Driving Manual/Stick

[Gorth]

well i'm glad i'm at work then

 

no chance of you running me over

 

Yeah, well, it's bloody hot these days, it's unbelievable. Lots of people out too.

 

Anyway, rather anticlimax-y; I didn't even touch the gearstick. The lesson guy seemed to favour a 'push pull' steering method I had hardly seen before, so I spent an hour running 8's and double 8's in a parking lot.

You lucky bastard!

 

When I was young, we had to learn how to operate the gearstick with our teeth while operating three pedals with my two feet and a hand each on the steering wheel and hand brakes for those fancy parking maneuvres.

 

--

I never drove a car the years I lived in New Zealand, driving in the left hand side was just too scary. Now I have gotten used to it, driving quite a lot in rental cars, but it took a lot of concentration the first few times. I actually appreciated driving automatics, as having to fiddle around with a stick with the wrong hand while driving would have been suicide >_

[Fenghuang]

Easiest way to learn how to get it moving is to play with the clutch.

 

If you can let out the clutch pedal until it's just about all the way out and you can feel the gears starting to engage and the car's starting to creep forward you're golden. It's a lot easier than "Gently easing off the clutch and applying gas." I'm not sure what kind of sadist came up with that advice.

 

This is also useful for gridlock traffic where it's moving too slowly to keep it in first without the engine dying but it's still moving a little bit.

[WITHTEETH]

I learned with a stick. Started just in my driveway going back and forth, just getting a feel for it. It will come with practice.

 

Ive owned only one Auto and currently drive a Passat VR6 Manual. Pretty fun car.

[LadyCrimson]

Learned on a stick too ... only one of my cars was an automatic. My current is a stick shift, mostly because that's all they had on the lot the day I wanted to buy.

 

There used to be a slightly more noticable difference gas milage-wise between stick and automatics in the 70's but by now it's so neglible it's no reason to use one or the other. I was always of the opinon that even back then, if you drove like a lead-foot race car driver, it wouldn't have been much difference. :D

 

I like stick shifts - for one thing, it keeps my driver-attention from wandering so much. For another, there's just something more "exciting" about driving curving roads while shifting up and down. But yeah, if you do a lot of stop-and-go driving, or live in someplace like, say, San Francisco with all the intersections on steep hills, they're a pain in the arse.

[Humodour]

So, after like years of procrastination I finally got my learner's license a few months ago. (Nearly failed that because I read the book while playing Witcher.) But my stepdad is a bastard and booked me for manual lessons, even though I have an auto car waiting for me.

 

Problem is, I've never ridden a geared bike. Or paid attention to cars, ever. Or used manual in racing games. I have no idea why you have a clutch (I found out what a clutch IS 10 minutes ago) and what the hell you have to do.

 

I've driven an auto for like 2 hours, so I know the very basics of that and can drive slowly in deserted suburban roads. But that's it.

 

Can anybody explain this stuff for me?

 

(also, is it better to start out with manual now or later? I'd have thought you'd want to be comfortable with auto first if you're clueless like me, but I'm not sure.)

 

Haha. You sound like me two years ago.

 

Manual is fun but after moving to an auto I'll just get my full license on that (since here a full license grants use of both manual and auto).

[Fenghuang]

Learned on a stick too ... only one of my cars was an automatic. My current is a stick shift, mostly because that's all they had on the lot the day I wanted to buy.

 

There used to be a slightly more noticable difference gas milage-wise between stick and automatics in the 70's but by now it's so neglible it's no reason to use one or the other. I was always of the opinon that even back then, if you drove like a lead-foot race car driver, it wouldn't have been much difference. :D

 

I like stick shifts - for one thing, it keeps my driver-attention from wandering so much. For another, there's just something more "exciting" about driving curving roads while shifting up and down. But yeah, if you do a lot of stop-and-go driving, or live in someplace like, say, San Francisco with all the intersections on steep hills, they're a pain in the arse.

 

I've driven up Russian Hill and around and about in SF in my completely gutless '89 Camry with the kind of iffy clutch. It's really not that bad, my friend had more problems in his Nissan Sentra with the auto transmission. .

[taks]

i had to take my test on a stick, too. in fact, i was on my way to get my learner's permit driving the stick, and did not expect to take the full test (learner's permit is written test only, license includes driving portion) BECAUSE i wasn't used to the stick. my buddy came along for the ride (back seat, momma was in the passenger seat) and noted that i was driving the stick fine, and should go ahead and get the full license. i did, and passed easily, though i was so nervous i had a hard time holding the clutch in.

 

anyway, four-wheeling with a stick is a blast. driving up a rock hill while mucking around with the gear shift and clutch is definitely a challenge, though there are many advantages over an auto (control when you need it).

 

taks

[SteveThaiBinh]

I don't drive a car (I had a few lessons once but never finished the course), but I've ridden motorbikes and I prefer to have the clutch, no question. Without it my left hand doesn't know what to do with itself.

[Tigranes]

You just threw your arm to the test monkeys there, Steve.

 

Been too busy to have another lesson yet so still no clutch for me, but this thread has lessened my apprehensions a little. We will see what actually happens in 24 hours.

[LadyCrimson]

I've driven up Russian Hill and around and about in SF in my completely gutless '89 Camry with the kind of iffy clutch. It's really not that bad, my friend had more problems in his Nissan Sentra with the auto transmission. .

My main problem with steep hills and clutches was the roll-back as you let the clutch out and try to get the (wimpy late 70's/early 80's auto) acceleration going at the same time etc. Every time I went to SF, there was always someone right on my arse and I sweated either rolling back into their bumper or killing the engine or shooting forward with a huge jolting jerk, spilling my drink, hahaha. It's not that bad in reality, but I find the psychological aspect irritating.

 

My '98 Legacy came with some feature that helps prevent the roll-back, so it's not as much of a factor anymore.

Edited January 29, 2008 by LadyCrimson

[Fenghuang]

I've driven up Russian Hill and around and about in SF in my completely gutless '89 Camry with the kind of iffy clutch. It's really not that bad, my friend had more problems in his Nissan Sentra with the auto transmission. .

My main problem with steep hills and clutches was the roll-back as you let the clutch out and try to get the (wimpy late 70's/early 80's auto) acceleration going at the same time etc. Every time I went to SF, there was always someone right on my arse and I sweated either rolling back into their bumper or killing the engine or shooting forward with a huge jolting jerk, spilling my drink, hahaha. It's not that bad in reality, but I find the psychological aspect irritating.

 

My '98 Legacy came with some feature that helps prevent the roll-back, so it's not as much of a factor anymore.

 

That's where the trick I mentioned earlier comes into play.

 

You do it right, and you'll have the gears engaged enough that you can keep the car stationary, and maybe even get it to creep forward a little bit even on steep hills; without using the brake, or the accelerator, or killing the engine because you let it out all the way. There's a sweet spot there, and it takes practice to find it but once you do you're golden.

Edited January 29, 2008 by Fenghuang

[Atreides]

I learned a manual but switched to auto after I got my license and haven't looked back since. For the rolling backward thing - I was told to have the handbrake on and slowly ease the gas/clutch until I feel the car shift slightly, then release the handbrake. The car should have enough to be still (against the hill) or slightly rolling forward.

 

I think auto's gotten more fun to drive as new tech comes out. The acceleration from a standstill's much better now and the gear changing is smoother. As the computers get smarter the ride will keep getting better. Same with choosing which gear's optimal given the conditions and stuff.

 

Plus personally I find not having to worry about gears frees up my attention for other things. Guess it's just a matter of what you're used to

[@\NightandtheShape/@]

FACT: Cars are for wussies, regardless of if they're manual or automatic they're still incomprehendabley pathetic.

[WITHTEETH]

FACT: Cars are for wussies, regardless of if they're manual or automatic they're still incomprehendabley pathetic.

FACT: Bikes + Snow = missing limps.