I think a little less of you if you can't drive a stick shift

**Sporin** · 03-25-2008 08:52 AM

I'm just going to say it... I think a little less of you if you can't drive a stick shift.

There... I said it.

I'm not talking about if you are too old or handicapped in some way or have to drive all day in city traffic, I get that some people need and want an auto, I understand that. It is a convenience item and it has it's place.

I'm talking about the person that literally does not know HOW to drive a car with a manual transmission. They never bothered to learn, they don't want to learn. They are just too gosh darn confused by that 3rd pedal and that "stick thingy" poking out at them from the center of the floor.

If that's you, then I smirk a bit at you, I think you are a bit soft, and I feel a little bad for you, especially if you also profess to "love cars" and profess to be an "auto enthusiast." I think you are missing out, I think that in a lot of ways... you don't get it.

{all in good fun kids, don't loose your marbles}

**Nourdmrolnmt** · 03-25-2008 08:53 AM

i feel a little less of myself because i learned stick on a Saab 9-5.

my GF will get to learn stick on the Pantera for the following reason.
"Its easier to tear down and replace the clutch in it than the E-type"

**ZVdub** · 03-25-2008 08:54 AM

It's not that hard to drive a manual car... Heck almost everyone used to drive one back in the day too!

But really, some people just never get exposed to manual cars... Big woop, not everyone is a car enthusiast.

**al@absolute** · 03-25-2008 08:55 AM

if i can teach my wife to drive and love manual transmissions, i think that anybody can and should.

**nachtmusik** · 03-25-2008 08:57 AM

i learned to drive stick on a 1984 volvo stationwagon that was heavily used, had a rebuilt front end, and four gears (plus overdrive). every other manual transmission i've driven has been a dream by comparison.

**Sporin** · 03-25-2008 08:58 AM

I learned on a crappy old S10 pickup, when I got to drive a Nissan Stanza later on it was like a dream machine.

**delta v** · 03-25-2008 09:00 AM

I picked 'I disagree' because so few of my friends can drive stick. Its more of a "I think a little more of you if you can drive a stick shift" (especially if you are a cute girl).

**SIR ANDROID184** · 03-25-2008 09:02 AM

learned on a 86 jetta that I bought 10 miles from home, not knowing how to drive a stick.......determination wins everytime...although I did need a new cutch like 3 weeks later

**yo vanilla** · 03-25-2008 09:03 AM

I voted agree and I do agree somewhat... However, over the years my expectations have unfortunately reversed - instead of being dissappointed when I find out you can't drive a manual, I am now excited if I find out youcan.

So I'm all for it and happy to hear people can do it, I've just given up the assumption that they can.

**Sporin** · 03-25-2008 09:04 AM

Quote, originally posted by delta v »

I picked 'I disagree' because so few of my friends can drive stick. Its more of a "I think a little more of you if you can drive a stick shift" (especially if you are a cute girl).

You are a glass is half full'er for sure.

Like I said, just having some fun.

**vespoli** · 03-25-2008 09:04 AM

Yep, I would agree with delta v. I don't really think LESS of you if you can't; I think you're a pretty cool kid if you can. (major points of the hot wimminz

)

**Rattlesnake** · 03-25-2008 09:09 AM

Let's throw a touch of sexism in just for fun, shall we?

I agree with Sporin if the person we are talking about is a guy. There's no excuse for a man not to know how to drive a stick. However, if you are a girl, then I don't think less of you. In fact, it's kind of expected.

**atomicalex** · 03-25-2008 09:10 AM

My sister wouldn't date guys who couldn't drive stick. I was a bit more forgiving, but he drives stick now. Well, he's capable of it. One of these days I'll get him to go full time.

**Samson** · 03-25-2008 09:13 AM

Not really... a lot of people just don't care.

Plus, if everybody knew how to drive a manual, then clutch-nazis would have no reason to live, and would all just end it. Hmm...

**WakeHead** · 03-25-2008 09:13 AM

I've taught two girlfriends and my sister to drive stick.

**craigsaid** · 03-25-2008 09:15 AM

My best friend cant drive stick. He holds a masters in computer engineering and is by far the smartest person I know.
He probably could learn to drive stick if he wanted to but it doesn't interest him so he just drives automatics.
Just like I could probably learn to write code in Java but it doesn't interest me so I don't.

I'd feel pretty douchey thinking less of somebody for not learning how to do something if I hadn't learned how to do everything.

**Chrissy** · 03-25-2008 09:15 AM

I like to consider manual transmissions part of an anti theft device! The less people who know how to drive them, the less of a chance of my car ever being stolen!

I have always been into cars, but didn't really get any seat time in a manual until after I had been driving for about a year! At least I knew what the third pedal was for and understood everything before that!

**Sporin** · 03-25-2008 09:18 AM

Quote, originally posted by craigsaid »

I'd feel pretty douchey thinking less of somebody for not learning how to do something if I hadn't learned how to do everything.

lighten up.

**yo vanilla** · 03-25-2008 09:19 AM

Quote, originally posted by craigsaid »

My best friend cant drive stick. He holds a masters in computer engineering and is by far the smartest person I know.
He probably could learn to drive stick if he wanted to but it doesn't interest him so he just drives automatics.
Just like I could probably learn to write code in Java but it doesn't interest me so I don't.

I'd feel pretty douchey thinking less of somebody for not learning how to do something if I hadn't learned how to do everything.

then again it *should* be something everyone should learn as part of driver's education. i had a few days in a manual ford escort in driver's ed. what's next, we abandon parallel parking too?

**CTPAHHbIN** · 03-25-2008 09:21 AM

What I found interesting in NOVA that every 3rd car is a stick shift regardless of gender of a driver.

**CTPAHHbIN** · 03-25-2008 09:22 AM

Quote, originally posted by yo vanilla »

... what's next, we abandon parallel parking too?

It is optional in PA

**Sporin** · 03-25-2008 09:24 AM

Quote, originally posted by yo vanilla »

then again it *should* be something everyone should learn as part of driver's education. i had a few days in a manual ford escort in driver's ed. what's next, we abandon parallel parking too?

don't even get me STARTED on parallel parking! haha!

**yo vanilla** · 03-25-2008 09:26 AM

Quote, originally posted by CTPAHHbIN »

It is optional in PA

well jesus h tapdancing christ.

**craigsaid** · 03-25-2008 09:27 AM

Quote, originally posted by Sporin »

lighten up.

Sorry, that came out a little meaner than I intended . But seriously there are just a million little 'communities' out there that all have their own little expectations of what should be common knowledge.

**Sporin** · 03-25-2008 09:29 AM

I know, just having some fun this morning, I figured this was right up TCL's ally

**OneLap** · 03-25-2008 09:29 AM

Quote, originally posted by al@absolute »

if i can teach my wife to drive and love manual transmissions, i think that anybody can and should.

x2

**Mikedav** · 03-25-2008 09:30 AM

Quote, originally posted by yo vanilla »

then again it *should* be something everyone should learn as part of driver's education.

Here, it is. If you learn in an Auto thats all you are allowed to drive. 95% of tests in the UK are in a manual, as about 70% of cars are manual....but its not a 'skill', my grandma can do it.

However IMO its irrelevant; the 'macho' status of driving stick is just daft. It doesn't matter, especially if you don't ever plan to buy a manual - why learn? Automatics are so good these days that if you don't care, a manual is unnecessary. And quite frankly as much as I love my manual cars, I would seriously consider a Steptronic / DCT / DSG as City traffic can be very hard work these days.

**CTPAHHbIN** · 03-25-2008 09:32 AM

Quote, originally posted by OneLap »

x2

X3

**chucchinchilla** · 03-25-2008 09:33 AM

A man who can't drive stick is a man whose light in the loafers.

**arozanski** · 03-25-2008 09:35 AM

Quote, originally posted by nachtmusik »

i learned to drive stick on a 1984 volvo stationwagon that was heavily used, had a rebuilt front end, and four gears (plus overdrive). every other manual transmission i've driven has been a dream by comparison.

I'll raise you a 1963 Jeep FC150 with a 3 speed, manual brakes and manual steering. If you can drive that, you can drive anything

**Lwize** · 03-25-2008 09:35 AM

I agreed, but with 90% of the cars sold having automatics, it's far more likely people will never need to learn stick.
Even a cheap "first car" these days being stick is an antiquated notion.

**Techun** · 03-25-2008 09:37 AM

Quote, originally posted by CTPAHHbIN »

It is optional in PA

uh since when? I had to do it a couple years ago

**W. Sobchak** · 03-25-2008 09:39 AM

I think it's unsafe not knowing how to drive manual. Lets say I have a heart attack and a passenger needs to get me to the hospital(extreme example i know). If they don't know how I can die waiting for an ambulance or they can rush me there if they knew how. I try to teach all my close friends how to drive manual. My GF is terrible at it, but she could get me somewhere if absolutely neccesary.

**xjzhx** · 03-25-2008 09:39 AM

i don't look down on people who can't drive stick... i do think it's kind of silly not to know. i look at it like what if there's an emergency? like say you're with a friend who drives stick and they get hurt or something and you need to get them to a hospital or something? hypothetical of course, but you never know...

edit: damn sump22... beat me by seconds.

**CTPAHHbIN** · 03-25-2008 09:40 AM

Quote, originally posted by Techun »

uh since when? I had to do it a couple years ago

Since 2 or 3 years ago, my cousin had a choice either parallel park or do a K-Turn. Guess which one she chose.

Modified by CTPAHHbIN at 6:42 AM 3-25-2008

Thread: I think a little less of you if you can't drive a stick shift

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I think a little less of you if you can't drive a stick shift

Re: (ZVdub)

Re: (nachtmusik)

Re: (Sporin)

Re: (delta v)

Re: (al@absolute)

Re: (delta v)

Re: I think a little less of you if you can't drive a stick shift (Sporin)

Re: (vespoli)

Re: I think a little less of you if you can't drive a stick shift (Sporin)

Re: I think a little less of you if you can't drive a stick shift (Sporin)

Re: I think a little less of you if you can't drive a stick shift (Sporin)

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Re: I think a little less of you if you can't drive a stick shift (craigsaid)

Re: I think a little less of you if you can't drive a stick shift (craigsaid)

Re: I think a little less of you if you can't drive a stick shift (Sporin)

Re: I think a little less of you if you can't drive a stick shift (yo vanilla)

Re: I think a little less of you if you can't drive a stick shift (yo vanilla)

Re: I think a little less of you if you can't drive a stick shift (CTPAHHbIN)

Re: I think a little less of you if you can't drive a stick shift (Sporin)

Re: I think a little less of you if you can't drive a stick shift (craigsaid)

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Re: I think a little less of you if you can't drive a stick shift (yo vanilla)

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Re: I think a little less of you if you can't drive a stick shift (Sporin)

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Re: I think a little less of you if you can't drive a stick shift (Mikedav)

Re: I think a little less of you if you can't drive a stick shift (CTPAHHbIN)

Re: I think a little less of you if you can't drive a stick shift (Lwize)

Re: I think a little less of you if you can't drive a stick shift (CTPAHHbIN)

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