Poll: Escapist: Can you drive a Manual?

[Daygall65]

Well the title says it all. I was spurred to ask this after the newest Feed Dump, and the teens that couldn't steal the car because *dramatic pause.... drum roll...* It has a Manual transmission!

Enjoy!

 

[Albino Boo]

90% of cars are manual here in the UK. Virtually everyone learns on a manual and the standard driving test is on a manual.

 

[DefunctTheory]

I cannot.

My father went out of his way to not teach me, and the Army doesn't have manual trucks, so I never had a reason to learn.

 

[Colour Scientist]

I can't because I don't have my license yet but driving manuals is the default here.
Automatic is an American thing, isn't it?

I'll get around to being a licenced driver some day, I've just always lived in cities in a fairly small country so it's never been necessary.

 

[Scarim Coral]

I'm from the UK therefore I learn driving a car by manual (yes I know you can get automatic in the UK).

 

[Total LOLige]

Spoiler: When I saw this thread I instantly thought of this

OT: As has been mentioned previously, we drive stick here in the UK. To answer your question, I can't drive manual but that's because I can't drive. If I knew how to drive I would be driving manual most likely.

 

[Boris Goodenough]

Automatics are for rich lazy people where I live, we don't have the traffic/congestion that exists in places like L.A.; just under 1 hour out to Six Flags, 4 back...

 

[Greg White]

I can drive a stick shift better than I can an automatic. I'm not exactly race car tier in driving skills, but I haven't had anything bad happen in more than 2 years of driving on the Autobahn, so I must be doing something right.

 

[Angelowl]

Of course I do. If you take the drivers test with an automatic you only get an partial license and are forbidden from driving manual due to obvious reasons. Learning a manual let's you drive both and there is no reason not to. Pretty much all motorized vehicles use different gears, including my parents' lawnmover and tractors.

 

[Llil]

If you get your license with an automatic, you are only allowed to drive with automatic. With a manual license, you can drive both. Pretty much the only reason why you would get your license with automatic is if you have some sort of disability, which makes it difficult or impossible to, for example, operate the clutch, or something like that.

So yes, I can drive manual. I have tried automatic a few times, and I have to concentrate really hard not to accidentally slam the brakes trying to go for the clutch. And it's annoying to drive if the speed you're going is right around where the car keeps shifting up and down.

 

[JoJo]

Manuel, as Albino said the vast majority of cars out here in the UK are manual, even being mildly disabled and frankly not the best driver around I still learned on a manual as being stuck on an automatic would be very limiting out here.

 

[Auron225]

I'm from the UK, so yup. I've never actually driven an automatic so I can only imagine it's basically a giant go-kart.

 

[PainInTheAssInternet]

The only times I've ever seen a manual transmission were on performance models. It seems that automatic transmissions are standard where I live. I've never driven a manual. I'd like to try, but again, all the manuals I've come into contact with are vehicles people wouldn't want to loan me.

 

[Voulan]

Pretty much the only reason why you would get your license with automatic is if you have some sort of disability, which makes it difficult or impossible to, for example, operate the clutch, or something like that.

Is that the case where you are? I hope you don't think that's universally true.

Here in New Zealand the majority of cars, especially new ones, are automatics (imported from Japan mostly), so the majority of people drive automatics, including myself. I've never heard of this elitist idea that manual drivers are somehow superior or more intelligent or what have you, probably because it's not a stereotype that has been internalised here.

 

[MysticSlayer]

I've only ever driven automatic. Manual isn't common to see around here. I know maybe one guy who uses manual, but I think his car is very old. Besides, it fits his rather eccentric personality.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Manual = stick? In that case sure. I've never seen a car without a manual clutch in Argentina.

 

[Llil]

Pretty much the only reason why you would get your license with automatic is if you have some sort of disability, which makes it difficult or impossible to, for example, operate the clutch, or something like that.

Is that the case where you are? I hope you don't think that's universally true.

Here in New Zealand the majority of cars, especially new ones, are automatics (imported from Japan mostly), so the majority of people drive automatics, including myself. I've never heard of this elitist idea that manual drivers are somehow superior or more intelligent or what have you, probably because it's not a stereotype that has been internalised here.

You are inferring too much. I didn't mean manual drivers are somehow superior. Manual drivers can drive automatic if they want to, but automatic drivers can't drive manual. By getting a manual license, you'll just have more options. If you can operate a car with manual transmission, there's no reason to get a limited license. Also, manual cars are far more commonplace in here, and probably cheaper as well (although I could be wrong about that).

I mentioned being disabled, because that was the only reason I could think of why someone would want to get that limited license. If you physically can't drive a manual car, then obviously you don't have much choice. My grandad, for example, only got his license a few years ago, and he has really bad knees which makes it difficult for him to move his foot between the gas pedal and the brake. For him, it made sense to get an automatic license.

 

[Atrocious Joystick]

As appears to be the situation in most of Europe, the vast majority in cars in Sweden have a manual transmission. It is assumed that when learning to drive you learn how to drive with stick. There is an automatic option in tests in some places but taking that only gives you the right to drive automatic cars and that is sort of like the budget version of driving licenses, because you won´t be able to drive the majority of cars. I think the actual reason for the automatic option when taking the test is so that disabled people can still get a drivers license even if they can´t operate stick (but otherwise can drive just fine).

I guess there is the idea that if you really can´t drive stick you probably aren´t the brightest bulb around. Which again probably comes from most people being able to drive stick.

 

[Voulan]

You are inferring too much. I didn't mean manual drivers are somehow superior. Manual drivers can drive automatic if they want to, but automatic drivers can't drive manual. By getting a manual license, you'll just have more options. If you can operate a car with manual transmission, there's no reason to get a limited license. Also, manual cars are far more commonplace in here, and probably cheaper as well (although I could be wrong about that).

I mentioned being disabled, because that was the only reason I could think of why someone would want to get that limited license. If you physically can't drive a manual car, then obviously you don't have much choice. My grandad, for example, only got his license a few years ago, and he has really bad knees which makes it difficult for him to move his foot between the gas pedal and the brake. For him, it made sense to get an automatic license.

Ah, it's another cultural thing then. In New Zealand even if you get your full license using an automatic you can also drive a manual. It's only at the restricted license level where if you sit and pass the test on an automatic you cannot drive a manual.