Poll: Escapist: Can you drive a Manual?

[rutger5000]

Technically I can operate both manual and automatic cars, but you wouldn't want me in traffic with either of them. Controlling the car is extremely easy, keeping track of what's happening around you darn near freaking impossible for people like me. So I've got to wait for the car that drives itself.
I've always preferred manuals though, they give you far greater control of your speed.

 

[octafish]

Ugh. I hate slush boxes, I actually find them unnerving. So much so that I find them more difficult to drive than an Auto. Plus I keep grabbing for the shifter and pressing the non-existent clutch.

 

[Quellist]

I'm from the UK and myself and must everyone I know drives Manual in fact I only have one friend who cant drive Manual and tbh that's because she's a ditz who failed her test 6 times even in an automatic!

 

[Lieju]

I haven't driven a car in almost ten years, so probably not anymore.
Not that I ever was good at that.

I just didn't drive much.
I have never driven automatic though.

 

[Syntax Error]

I drive stick. Tho when I buy a new car it'll be probably an automatic.

 

[Lilani]

What sort of "extra features" are we talking about?

When my family was looking at cars, the ones with manual transmission usually didn't have power windows or weren't keyless and other little things. The car we ended up getting cost $2000 less than the manual transmission we were looking at, and the car had automatic transmission, keyless entry and ignition, power windows, and the ability to link to a cell phone with Bluetooth so you can make and answer calls without ever touching your phone. And this wasn't the negotiated price, this was the sticker price on the cars, both brand new with a minimum number of miles on them. And I don't remember the model year of the manual, but the automatic we got was the most current model year.

 

[Exterminas]

I learned how to drive in manual and switched to automatic afterwards.

Frankly, I don't get what the appeal of manual is. It just seems like a needless, older piece of technology that managed to stick around for no reason. I mean, once we invented machines to wash our laundry for us, we stopped going down to the river to beat it against rocks, right? So now that we have machines that change gears for us, why the hell do we keep those sticks around?

 

[Alfador_VII]

I'm in the UK, where most cars, at least in the mass market are still manual, and has been pointed out in the thread there is actually a different manual driving test (which allows you to drive both types), if you pass the automatic test, you can't drive manual.

Manuals are cheaper to buy, and nearly always more fuel efficient too, so even if you don't appreciate the extra control which changing your own gears offers, you save money I can't deny that automatics do have advantages at times, especially in slow moving traffic where your left leg takes a lot of abuse in a manual. I still wouldn't specify one in an ordinary car though.

However various forms of automated manual, and dual-clutch are becoming more common in some parts of the market, they almost blur the line between manual and auto, with paddle gearshifts, and the option to hold gears wthout changing up or down. The key thing is they're all 2-pedal systems with no clutch pedal. For an increasing number of performance cars, conventional stick shifts aren't even available as an option now.

 

[fix-the-spade]

If Top Gear is to trusted, Europe doesn't have a single straight road in it (Besides the Autobahn). I suppose if your driving experience was a perpetual turn, being able to shift gears manually instead of riding your breaks every time it gets a bit more curvy would be a step up.

Top Gear is to be trusted, sort of, driving in the US astounded me with how non-twisty your roads are.

There's a minor point that manual cars are generally more fuel efficient than autos as well, provided the driver pays attention to gear selection. When petrol is $2.20 a litre the difference between 30 and 50mpg suddenly seems more important!

 

[Mr Fixit]

I can, I do & I fucking love it. Automatics are just boring, but maybe that's because I learned to drive by drifting around corners on a one lane gravel road. They can be a pain in slow moving, stop & go traffic & a heavy clutch is rough on my bad knees, but I'd still rather have a manual over an automatic any day.

 

[Boris Goodenough]

Frankly, I don't get what the appeal of manual is. It just seems like a needless, older piece of technology that managed to stick around for no reason. I mean, once we invented machines to wash our laundry for us, we stopped going down to the river to beat it against rocks, right? So now that we have machines that change gears for us, why the hell do we keep those sticks around?

For commute purposes an auto is fine if you are stuck a lot in traffic but autos feel so numbing to the driving experience.
The times I have tried manumatics in cars - it and I want to change gear at the same time when doing best possible acceleration, resulted in double changes which results in crap acceleration.
I remember the (American) car site I was a member of was "up in arms" over the, then, new James Bond (Daniel Craig) had to learn how to drive manual in order to performe the part.

 

[Something Amyss]

How do you turn if your hands mirror each other?!

Mostly use one at a time. Which would work for shifting except I'd have to take my other hand off the wheel.

 

[pejhmon]

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.

I'm much the same since I drive manual better than automatic. I think it's because the act of changing gear keeps me more focussed; I get bored not having to change gear in an automatic.

 

[babinro]

Technically, yes.
Safely/Reliably? Not at all.

I've had experience with manual transmission and while I have used a manual truck to driver to and from work it was under ideal conditions. Flat roads, no snow and almost no hills/inclines. Keep in mind I did this for about 1 YEAR.

Even under those conditions I would tend to stall the vehicle at least once per trip. I was never able to start the vehicle on an incline...going as far as having to coast back down the hill in neutral in order to get moving again.

Needless to say, my confidence took a nosedive. You can only fail so many hundreds of times at something others find simple before it really gets to you. My dad tried to teach me and figured I'd learn if he made me use the vehicle but it just never clicked.

This was an early 90's toyota truck. I'm not sure if manual gear shifting technology has been made more forgiving since then. It's entirely possible I'd be better at it now but I have no desire to ever drive one again. I'll certainly never buy one.

 

[stroopwafel]

I've never driven anything else but a manual. I live in one of the most densely populated areas and I have no problems with it. Manual also gives me more control over the car I think? Probably nonsense but whatever. It's only a pain when you need to go uphill(mostly parking buildings in my case), but the key is to pull the handbrake when standing still while gently pushing gas and slowly releasing handbrake and you never slip/roll backwards. And with traffic lights I'm the fastest to leave when near redlining from first to second gear. Things you kinda learn through experience.

I bought a new car a few years ago(standard here is still manual) and had the option to upgrade to automatic for 1300,- euros. I contemplated for a while but decided fuck it there are more fun things I can do with that money.

As for manual being 'outdated', probably true but then again cars themselves have been around for like 100 years now so define 'outdated'. As long as we won't see a true revolution in automotive technology, manuals will continue to 'stick' around as well.

 

[shootthebandit]

03 Jazz,

The important thing tough, auto's are just more fun. The go-kart comparison isn't far off only my go-kart comes with AC, air bags, and a stereo.

An automatic jazz should never be compared to a Go-kart. Unless its one of those pedal go-karts you had as a kid. My friends first car was a jazz and he single handedly brought the average age of a jazz driver down to 80. I drive a clio Sport with 197 bhp in a small car. Now that is a go-kart. 6-speed manual a shit ton of grip

Perhaps I am a bit of an elitist but I will always prefer a manual because I have more control. I will be the first to admit that I see an auto as an inferior car (not the driver though). Manuals are just a bit more rewarding, yes you have to put in the effort of pressing a 3rd pedal and moving your left hand but it pays off

I Suppose it depends on what you want. I dont like anything that takes control away from the driver. Im not a huge fan of cruise control either. If you want driving to be easier get an auto with cruise control and you just have to point it in the right direction

Its also cultural. Us brits all (about 90%) drive a manual and probably even more have learned to drive a manual. We are a bit set in our ways. Whereas america seems to have embraced the auto. I like to think of it as America built its roads for the car. Europe built its cars for the road

 

[Megalodon]

Also, in the US you very rarely have to worry about some idiot rolling back and hitting you when trying to go at a stoplight because their foot slipped on the pedal.

Which shouldn't happen anyway if you keep a safe distance between cars.

Low speed control is so much easier on an automatic (take your foot off the brake, it moves forward slowly- great for really poor traffic) and backing up is much safer (for the same reason, you don't need to apply any gas to move).

Depending on the engine, this is entirely possible in manual cars. Even if you do need to add gas to move, if you're even vaguely competent at driving, this isn't a concern.

You can even control when your car switches gears by letting up on the accelerator slightly to increase, and braking to decrease.

Got to say, that doesn't sound like control top me, compared with a manual where it will be in the exact gear I tell it.

It is a good skill to know, to drive a manual, in case it is ever needed, but honestly there is very little true advantage to a manual that you can tangibly feel on an everyday basis. No design of anything is ever made safer by having additional moving parts, or more integral human input.

This, like so many things, ultimately comes down to acclimatisation. Never having driven an automatic, I barely even notice changing gears any more. The only real point of reference I have is my grandfather, who had an automatic for a time, but then went straight back to manual for his next car, make of that what you will.

 

[Lightknight]

If I didn't have people pulling up an inch behind me when stopped at a light going up hill then I would be fine driving stick. But since I can't control other drivers I'll stick with automatic which doesn't stall out or roll backwards on hills until it catches.

But that's probably because most people have automatics now. I imagine Europe would have a more manual experienced drivers who take more caution on hills.

 

[Alfador_VII]

If I didn't have people pulling up an inch behind me when stopped at a light going up hill then I would be fine driving stick. But since I can't control other drivers I'll stick with automatic which doesn't stall out or roll backwards on hills until it catches.

But that's probably because most people have automatics now. I imagine Europe would have a more manual experienced drivers who take more caution on hills.

Hill-starting is a skill you have to pick up while learning to drive in the UK. Basically if you roll backwards while trying to start during the test, that's a major fault (you're not allowed many of them), possibly even a fail right there, depending on how bad it is.

Even on a steep hill, I can get it going in first gear without moving backwards or stalling (think I might have stalled two or three times doing it in the years since I passed), it's pretty much second nature now as I've done it so often.

 

[Lightknight]

If I didn't have people pulling up an inch behind me when stopped at a light going up hill then I would be fine driving stick. But since I can't control other drivers I'll stick with automatic which doesn't stall out or roll backwards on hills until it catches.

But that's probably because most people have automatics now. I imagine Europe would have a more manual experienced drivers who take more caution on hills.

Hill-starting is a skill you have to pick up while learning to drive in the UK. Basically if you roll backwards while trying to start during the test, that's a major fault (you're not allowed many of them), possibly even a fail right there, depending on how bad it is.

Even on a steep hill, I can get it going in first gear without moving backwards or stalling (think I might have stalled two or three times doing it in the years since I passed), it's pretty much second nature now as I've done it so often.

Hmm, I see people roll all the time. I'd always just assumed that it was a flaw with the vehicle rather than a skill.

But two or three times. Any of them accidents or close calls? That'd be two or three situations more than I'd have with an automatic. Safer, smoother rides from what I've seen and not always that much less gas efficiency.