On Manual Transmission Driving

[Rrusse11]

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/23/opinion/sunday/stick-shift-cars.html


Excellent article on the stick, and why they are safer.

 

[Mongler98]

anything that keeps you engaged more with the vehicle or the road is safer
love this link, thanks

 

[scooperhsd]

My preferences for transmissions


1. Manual
2. DSG (no matter how many gears)
3. COnventional automatics (no matter how many gears)

4. CVTs


When the craptastic O1M died in my Beetle at 252,000 miles, it was replaced with a 5 speed manual, and I immediately saw an increase of 8 MPG.


My wife even found a t-shirt for me - "Member of the Manual gearbox preservation society".

 

[Drewser]

Very good article. Thanks for sharing!

My 18 yr old drives a stick S-10, and has ADHD (and moderate to severe dyslexia). I am completely convinced that the manual transmission makes him a safer, more attentive driver. His brain works in overdrive (which is super beneficial in a lot of things) and I think it just keeps his brain busy and more focused. He's my oldest, but all 3 of my kids will learn to drive stick.

As a side note, my 18 yr old first learned on my 02 Jetta TDI 2 years ago...

 

[csstevej]

All three of my kids ( a boy and two girls ) all learned on a stick and all three have vw tdi’s.
Told them no matter where in the world you end up in, You will be able to drive a car.
On a positive note none of there friends ask to borrow their cars as they dont know how to drive a stick ��

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

I managed two out of three driving a stick, and those two with TDIs. At the risk of sounding sexist, I have, so far, been unsuccessful in teaching my daughter to drive a stick. Attempts have involved a lot of screaming (her, not me).

Recently a colleague took her TDI for Mass state inspection. Guess what? The inspector couldn't drive a stick. She had to drive it into the inspection bay.

 

[Tdijarhead]

My driveway has only one out of 4 cars sitting in it with an automatic transmission. I also have always thought a manual increases your awareness of the road.

Four daughters and three drive stick, two drive tdi’s one a Hyundai Veloster. The fourth daughter doesn’t drive...yet.

As far as a manual in traffic, I was somewhat familiar with a stick when I bought my first car a four speed. I had never driven on the open road only across fields with an old work truck. So when I bought my car I learned to drive a stick in Southern California traffic. I guess I just never saw a problem with using a clutch in heavy traffic, it gives you something to do besides texting your contact list about the crappy traffic.

When you send a child off to college with a stick chances are no one will ask to borrow their car because no one can drive it.

 

[scooperhsd]

If we would have had kids - yes they would be driving sticks. I would not have even looked for an automatic for them.

 

[csstevej]

When you send a child off to college with a stick chances are no one will ask to borrow their car because no one can drive it.

Lol this has been proven with all three on my kids.

Best is when I took the kids to DMV for their drivers license.

The DMV instructor gets in the car and immediately gets out, asks if they can drive a stick, I say no , I want to see them struggle and humiliate them selves.

I then tell them that’s the only car they have ever driven and I’ve taught them, skeptically they get in and each kid passes first time out including the infamous parallel parking. Where we live there are no curbs!

 

[BobnOH]

My son's gotten lazy and no longer drives a stick, but my daughter will drive nothing but. They both understand how the things work, can change a tire, which puts them in the minority.
I find some of the new "safety" equipment downright scary and some of the repair costs and issues are unbelievable, I've read several threads (not here) on very new cars where folks are unable to have them repaired.

 

[scooperhsd]

Shoots, I remember as a young Officer getting a driver's license in FL, and my only "4 wheeled vehicle" was a 1983 Ford Ranger pickup - 2.8L V6 and 5 speed OD manual transmission. Even with the shell over the bed it was a piece of cake - even the parallel parking. The first car I ever bought was a 64 Chevy sedan - straight six and 3 on the tree !

 

[Tdijarhead]

"3 on the tree", I'm not sure half the folks reading those words even know what that means.


Steve, that must of been quite a scene at the DMV when the instructor jumps back out! I'd of like to have seen that!!

 

[scooperhsd]

"3 on the tree", I'm not sure half the folks reading those words even know what that means.


Steve, that must of been quite a scene at the DMV when the instructor jumps back out! I'd of like to have seen that!!

I think the context makes it pretty clear, but just to inform - a 3 speed manual, shifter on the steering column.

 

[MichaelB]

I think the context makes it pretty clear, but just to inform - a 3 speed manual, shifter on the steering column.

I grew up with a three on the tree....64 Rambler 660 Classic, manual with overdrive. Big deal. I have owned a 68 MB 250S with a four on the tree. Now I'll take a DSG in my Passat any day. A driver in a modern car should not need both feet and both hands to make the car move along. Technology is great eh. For those of you that don't think that way well.....throw away your cell phone.

 

[scooperhsd]

Some of us need to be "fully engaged" or bad things start happening....

 

[csstevej]

Lol I learned on a chevy pick up 3 on the tree while working for my neighbor.
Gave me money to go to the store for some sodas for us, I didn’t even have a drivers license and was only 16.

But then again there was nothing around us either, we were out in the sticks framing a house.

 

[csstevej]

TD , yeah it was a sight, wish I had a smart phone at the time to video my kids getting there license and have the instructor jump out.

 

[MichaelB]

Some of us need to be "fully engaged" or bad things start happening....

Please tell us more about a driver with an automatic transmission that has bad things happen because of not being fully as you say "engaged". Safe drivers are safe drivers regardless of transmission. There are many drivers that have had bad things happen because they were driving a car with a manual gearbox. Fully engaged has nothing to do with shifting manually or automatically.

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

These threads pop up now and then with people who drive manuals posting in ways that could be interpreted as them feeling superior, and folks who drive automatics telling them they're throwbacks. Neither is true. So few cars are available with manuals now that buyers don't have a lot of options. Other than a Porsche and maybe one or two BMWs, I can't think of an AWD car with a manual. And there aren't any manual SUVs anymore (Subaru Forester and Honda HR-V just went all auto). No Audi, no Volvo, no Mercedes. Korean and Japanese manuals are all base level smaller cars. Almost zero pickups are manuals. And in 2019, not one diesel with a manual unless you want a 6.7L Cummins. So if there's something you want you may have to take an automatic. My 335d is an auto because that's all they built. And it works great.

People have preferences. No reason to try and prove that what one person prefers is superior. It really doesn't matter.