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PDBowden
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10 May 2013, 2:42 pm

I drive a car with a stick shift every day for 8 1/2 years now even through bumper-to-bumper traffic. Can anyone here drive a car with a stick shift?



1000Knives
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10 May 2013, 3:37 pm

I drove a manual car for about a year and change. I liked it a lot. I actually prefer it to auto in almost every circumstance except for parking and city traffic. Now I might be OK parking more, as I learned better clutch control. Manual is actually easier for me in some ways, as I have more control over the car. Driving my slippery RWD Supra in the snow even with bad shocks and springs in back was easy for me, even though it was a really "drifty" kinda car, but my mom's auto Taurus I crashed in snow.

I think for me, I freak out when I can't plan and control things exactly. So manual allows me to do more exact planning and controlling of things compared to an auto. Like in snow, I could really control traction better just by gearing or good clutch control, whereas an auto it's hard to do the same things you could do with a manual.

Also I like sportscars, too.



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10 May 2013, 4:12 pm

1000Knives wrote:
I drove a manual car for about a year and change. I liked it a lot. I actually prefer it to auto in almost every circumstance except for parking and city traffic. Now I might be OK parking more, as I learned better clutch control. Manual is actually easier for me in some ways, as I have more control over the car. Driving my slippery RWD Supra in the snow even with bad shocks and springs in back was easy for me, even though it was a really "drifty" kinda car, but my mom's auto Taurus I crashed in snow.

I think for me, I freak out when I can't plan and control things exactly. So manual allows me to do more exact planning and controlling of things compared to an auto. Like in snow, I could really control traction better just by gearing or good clutch control, whereas an auto it's hard to do the same things you could do with a manual.

Also I like sportscars, too.


Front wheel drive is way easier to control with a manual, and with AWD & RWD I still prefer them. Automatics can't coast, and I squeeze 30mpg out of my turbo Saab. I've driven far nicer cars I probably wouldn't trade it for. I think AS traits include for deeper understanding and cooperation with machinery.


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Vectorspace
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10 May 2013, 4:51 pm

For many German guys, driving stick is a matter of pride. Automatic transmission is mostly popular among people over 40.

Personally, I prefer it because it gives me more control, and after some practice, I don't have any trouble with it.



mikassyna
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10 May 2013, 4:57 pm

I have difficulty driving stick shift. Too much multitasking and topographical agnosia make it very stressful, even with GPS.



invisiblesilent
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10 May 2013, 5:18 pm

I have only ever driven manual cars. I don't think I would enjoy driving an automatic at all.



eric76
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10 May 2013, 5:37 pm

PDBowden wrote:
I drive a car with a stick shift every day for 8 1/2 years now even through bumper-to-bumper traffic. Can anyone here drive a car with a stick shift?


If you really want fun, drive a truck with a stick shift and with a non-synchronized transmission. You have to double clutch every gear change.



Marcia
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10 May 2013, 5:44 pm

invisiblesilent wrote:
I have only ever driven manual cars. I don't think I would enjoy driving an automatic at all.


I drove an automatic once. Never again! It was a horrible experience, partly because I kept trying to change gear, and at one point ended up parked across a very busy, three lane one way road! 8O You have no control, and no ability to make your own decisions. It would take all the pleasure and finesse out of driving for me.



Panddora
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10 May 2013, 8:41 pm

I am English and therefore most cars are stick shift. I have never had a problem driving anything but have an automatic because where I live driving is often very slow and boring because of the high volume of traffic. If I lived in an area where there was no traffic jams I would prefer the control that goes with manual cars.



1000Knives
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10 May 2013, 9:02 pm

eric76 wrote:
PDBowden wrote:
I drive a car with a stick shift every day for 8 1/2 years now even through bumper-to-bumper traffic. Can anyone here drive a car with a stick shift?


If you really want fun, drive a truck with a stick shift and with a non-synchronized transmission. You have to double clutch every gear change.


Before I sold my Supra I managed to learn to clutchless shift it. Was fairly neat. But quite hard to figure out. Also I wish that car had good shift bushings. C'est la vie.



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10 May 2013, 9:05 pm

No not at all really since I learned to drive an automatic and became use to that it is too much to now learn standard. I did not get my driver's license until I was 18 years old and it was rather stressful with the driver's ed instructor freaking out when I did something wrong or could not parallel park well. :oops:


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10 May 2013, 9:14 pm

I learned to drive one vehicle with a stick shift, but I couldn't learn to drive a second.



SG78
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10 May 2013, 9:29 pm

I learned to drive a stick-shift when I was younger, but I drive an automatic. Besides that, I'm a left foot braker, and I can't very well operate both the clutch and the brake.



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10 May 2013, 9:30 pm

I first learned to drive an automatic when I was 15 ½. I wasn’t a great driver in my youth (i.e. 16-22). I ended up putting multiple dents in both sides of the car, by hitting stationary objects (a car, a pole, etc.) while trying to park – 8O LOL.

I first learned to drive a stick when I was 23. I had a heck of a time learning how to drive a stick, because it required a lot of coordinated movements. I constantly ground the gears :o. But, after lots of practice, I finally got the hang of it.



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10 May 2013, 9:38 pm

I've had both automatic and stick.
My current daily driver is automatic.
Both have their advantages and disadvantages.
I didn't find learning the stick to be too hard.
It did take a while to learn to let up on the gas before the clutch and vice-versa but I managed.


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10 May 2013, 9:39 pm

My current car is a stick. I've been driving it for around 6 years. I love driving manual cars! Unfortunately, I won't be able to soon due to the fact that I'll be one foot shy of the minimum number of feet required to drive a stick. :lol: That's really the only disadvantage (for me) about getting an amputation.


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