Q for Americans and those living in the US - Can you drive a car w/a manual transmission?

[Stretch]

Hell, I've driven both right-hand-drive and left-hand-drive manual cars on different sides of the road in the course of a single day. That will mess with your head!

[14ledo81]

Hell, I've driven both right-hand-drive and left-hand-drive manual cars on different sides of the road in the course of a single day. That will mess with your head!

My first two vehicles were manuals. I would like to have another one someday. I still would not want to try the above though.

[nevets88]

Hell, I've driven both right-hand-drive and left-hand-drive manual cars on different sides of the road in the course of a single day. That will mess with your head!

How about right-hand-drive using US roads (go north on right side)? I've also seen cars where the shifter is on the base of the steering wheel.

Of course.

BTW, you have a curious posting pattern, Steven. :)

Ha ha. Inspired by posts on social media sites and other forums.

http://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/1smvas/good_guy_new_manual_driver/

Funny comment from above thread: manual transmission = anti-theft package. LOL

[joekelly]

'51 Chevy coupe 3 on the column, '51 GMC pickup, Morris Minor 4 on the floor, Datsun 280z 5 speed, Saab 900 5 speed ...  now on foot.,

[vasaribm]

I have always driven a manual car (3 cars total).  It's the first "option" I will look for when it comes time for a new car.

My wife does not know how to drive manual, but would like to learn.  I will attempt to teach her before getting a new car.  For the time being though I enjoy a working transmission...

[Ernest Jones]

I love driving a stick shift! That's how I learned to drive. [quote name="flopster" url="/t/71484/q-for-americans-and-those-living-in-the-us-can-you-drive-a-car-w-a-manual-transmission/0_100#post_929020"]I got a funny story about stick shifts even though some of you may have had something similar happen as well. 20 years ago I owned a little pickup with a 5 speed and my owned a Nissan sentra  ser model with auto, anyways anyone that knows about that model sentra is that it's the sport edition with of course 4 wheel disc and ABS on a car that weighs less than 2500 pounds soaking wet. Well one day I was driving her car for one reason or another and I was almost home and for some reason lifted that left foot of mine and MASHED that pedal to the floor . . . could not breathe for about 15 seconds after that, I swear that car went from 35 to 0 in about 6 feet. [/quote] Lmao, I have done that more times than I can count. Now when I drive an automatic I wedge my left foot under the seat so I remember. Funny thing is, your right foot is "trained" not to mash down pedals - gas, brakes - your left foot only knows one move and it's the mash. In high school I almost put my girlfriend through the windshield with that move!

[butt3r3dt0ast]

I learned to drive in a stick shift. And there are definitely less and less drivers able to operate manual vehicles these days!

[Yukari]

Until my present car, all my previous cars have been manual transmission.  Love the control of acceleration and deceleration with the manual transmission.

Seems none of my friends know how to drive a manual transmission car, though.

[nevets88]

Well, if I were going by this thread, I'd think everyone drives a stick.

Obviously, knowing how to drive a manual is especially helpful overseas but I found it interesting that I had no problems renting a manual in the UK with my NYC driver's license - our driving tests are way easier to pass compared to that of other countries.

I wonder what the percentages are say 1983 vs 2013? If I were to guess 20% vs 5% now. Are automatics now as fuel efficient as manuals?

[hacker101]

My first car was a 67 VW bug, with a crank sunroof. I rebuilt it from ruins. I owned many many cars, all old and manual. One summer, I drove my uncle's 54 VW bug with a double clutch.

I had manual transmission up till I got married and both daily use vehicles in the family needed automatic transmission. I have to admit it is a little easier to operate in heavy traffic.

Lihu,

Funny my first car was a 58 Bug, re-built from the ground up, had a 52 small window almost stock except for the eng. Chopped a 52 but that one was not stock we used to go to OC to race them in the days.

But I learned on a Ford Fiesta that had a stick and took my test on that. My kids have no idea what a manual trans is, matter of fact a buddy has a Dodge truck with crank windows and my son asked how to roll them up a couple years ago, I was LMAO.

But now you can get a manual and auto in one our BMW's have them a lot more fun to drive if you ask me.

[Lihu]

Hell, I've driven both right-hand-drive and left-hand-drive manual cars on different sides of the road in the course of a single day. That will mess with your head!

Did you drive from HK to China and back?

That's pretty much what they do every morning. I commuted to Donguan from HK for about a month.

[RPMPIRE]

I learned to drive on an automatic and then immediately learned how to drive a stick shift because I wanted to drive my dad's car. My wife can't drive manual and I highly doubt she'd grow a desire to learn, but I do miss driving stick every once in a while. IMO, it kept me more alert on the road knowing what the car needs to do based on the road situations.

I've rented cars to many Europeans who have asked me if we have any cars with manual transmission. I ended up teaching them how to drive automatic, which you obviously teach in a lot less time that teaching someone how to drive stick shift.

[newtogolf]

Yes, first time I drove a stick was out of the dealership, a new RX-7. Salesman thought I was nuts for trying to drive it home without ever having drove a manual transmission before. I said how hard can it be and drove it off the lot. I made it home with little problem, first clutch lasted 70,000 miles.

[Lihu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lihu

My first car was a 67 VW bug, with a crank sunroof. I rebuilt it from ruins. I owned many many cars, all old and manual. One summer, I drove my uncle's 54 VW bug with a double clutch.

I had manual transmission up till I got married and both daily use vehicles in the family needed automatic transmission. I have to admit it is a little easier to operate in heavy traffic.

Lihu,

Funny my first car was a 58 Bug, re-built from the ground up, had a 52 small window almost stock except for the eng. Chopped a 52 but that one was not stock we used to go to OC to race them in the days.

But I learned on a Ford Fiesta that had a stick and took my test on that. My kids have no idea what a manual trans is, matter of fact a buddy has a Dodge truck with crank windows and my son asked how to roll them up a couple years ago, I was LMAO.

But now you can get a manual and auto in one our BMW's have them a lot more fun to drive if you ask me.

Nice! I like those old 50's bugs.

[nevets88]

But I learned on a Ford Fiesta that had a stick and took my test on that. My kids have no idea what a manual trans is, matter of fact a buddy has a Dodge truck with crank windows and my son asked how to roll them up a couple years ago, I was LMAO.

Some young'uns don't know you can get TV signals over the air.

Cars nowadays with GPS, auto everything, cameras mounted everywhere to help aide in parking, tailgating, etc... I used to and still can drive stick, with a map in my hand and parallel park in a space that's just a tad longer than the length of the car I'm driving.

Yes, first time I drove a stick was out of the dealership, a new RX-7. Salesman thought I was nuts for trying to drive it home without ever having drove a manual transmission before. I said how hard can it be and drove it off the lot. I made it home with little problem, first clutch lasted 70,000 miles.

Me too! I drove carefully and slowly and didn't stall.

People talk about flying cars and most Americans are afraid of stick shifts. Scary.

[colin007]

learned to drive when i was 7 on my dads little mazda pickup truck.  no power steering is tough when you only weigh like 90 pounds...

youd all kill me now but i drive a BMW with auto transmission.  my wife made me get rid of my beloved VW GTi because it was a stick and she refused to learn how to drive it. stupid women telling us what to do....

[Lihu]

learned to drive when i was 7 on my dads little mazda pickup truck.  no power steering is tough when you only weigh like 90 pounds...

youd all kill me now but i drive a BMW with auto transmission.  my wife made me get rid of my beloved VW GTi because it was a stick and she refused to learn how to drive it. stupid women telling us what to do....

Funny you should mention this.

[colin007]

Funny you should mention this.

im not bitter at all.  do i seem like it?