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| Are you able to drive a stick shift? |
| Yes |
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71% |
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| No |
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28% |
[ 25 ] |
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| Total Votes : 88 |
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t0
Phoenix
Joined: Mar 24, 2008
Posts: 527
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 Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008 2:45 pm Post subject: |
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| One of our pickups is a stick shift. I can drive it ok, but I get nervous when in traffic and tend to stall it. I do fine doing ranch chores in it though. |
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Nan
Phoenix
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Joined: Mar 02, 2006
Posts: 3208
Location: left coast
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| Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008 2:45 pm Post subject: |
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I learned to drive on a stick shift, and found it, after a bit, to be quite fun. I was a much better driver than most of my friends. I now drive an automatic because that's how the cars I find on sale at the "used" lots tend to come. For dealing with stop-and-go city traffic, an automatic is much easier and much less hassle than messing with a clutch and having to shift so much. If I was living in a less urban area, I'd be happy with a standard shift again. I believe they get marginally better mileage and are easier to start (pushing and popping the clutch) when the battery is dead, etc.
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samantca
Velociraptor
Joined: Apr 09, 2008
Age: 23
Posts: 459
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| Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008 2:54 pm Post subject: |
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I cant drive at all  |
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woodsman25
The Dude
Joined: May 19, 2007
Age: 26
Posts: 2437
Location: NY
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| Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008 3:18 pm Post subject: |
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No not at the moment but I plan on trying one of these days to learn it.
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webwalker
Tufted Titmouse
Joined: Feb 29, 2008
Age: 39
Posts: 33
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| Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008 3:31 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | Yes, I can drive a manual, but I had to learn the Aspie way. First I read all about it, then I went alone into a parking lot and practiced for 3 hrs until i could do it. |
That sound like how everyone (unless you were born with a stickshift in hand) learns. I'm impressed that it only took you 3 hours. It took me about 3 months until I could reliably get away from a light without stalling my 82 Honda Civic.
I love driving a stick (I have a 72 VW Beetle, restored, and MAN is that shifting primitive!) but when you have a rough, stop and go commute, you'll kill your leg creep-creep-creeping along. Argh!
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catspurr
Phoenix
Joined: Jan 16, 2008
Posts: 781
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| Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008 3:54 pm Post subject: |
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I first learned using a stick shift in a truck. The rules for shifting is what ruined it for me. I got so set on the first truck's different way of functioning because it wasn't like most other gear shifting today that I have extreme difficulty with other standards.
I went from that truck and tried to drive another and nearly lost it trying.
I prefer automatic. |
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pluto
Phoenix
Joined: Aug 27, 2006
Age: 48
Posts: 1073
Location: Paisley,Scotland UK
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| Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008 4:07 pm Post subject: |
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Here in the UK virtually all cars are manual,
automatics are rare.I think on our meandering
roads,complicated junctions and 'roundabouts'
the gearstick makes the driver feel more in
control. (It still took me years to pass the test)
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I have lost the will to be apathetic |
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AspE
Toucan
Joined: Jan 01, 2008
Posts: 262
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| Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008 4:12 pm Post subject: |
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| I learned on a stick, and prefer them. Automatics are annoying, except if it's on a 60s-70s muscle car. |
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lastcrazyhorn
Bat-Chick
Joined: Oct 11, 2007
Posts: 1219
Location: Texas
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| Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008 4:17 pm Post subject: |
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I'm a klutz too, but I managed to learn.
Hey, I have a question. Those of you who are good on sticks, when you drive automatic, how many feet do you use?
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jdbob
Pileated woodpecker
Joined: Jan 05, 2006
Age: 52
Posts: 197
Location: John Day, Oregon
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| Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008 6:04 pm Post subject: |
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| tailfins1959 wrote: | | I miss my three speed 1959 Biscayne |
My first car was a 1962 Biscayne (3 speed stick). I drove sticks until 1995 when I bought a F-150.
The real test came in 2006 when I borrowed a friends Subaru in New Zealand and had to shift using my left hand. Didn't take long to make it work. |
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englishwolf
Raven
Joined: Aug 01, 2007
Posts: 116
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| Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008 6:40 pm Post subject: |
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| pluto wrote: | Here in the UK virtually all cars are manual,
automatics are rare.I think on our meandering
roads,complicated junctions and 'roundabouts'
the gearstick makes the driver feel more in
control. (It still took me years to pass the test) |
Never driven an automatic, they're so rare over here there's really no point learning in one and having a limited licence. Due to my coordination issues it took me a lot of lessons before I was finally ready to take my test, a massive amount of lessons!
Still, been driving for 4 years and never had so much as a scrape so I must be doing something right. I find that I get along okay because I constantly monitor everything about my driving and take nothing for granted as I believe that if someone like me took driving for granted then it could become very dangerous. My strength comes in knowing my weaknesses and driving accordingly (hope that doesn't sound too pompous).
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Katou
Sea Gull
Joined: Jan 14, 2007
Posts: 245
Location: Dieppe, New Brunswick
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| Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008 8:25 pm Post subject: |
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Yep. And I refuse to drive an automatic.. Just don't get the point of it.
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NuclearRedaction
Tufted Titmouse
Joined: Feb 03, 2008
Age: 43
Posts: 29
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| Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008 8:45 pm Post subject: |
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| I learned on a stick and much prefer it to automatic. I haven't owned a car for several years because I live in the city and don't need one, but I rent cars sometimes when I'm going out of town or when I need to do errands around town, and the fact that I can't get a rental anything but automatic is very frustrating. (Some of those cars have had Tiptronic transmissions, which is kind of a poor substitute.) |
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chocoholic
Phoenix
Joined: May 22, 2008
Posts: 517
Location: At a Chocoholics Anonymous meeting
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| Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008 9:05 pm Post subject: |
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| No, because I have a lot of trouble multitasking. Knowing when to shift gears, when to push the clutch, in addition to performing all the other basic driving functions is too much for me. I've taken a few driving lessons and practiced a few times in an automatic, and did pretty decently, but the car became unavailable around this time, and was unable to continue driving unless I could get the hang of my mom's stick shift. So I can't drive until we get an automatic, which probably will be sooner rather than later since her car is old and falling apart. Try as I might to drive a stick, there's too many functions involved and I'm just unable to do so. |
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Flismflop
Phoenix
Joined: Feb 17, 2007
Posts: 822
Location: DC metro area suburbs, USA.
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| Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008 9:10 pm Post subject: |
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I learned to drive with a stick-shift car and have several years of experience with them. I guess it's good that I know how to drive a stick. However, I don't recognise any practicality in a car with a stick-shift so I now choose automatics and am quite happy with them. I have better things to worry about than mechanical operations.
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