Knowing How to Drive a Stick Shift, Decline in # of Stick Shifts, etc.

[guywithashovel]

I have been thinking about this lately, and even though it probably isn't a contentious issue, I thought I'd bring it up here.

First off, I will admit that I have never learned how to drive a stick shift (i.e. a car with a manual transmission). When I first learned how to drive back in 1998, I told myself that I would someday learn how to drive one. However, by that time, all of my parents' cars were automatics. They did have a 1982 Chevy S-10 Blazer for a long time, and it was a stick. But they sold it shortly before I reached driving age. After that, my parents never bought any other stick shifts, and no one else I knew had one, so I didn't fulfill my promise to learn how to drive one.

Eventually, I just sort of forgot about it. Well, maybe "forgot" isn't the right word, but I did put it out of my mind. I just drove my automatic cars and gave little to no thought to my inability to drive a stick. Recently, though, someone was talking about driving them, and I was once again reminded of this thing that I have yet to learn how to do.

When I stop and think about this, it sometimes bothers me, because I occasionally wish I knew more about cars than I do. And apparently, this is something that a guy is "supposed to know, because whenever I read an article with a title like "X-Number of Things Every Man Should Know How to Do," driving a stick is almost always on it.

So, what do you think about this? Is driving a stick something everyone should learn how to do? Is it sad that there aren't as many manual transmissions as there used to be?

[Wingates_Hellsing]

It's one of those things that used to be absolutely vital, then eventually became merely important before deteriorating to just handy and these days almost negligible. Around here stick shifts are quite rare, and the chances of someone having to drive one unexpectedly are basically nil.

On the other hand, should some sort of emergency arrive and it calls for someone to drive someone's car, it could pay off to know enough to get by.

[Nyoibo]

I refuse to be told by my var when to change gears, all my cars have been manual and they always will.

[elsporko]

The agency I work at has a stick. We also live in an area with lots of hills and ice in winter, conditions where a stick isn't very useful. Only a handful of the workers can drive that car because nobody knows how to drive a stick and we were told we weren't allowed to learn on that car. We are suppose to learn on a friend's car, even though nobody around here has a stick for the stated reasons.

[daleduke17]

I know how to drive a manual. Haven't done it in a while, but I at least have the knowledge. It will come into handy when I finally get my Class B license and can drive the tanker our fire department has.

[Fryk]

I know how, but I doubt I will ever need to use that knowlege again before it deteriorates into nothingness. I like having my right arm free to adjust the radio, the a/c, snack, etc.

[kiwi]

I can't drive a manual. I have tried to learn, many many times by many different teachers.
You would think that with my years of dance training the co-ordination would come naturally but something in my brain doesn't connect.

It is the one thing I can't seem to overcome, I don't blame my dyslexia totally but I think it contributes to the block.

I am resigned now, some people will never dance, others will never be able to cook. I can not and will not ever be able to drive a manual in a safe manner.

[joe hx]

I drive a stick. I like it because I have more control over the car. If I drive correctly, I can get up to 40mpg on the highway (I drive a 4-door Cobalt). I also find it's great theft deterrent - no one can steal my car unless they tow it.

I refuse to be told by my car when to change gears, all my cars have been manual and they always will.

My car gives me a light telling me I need to upshift. Thankfully, that light is hidden by the steering wheel.

[fireheart17]

I'm learning in a manual, by mutual agreement of myself and my dad. It's slightly difficult however I'm slowly getting the hang of it.

[Peppergirl]

My dad made me learn on a manual, and I'll always be grateful for it.

I absolutely LOVE to drive a stick-shift. My ex fiance's Jeep Wrangler was a stick and that's the last one I drove...been about 2 years ago.

It makes me sad that they're in decline. I'd love to have one.

[Tanasi]

If it has wheels I can drive it regardless of transmission. Having grown up a farm kid I learned on a tractor and was driving by 10 and there was no automatic tractors back then. When I got tall enough to push the clutch all the way in I started driving my Dad's pickup. I had my motorcycle license by 14 when getting my auto license I just had to drive in the road test. My Mom was nervous that I'd stall on the hill so she made me drive her station wagon. From the time I had my own car/truck I only drove straight shifts until 97 and I bought my first car with automatic tranny a 97 Sable. It took several months before I got over wanting to clutch and shift. When the Sable starting giving troubles I was looking but only for auto-trannies and bought a 08 Escape. I've found that as I get older and the joints get harder to bend autos are lots easier to operate. That being said all my other autos are still straight shifts.

[Greenday]

In this day and age, it's becoming a lot less important to drive a stick. Unless you have a job that involves driving other people's cars, it's kinda pointless.

On that note, I may not know how to drive a stick now, but I will learn before I get a new car because there's no way in hell I'm buying a muscle car that isn't stick. That'd be blasphemy.

[AdminAssistant]

If it has wheels I can drive it regardless of transmission. Having grown up a farm kid I learned on a tractor and was driving by 10 and there was no automatic tractors back then.

My Dad still grumbles about automatic transmissions in tractors.

[protege]

Except for that damn Tempo I once had, every one of my cars has been a stick-shift. I learned, when I bought my first car--Dad showed me in the dealer's parking lot, and it was either "learn how to drive the Tercel, or inherit my shitty Taurus" IMHO, shifting gears is more fun than a slush-box. Plus, it keeps certain relatives from borrowing my cars

The only time I hated driving a stick, was when my parents bought a bargain-basement '97 Saturn SL. The gears were oddly-spaced, and the shift light (which you don't need, IMHO) kept coming on at the *wrong* times. To follow it, meant you'd be shifting too soon on hills, causing the car to splutter. Well that, and the transmission in that thing was a dog--it wasn't as smooth as a Toyota or Mazda

[smileyeagle1021]

As others have pointed out, knowing how to drive and owning a stick shift does have an advantage in preventing theft (or annoying friends asking to borrow the car). Hell, it's nice knowing you have a vehicle that an ever decreasing portion of the population can drive because that means an ever decreasing portion of the population will have the desire to steal it. There is also the issue of control and hell, fun of driving a stick shift (I enjoy driving stick shift).
That said, am I sad to see them slowly moving into obscurity? Not really. I used to like ZIP disks, but I understand that technology changes. Technology is now changing in cars too... automatics are becoming so advanced that they truly can provide the same control as a lot of people can provide on a manual... hell, my car doesn't have gears... yup, that's right, it uses a continually variable system that fine tunes the gear ratio to exactly where it should be, not just the closest ratio that is appropriate. I do kind of miss my old stick shift, but I also value the added fuel efficiency of this transmission and of course the ability to cruise control on damned near anything (my cruise control just laughs at grades up to 5 or 6%).