Stick or autopilot.

[Nice]

Are you ambidextrous in both styles of driving or just familiar with automatic cars. There's no shame in admitting it.

[Aerith's Knight]

I can do both, but I prefer stick.

Only-automatic drivers are inferior. I call it, the lazy generation.

[Yar]

I have only driven automatic. I wanted to try stick, but the only car we have with a stick is my dad's toy, and he refuses to let me learn.

[rubah]

The only car with a stick I've driven is our old truck.

[Momiji]

I have only driven automatic. I wanted to try stick, but the only car we have with a stick is my dad's toy, and he refuses to let me learn.

I shamelessly drive an automatic. However, I have the opposite situation. My dad's toy is a Mustang Cobra, and he wants me to learn how to drive manual transmission with it, and I don't want to; I'm too scared that I'll smurf up his car if I mess up.

[Aerith's Knight]

I have only driven automatic. I wanted to try stick, but the only car we have with a stick is my dad's toy, and he refuses to let me learn.

I shamelessly drive an automatic. However, I have the opposite situation. My dad's toy is a Mustang Cobra, and he wants me to learn how to drive manual transmission with it, and I don't want to; I'm too scared that I'll smurf up his car if I mess up.

This.. is what is wrong with the lazy generation. :mad:

You know what I'd do to be able to drive a car like that? :whimper:

[Momiji]

This.. is what is wrong with the lazy generation. :mad:

You know what I'd do to be able to drive a car like that? :whimper:

It isn't a matter of laziness! It's a matter of me being hopelessly clumsy! D:

I'd love to learn how to drive a manual transmission car, but not one where the stakes are so high-- I mean, I'd love to drive that thing after I learn how.

[Aerith's Knight]

This.. is what is wrong with the lazy generation. :mad:

You know what I'd do to be able to drive a car like that? :whimper:

It isn't a matter of laziness! It's a matter of me being hopelessly clumsy! D:

Like every stick driver, you learn in a diesel car. They can take a beating. And when you're done you can drive cool cars like that. :(

[Rye]

I will only drive automatic. I will never drive manual, because it's old, and primitive, and unnecessary. All I know is that you have to do things with your feet and there are horrible "gears" and I bet they chomp your feet as you use your feet. It sounds terrible.

[Vermachtnis]

I only drive automatic. The only thing I need to worry about when driving is changing the music. And eating. And drinking. And annoying people in the fast lane by pulling up beside someone in the slowlane going slow and matching there speed and looking at their annoyed faces in the mirror.

[Madame Adequate]

I think anyone who deliberately makes a mundane task more difficult for themselves is mentally deficiant and they should be taken out back Old Yeller style.

Everyone should drive automatics. But only until something more efficient and easy comes along.

[Momiji]

I will only drive automatic. I will never drive manual, because it's old, and primitive, and unnecessary. All I know is that you have to do things with your feet and there are horrible "gears" and I bet they chomp your feet as you use your feet. It sounds terrible.

I'm sure once you get the hang of it, it's like riding a really expensive bike. It would become second nature to drive it.

My dad's been driving manual cars all of his life, and when he drove my car, he said it felt weird since there was no stick to hold on and he didn't have to move his feet for the clutch.

[Bunny]

My family was adamant that, in order for me to drive, it would have to be alternating between a stick shift and an automatic. I appreciated this because it turned out to be for the better, as I can now operate both with relative ease and am not confined to driving one or the other.

I don't appreciate the opinion of people looking down upon those who choose not to drive stick; those people are what I consider to be outrageous jackasses who have something to make up for.

The car I currently have is an automatic because my girlfriend is learning to drive still and she isn't comfortable with stick shifts in the city that I live in. All the drivers in it are terrible and I narrowly miss accidents every day due to faults of theirs.

[Momiji]

All the drivers in it are terrible and I narrowly miss accidents every day due to faults of theirs.

Oh god, same here. I don't know how half of the people here even got licenses-- they're terrible! Turn signals aren't optional (very common here, people will just randomly slow down and turn without any alert whatsoever), and speed limits are there for a reason. There's no need to go so fast or so slow (I was once stuck behind some old person driving 20 miles an hour for 15 minutes, and I couldn't pass due to there being a lot of hills (and therefore, all solid yellow lines) and all of my chances to pass were ruined by oncoming traffic).

I was not happy.

EDIT: Oh, and some people just happen to like to drive in the center of the road. I don't know why. I enjoy blasting my horn at them. :p

[Bunny]

I live in a college city.

Enough said.

[Vermachtnis]

All the drivers in it are terrible and I narrowly miss accidents every day due to faults of theirs.

Oh god, same here. I don't know how half of the people here even got licenses-- they're terrible! Turn signals aren't optional (very common here, people will just randomly slow down and turn without any alert whatsoever), and speed limits are there for a reason. There's no need to go so fast or so slow (I was once stuck behind some old person driving 20 miles an hour for 15 minutes, and I couldn't pass due to there being a lot of hills (and therefore, all solid yellow lines) and all of my chances to pass were ruined by oncoming traffic).

I was not happy.

Those people are even worse than the fast people I annoy. Cause unless it's night and you can blind them with highbeams, there is nothing you can do to bug them.

[Ouch!]

From what I understand, automatic transmission has become more efficient than a majority of humans. You have to be very good at switching gears at the right moment to outclass automatic performance, and most drivers are not.

So, Mr. I'm-Better-Than-You-Lazy-Generation-Lot, in my case, it's less about being lazy and more about getting better gas mileage. Stick that in your holier-than-thou pipe and smoke it.

[Psychotic]

I drive manual because I'm HARDCORE. It's funny seeing people say "Oh no! Manuals are complicated!" because if you made me drive an automatic I wouldn't have a clue what to do without my clutch pedal.

I would like to drive an automatic once I've passed my test using a manual though.

[rubah]

I just wanted to elaborate and say I wouldn't mind driving a manual; I had plenty of experience in gear shifting on our old four-wheeler :p and now I can remember to clutch everything (unlike when I was ten and driving for the first time EVER) I think I would be better at it xD

[Momiji]

I drive manual because I'm HARDCORE. It's funny seeing people say "Oh no! Manuals are complicated!" because if you made me drive an automatic I wouldn't have a clue what to do without my clutch pedal.

I would like to drive an automatic once I've passed my test using a manual though.

Yeah, but you just recently started driving, if I recall correctly. Imagine being pressured to learn when you're 15. :p

I'm 18 now, and I still won't touch it unless it's a car I can make some mistakes with. :p

[Yar]

I'm 18 now, and I still won't touch it unless it's a car I can make some mistakes with. :p

My god, yes. I had to drive my boss' fancy brand new truck once and it was all in METRIC. D: I'll never drive that again. I was driving wayyy too slow and I couldn't figure out why initially.

[Mittopotahis]

Manual. Although I can drive an automatic too (not sure about over there, but here if you get your manual license you can drive an auto too.) Automatics are just so boring to drive, whereas Manuals have you on your feet a bit more while you're learning. =D

[Denmark]

I think anyone who deliberately makes a mundane task more difficult for themselves is mentally deficiant and they should be taken out back Old Yeller style.

Everyone should drive automatics. But only until something more efficient and easy comes along.

Firstly, it's spelled deficient.

Secondly, would you mind explaining to me how exactly automatic transmissions are more efficient than manuals? Or at least explain to me your strange world wherein ease = efficiency.

Unfortunately when I was growing up and learning to drive, the only cars available for me to learn on had automatic transmissions. I would like to learn how to drive a car with a manual transmission. And as has been stated previously in the thread, I'm certain it becomes second nature. For the time being, however, I will stick with what I have because my options are quite limited.

[Madame Adequate]

I think anyone who deliberately makes a mundane task more difficult for themselves is mentally deficiant and they should be taken out back Old Yeller style.

Everyone should drive automatics. But only until something more efficient and easy comes along.

Firstly, it's spelled deficient.

Oh touché.


Secondly, would you mind explaining to me how exactly automatic transmissions are more efficient than manuals? Or at least explain to me your strange world wherein ease = efficiency.

Modern automatics are extremely precise about when they change gears, as Ouch! said. They'll change to be efficient with gas as much as possible. certainly better than all but the most expert Human. Also yeah, less work to perform the same task = more efficient, that's pretty much the definition of efficiency.

[Tavrobel]

Driving a stick-shift is the epitome of badass. That's why people do it. Assuming you do it right.

I can drive a stick-shift and automatic, but I use the latter more often.

[Peegee]

You have to learn to drive manual to have a decent sports car worth its price.

I have to learn something like it to drive my dream vehicle. So I'm obligated to learn at some point. It's not so much I don't know how, but I haven't practised enough. Yeah that.

Asl

[rubah]

my modern automatic doesn't know how to climb a hill. Just sayin'. Forcing it into a lower gear to go 2500 rpm at 35 mpg can't be efficient!

[Faris]

I hope to learn both, preferably stick first, since the "day" car is my mom's standard. I loathe that car.

[Dignified Pauper]

I have only driven stick a few times, and I am decent switching between gears once in motion. It's going from stop to go that and go to stop that I fail hard at.

[Jess]

I drive a Manual. I have never in my life driven an Automatic. :jess:

Driving a manual is second nature to me, and I love driving and I can't imagine having no gears and no clutch.. and oh my god. The thought depresses me. :weep: Driving a manual is fun. ^_^

[kikimm]

I don't know how to drive at the moment, but in the next couple weeks I will be learning, and it will be automatic.

I don't need to have driving be fun. I want to be safe. If people like to drive manual because it's a good time, fine, whatever, I don't care. But personally, I just want to have as little distractions as possible. Nice and easy.

[Old Manus]

All you auto-amerikkkans will be screwed when you rent a car in Europe.

[rubah]

what's the point of renting a car in europe where they have public transport!

[blackmage_nuke]

I drive auto but i want to drive manual because i like to do things the hard way. When I drive i try to imagine what gear the car is in incase i ever get the chance to drive manual.

However most of the time I use REAL manual (I walk). I consider anything else to be the lazy generation.

[Bunny]

All you auto-amerikkkans will be screwed when you rent a car in Europe.

It is my understanding that one should never drive a car in Europe because the drivers and pedestrians are insane.

[Psychotic]

what's the point of renting a car in europe where they have public transport!Where there's only a 25% chance of getting stabbed!

(The Daily Mail says so. You can't argue with The Daily Mail!)

[Nice]

I think it's good to know how to drive standard shift. For example, If you and your friends go out and they all happen to get wasted from drinking so much beer. Let's then say, that you're the only sober one and you didn't drive, one of your friends did and ze car is stick. :eek:

Would it not be good to know it then? :choc2:

[rubah]

you'd only get stabbed because your country has outlawed guns!

I had a 100% safety record for my european public transit usage. The BO factor is another story, however.

[kikimm]

I had a 100% safety record for my european public transit usage. The BO factor is another story, however.

So true. xD

[Bunny]

I think it's good to know how to drive standard shift. For example, If you and your friends go out and they all happen to get wasted from drinking so much beer. Let's then say, that you're the only sober one and you didn't drive, one of your friends did and ze car is stick. :eek:

Would it not be good to know it then? :choc2:

I would take their wallets and buy a cab ride. Then pick up a hottie to give me a ride back to her place where hilarity would ensue.

[Meat Puppet]

Due to my castration as a young boy, I am now unable to drive manual.

[ShunNakamura]

I want to learn how to drive manual just because I think a manual car may be handy.

I haven't driven any 2008 cars. My Explorer is a 2000 and I can tell you that despite being auto it doesn't shift very nicely automatically. You often have to coax it into shifting as it nears the shift mark. My family hasn't caught on to that and they get 15-17mpg to my 20-21 mpg.

The Pacifica(a 2005?) has some similar issues. Though this only occurs in one particular gear range for the most part. I can hear my sisters and mother revving up the engine every time in that range cause they expect it to handle the shifting. I don't let it do that and coax it to shift without revving it. However despite the lack of revving I don't really get much better mpg. Maybe 1mpg or more depending on number of starts/stops.

[Slothy]

My dad's toy is a Mustang Cobra, and he wants me to learn how to drive manual transmission with it, and I don't want to; I'm too scared that I'll smurf up his car if I mess up.

You'd be doing him a favour if you ask me. :p

I drive automatic. We've never had manual cars in the time I've been driving, and I refuse to waste my time learning anytime soon. The only way I'll give a crap about learning manual is if I ever manage to get my butt behind the wheel of a Lancer Evolution. I'll learn it for that (or a Ferrari), but otherwise why bother when I can just buy and drive automatics? I couldn't give two craps about the experience of driving a manual. I find driving to be plenty enjoyable with an automatic.

[Chemical]

I recently had a dream that I tried to drive stick and backed down a snowy hill into a tree.

[Kirobaito]

I don't know, and don't really care, how automatics even work. I use automatic because I don't have to do anything. I've never driven a manual, and don't ever plan to. My automatic gets decent gas mileage and I don't have to worry about doing extra things with my hands and feet.

[Krelian]

I drive manual and I have no problem with it. The majority of cars in Germany are manual, that's why I've never even tried automatic here. I once tried automatic in Malaysia, though. But I didn't drive much, also because they drive on the left side of the road and I didn't want to risk getting confused and ending up in an accident :p

[NeoTifa]

are we talking cars or airplanes, either way, im lazy as hell. see, what most people dont know is, planes pretty much fly themselves lol. you just gotta turn, take-off, and land. the way the wind hits the wings allows the plane to pretty much stay the same altitude. i like to see how long i can get away with letting go of the yoke before the other guy realizes it and freaks out lulz. ....and cars....? lets just say im so talented i can eat with chopsticks and drive at the same time. :p (ive only been in 2 wrecks, neither of them were my fault.....still waiting for the money!!!!)

[Freya]

I had an automatic for a while. Now I have my VWBeattle. At first I didn't like driving manual but it grew on me. The plus side is you have to pay attention. I use to live really far out of town so if you didn't have to do much work you'd get drowsy easily.

I think that's also why there are bad drivers. They don't have to pay attention. They don't notice you have to shift down if you're going around a corner too slow. Nope they just go super slow and cause you to have to down shift, which is a pain when you were taking that corner at 30. :/ People are just lazy and don't pay attention.

My sister has a Ford Focus. It's a manual as well but it comes on with arrows when you need to shift up or down. So that whole, "it takes an expert", it really doesn't. The same thing applies. To get better gas mileage it'll tell you when to shift so instead of the car doing it it's self to get the best gas mileage it just tells you.

My moms 07 Pontiac G6 can switch between the two, manual and automatic. I think it has the same thing where it tells you when to shift.

[o_O]

I'd take a manual over automatic any day. They are more efficient on fuel (except for a few cases with the very latest transmission technology), they're more fun to drive and the driver has a ton more control over the car.


Modern automatics are extremely precise about when they change gears, as Ouch! said. They'll change to be efficient with gas as much as possible. certainly better than all but the most expert Human. Also yeah, less work to perform the same task = more efficient, that's pretty much the definition of efficiency.

Changing gears in a manual is mechanical, using energy from the driver via the clutch and gearstick. In an automatic, the only place that energy can come from is fuel or battery (which is charged by fuel anyway), not to mention the computing power required to stop the automatic transmission from intrusively shifting gears and also to maximise the fuel economy. That's why autos are inherently less efficient on gas. If a driver's driving a manual such that fuel economy is less than it would be in an auto, then they aren't doing a very good job at driving. :p

[Ramza Beoulve]

I can drive both, but I have an automatic car.

I would not drive a manual in this city because it would be hell itself, and I actually love to much my car to change it for a manual.

[Slothy]

Changing gears in a manual is mechanical, using energy from the driver via the clutch and gearstick. In an automatic, the only place that energy can come from is fuel or battery (which is charged by fuel anyway), not to mention the computing power required to stop the automatic transmission from intrusively shifting gears and also to maximise the fuel economy. That's why autos are inherently less efficient on gas. If a driver's driving a manual such that fuel economy is less than it would be in an auto, then they aren't doing a very good job at driving. :p

Given that fuel savings from using a manual transmission well are often fairly low (especially these days), I'd say your average user will burn through the fuel savings of a manual by simply not shifting as efficiently as a manual, considering most people aren't a computer, and a lot of people driving manuals aren't very good at it. Honestly, I've known as many people who are good with a stick shift as those who aren't, and the ones who weren't had been driving stick for years.

And besides that, it still depends on how well the person drives more than the transmission anyway. A lot of people just plain don't drive well for conserving gas, and reducing vehicle wear and tear.

[I Don't Need A Name]

gears ftw

[Tallulah]

I am learning in a manual (VW Beetle diesel). It's kind of fun now I've gone a little beyond the basics. :)

In the UK if you pass your test in an auto you cannot legally drive a manual. If you pass in a manual you can drive either.

[Cleric]

My sister has a Ford Focus. It's a manual as well but it comes on with arrows when you need to shift up or down. So that whole, "it takes an expert", it really doesn't. The same thing applies. To get better gas mileage it'll tell you when to shift so instead of the car doing it it's self to get the best gas mileage it just tells you.


My car has one of those lights, and it really irks me. I don't believe that it gives you the best gas mileage, esp. when it is trying to tell me to shift into a higher gear when going up a really steep hill...excellent idea. However, that's the computers fault.

I am generally a complete stick snob though. I just got my new car a month ago, and I had such a hard time finding something, mainly because I only wanted a 5 speed. I just hate driving auto, it bores me. Before my new car I was alternating between my crap wagon, and my step dads automatic toyota. Now, my crap wagon got about 45-50 miles per gallon, no lie, and his toyota gets about 35 which is good for an automatic, but ehh. Plus, I live in Maine, and the winters suck here. In the toyota I think I spun out 3-4 times almost getting seriously injured once from the lack of control and ABS. However in my crap wagon, which had virtually bald tires, also no ABS or anything, I was fine in, and I drove it through a major snow storm. Sooo I could really go on and on all day about the features and benefits of driving stick...if one can master it lol.

[The Unknown Guru]

I can only drive automatic. I'll learn stick once I actually get my license.