual transmission many years later in my CJ5 Jeep with a pretty healthy 360cid engine.  You'd think with such light weight and tons of power it'd be hard to kill.  She became quite skilled at killing it, and gave up after only venturing out twice.

My wife learned to drive in a manual transmission miniSUV, but she definitely prefers slushboxes so we haven't owned a stick as a grocery-getter since getting married.  We bought an automatic for my oldest daughter when it was her time to learn, and daughter #2 who turns 16 next month is learning in the same car.  I wouldn't mind teaching both of them how to drive a stick, but we don't own a car suitable for learning (and no, I don't consider a 4-speed Hemicar or Daytona suitable for them to drive).  My guess is they'd be less than enthusiastic about learning, and would complain nonstop.  On the other hand, I plan to teach 12yr old Jonathan and the other two boys how to drive a stick one way or the other, even if their daily driver isn't a stick.  That's just something I want them to learn.

[gtx6970]

I learned on a tractor back in the early 70's , then it was time for my dads 3 speed on the column F150 pickup

my girls will know how to drive a manual trans vehicle

[Manfred318]

I tought myself to drive a manual on an '87 Mazda truck. Dad bought it to drive to work, but didnt like it so he left it for me and said "If you want to go anywhere youll learn to drive it" It worked.

[dodgeboy67]

i just bought "my son" a 1999 3/4 ton ram 4x4 360 5speed. thats what he will learn on and drive, or he will walk

[bakerhillpins]

Who cares about directional levers?  Someone teach young drivers not to cruise in the left lane.  This practice has reached epidemic proportions in the 35 and under crowd.  Can't figure it out.  Is it an entitlement thing?

I think it's a south eastern thing. I lived in VA for several years and it was absolutely maddening. I believe it is a direct result of the 4 lane by-ways that seem to be prolific in that area of the US. 2 lanes in each direction with lights and cross traffic, WTH? Not as bad up here in NE (New England).

My kids will be learning stick at some point. They are going to end up with my econobox commuter when the time comes and it's a 5spd.

Learning to drive stick was a humbling experience in town but well worth it. Manual transmissions are tons of fun. With any luck I will end up with a 4spd charger.

[mikesbbody]

In New Zealand, you can take your test in a Auto yet still have a licence to drive both Auto and Manual. Before I had Car's I had motorcycles so i knew the concept of changing Gears. But my First 2 Car's were Auto's. My 3rd car was a manual Toyota. I'd driven Trucks, but never a Manual Car up until then! This Guy was selling the car across the street from where I lived he gave me the Keys and said "take her for a drive" and I was like "can you come with me" (felt like a idiot asking but just incase something went wrong  ) so, after a bit of hopping to get her moving, I had a short test drive, got him to drive the Car back and bought it. I learnt to drive a Manual Car in that Toyota by myself just getting better everyday (no Power steering a very basic Car) My Charger is a Auto, my daily Driver's I have owned over the years have been a pretty even split of Auto's and manuals. If I don't own a Manual, every so often I will buy one as my Daily Driver just so i don't lose the feel of changing Gears.