I dunno, I don’t really find driving a manual to be much of an issue in traffic. I just hate traffic period, and will leave a little extra room so I can smooth out and cruise instead of brakes, gas, brakes, gas like so many seem to do.
My work truck is an ‘03 taco five speed. When I get tired or lazy I just go first, third, fifth, matching the revs and leave the clutch alone other than taking off from a standing start. Then again, I’m weird in that I don’t like cruise control (or autopilot in an airplane) either. I’d rather be actively engaged and feel what’s going on with the machine I’m operating.

I drove a manual for decades. I switched to an auto eight or ten years ago, and given the fairly heavy traffic I commute in, it has been a pleasure.

Last stick shift I had was a 1976 Triumph Spitfire, if that tells you anything.

I've had *at least* one manual trans car continuously for 57 years, and taught my kids and neighbor kids to drive a stick.

Currently, it's a unicorn: 2017 BMW 440 x-Drive with a 6-speed MT

IMO driving in a lot of stop and go traffic is an area where an automatic makes sense. A few years ago I experienced Pittsburgh traffic at it's worst in a 6-speed Wrangler then taking the "shortcut" back almost 40 continuous miles of inching along in rush hour traffic through endless construction.
If I lived around a place like that I'd have an automatic.

quote:

Originally posted by Southern Rebel:

(Of course, I haven't ridden a bike in over 50 years, so that could be deflator to my ego if and when I get challenged to perform by my great-granddaughter! )

I haven't ridden a bike in over 40 years but got on my cousin's new electric bike the other day and had a blast when it was nice out but the $2000 price tag was a bit much!!

Back in the late 70's I had a Dodge Challenger That the clutch went out in. Couldn't afford a new one at the time, so I learned to drive without it for a bit. Start it in gear, learn the shifting sweet spots and goooo!

Until the bell housing cracked

quote:

Originally posted by tigereye313:
Crisp heel-and-toe rev-matched downshifts are one of driving's greatest pleasures. I sure do miss my Miata.

And maybe some left foot braking?


Edited to add: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUdaWbr1KB4&t=40s

This message has been edited. Last edited by: RichardC,

My first car was a '70 Chevy 4x4 pickup with a four speed manual transmission. I called it a "Three speed with low." Drove it for 26 years...from Lombard street in San to the tops of mountains in several western states. Loved that truck! Overlapped in ownership with '85, '94 and '03 Mustang, Camero and Cobra Mustangs respectively. 5, 6, and 6 speed manuals.Disappointed I can't buy a gas powered manual truck now.
OZ

My thoughts based on personal experience… learned to drive on the farm on a 4 speed Farm-All for planting and cutting and a 47 ford (granny gear) pickup for hauling hay to the barn… first vehicle a 63 Chevy Pickup 3 on the tree. The 63 served me through high school. Upon graduation, I traded up for an air conditioned 70 F-100 with 3 on the tree plus overdrive which I suppose you could call plus 1 on the dash. I got my first automatic when we were expecting our first daughter in 1980… a 79 Malibu. Shortly after, I traded my wife’s 64 Mustang 3 on the floor for a 64 F100 3 on the tree for my “drive to work” vehicle. While those days are long gone, I have owned several others over the years from a 280ZX to the TransAm I recently sold to payoff some bills and buy some new guns.

I can still drive a manual shift passenger vehicle (never tried commercial truck) and like many others feel the manual shift brings the man/woman into a more connected relationship with the machine being operated. Now, the 2022 Acura MDX I purchased new 3-1-22 has a 10 speed automatic, cruise control, lane assist, auto braking, on and on… almost doesn’t even need me there at all.

So, my opinion…

1. With manual transmissions now all but obsolete, why worry? According to stats quoted by OP, essentially everything in the US is automatic and unless he wants a classic, my 16 YO grandson will never even know manual transmissions ever existed. He just turned 16 and drives my hand-me-down Ford Edge.

2. If you are planning a trip to Europe and can’t drive a stick, I will drive for travel expenses (flight, lodging, food, and small daily allowance)

98 Taco that will go to my son when he starts driving this year so the manual torch will be passed.

My first car in 1972 was a 4 speed toyota. I had no idea how to drive stick when I bought it. My mom taught me.

Since then I have had a few different cars with manual transmissions - M3, Camaro, 911, mercedes 190. I currently have a Jeep Wrangler w 6 speed but its not a daily driver. Also a 1975 TR6, also not a daily driver. As others said, commuting in traffic sucks with a stick.

Both my sons can drive a manual, it happened to be what I owned when they were learning. So can my wife. Hated when she insisted on driving the Porsche.

Learned on a shift stick when I got my learner's permit in 1985. Cars 1-4 were manual. Mrs. DennisM can't drive a stick, so we're an automatic family now (yes, I know better than to try to teach her... again.)

Call me old-fashioned, but I think driving a manual transmission is in the same chapter as lighting a campfire and knowing how to change oil in the Book Of Stuff That Every Man Should Know How To Do.

quote:

Originally posted by DennisM:
Call me old-fashioned, but I think driving a manual transmission is in the same chapter as lighting a campfire and knowing how to change oil in the Book Of Stuff That Every Man Should Know How To Do.

Well . . . I guess having 1 out of 3 ain't all bad!

flashguy

I've never needed to drive a stick so I never really learned. My sister had a manual 240SX in college and I did spend about 30 minutes messing with it one day back in high school. 2 weeks ago I was quail hunting and the guide asked me to pull the jeep down to the area we were hunting... I started to sweat. I stalled it once but managed to get it in gear the next time and was ok.

My Dad passed away in 2021 but his old Nissan truck is still around and is a stick so I'm gonna spend a little time in it next time I'm down at my mom's. It's a good skill to have, albeit increasingly unnecessary, and once I can competently drive it, I can use it for rumbling around the farm and hauling deer to the cooler instead of my Yukon.

I have a 2011 Forrester with a manual. As said earlier it does connect you more to your vehicle. I also spent a couple of summers driving DUKWs in the Wisconsin Dells-double clutching up the gears and down the gears. Fun stuff.

quote:

Originally posted by ridewv:

One of the biggest challenges in teaching a new rider to ride a motorcycle is first having to teach them how to use a clutch, and that includes almost everyone now.

My daughter got her motorcycle license a few years back via the MSF course. She had no experience of clutches of any sort. I taught her how to use a motorcycle clutch prior to that well enough that she passed the course no problem.

We spent the first Summer after she got her license dubbing around on back roads out of traffic to get her comfortable on the bike and at least somewhat familiar with the various hazards. We'd take a short ride most days and critique the ride after to see what she'd noticed and help get the lessons and techniques firmly in mind.

I noticed one day that she was spending a lot of time at stop signs finding first gear. I asked her if she was downshifting coming up to the stop. She had no clue what I was talking about, they'd never even mentioned it at the course.

So I had her hop on behind me and demonstrated a few times. "Cool!" she says. "Lots easier if your already IN first when you get to the stop sign!"

Ayuh...

I can drive a stick. I can drive three-on-a-column, too.

When I was stationed in Japan, I had a Nissan Cedric (Japanese copy of a Chevy Stovebolt 6) that had four on the tree.

Nobody mentioned that to me when I bought the car off another GI, took me a minute to figure out what the hell was going on.

The first two cars I learned to drive on at the ripe old age of 10/12. So yeah, I still love driving a stick shift on occasion.

Grand Dad's 1951 Jeep CJ-3



Dad's 1966 Chevy C-10 - Three on the tree