BGP QOTD: Yes or No - Can you drive a stick shift?

[bugatti]

Yes, but unlike NEERFAN, I don't miss it.

[nees1212]

Never knew anything about them, until we test drove one with it in it. She pulled out onto the street and ran the RPMs up and freaked out. She kept yelling at me, what am I doing wrong? I yelled back, I don't know! :lol2:

 

I’ve been leery about trying it out in ours, but we’ve got a rental right now, so I’m going to give it a try next time I drive it.

[jvdfc]

Yes sir. 1st car was a 4 speed 1966 Mustang Fastback.

[bugatti]

I also know how to drive a "three on a tree" and some bigger trucks which required splitting axles.

[rjs4470]

My wife's vehicle has two options...one is fully automatic, the other allows you to shift the gears manually, but there's no clutch pedal to use.

 

My last few cars have had that. I thought it would be a cool feature to have, but it really added nothing to my driving experience, and I really saw no benefit when using the feature. I haven’t used the “manual” option in a long time, and don’t see myself ever using it again.

[John Anthony]

Yup, so can my wife, hence wife material lol. I have a stupid paddle shifter option now, which I don’t use.

[The Double Deuce]

Absolutely.

[swamprat]

Aye. I was driving the International flatbed around the farm when I was 12. I didn't get my first automatic until I bought my first new car when I was 21, a 1979 Firebird Formula. I had a stick in the 81 Ford Escort I had when I moved to Florida. Traded it in on an 85 Dodge Daytona, and haven't owned a stick since.

 

My son drives nothing but sticks and I drive his muscle car of the moment from time to time. He is constantly rebuilding Mustangs and Mavericks. I kind of like chirping the tires from 1st through 3rd, every now and then.

[sweet16]

Yes. I learned how to drive with an old truck that was a stick shift on the column.

[OlDog75]

Sure can.

[John Anthony]

I get the impression if you were born before or during 1980, yes.

[Irish Cat]

Yep, and I miss it. I learned on a Chevy Monza in my driveway. I always had a vehicle with a manual tranny up until about 7 years ago. I tried teaching the wife, but she just couldn't pick it up. I came to the realization that her not being able to drive 1 of the 2 cars we had didn't make sense.

 

I hate how they're making cars now that look like they're a manual, but they're not.

 

I had to look that one up. Looks like they were made from 1975 to 1981. Not sure how I've never been aware of this model of Chevy.

[Irish Cat]

My last few cars have had that. I thought it would be a cool feature to have, but it really added nothing to my driving experience, and I really saw no benefit when using the feature. I haven’t used the “manual” option in a long time, and don’t see myself ever using it again.

 

I would agree, that the new "manual" modes do not add any fun to driving like a traditional stick shift. It is a nice feature to have it you are in the mountains. You can gear down and don't have to ride the break all the way down the hills.

[broadcaster240]

My father gave us an automatic when we got married, but I bought sticks from then on until we moved to suburban Nashville...at the age of 50. I rode a small motorcycle from age 16...which made learning the stick on a car a whole lot easier.

[SnottieDrippen]

Yes. Learning afforded me opportunities to drive vehicles I’ll never be able to afford to drive.