It’s funny, my mother taught my siblings, using her car. My father taught me, using his car. So I started out driving stick. My brother eventually had to learn it. To this day, my sister doesn’t know how.
It doesn’t - it just baffles and slightly annoys me how often it gets shoved down my throat (see another poster’s comment about how eager stick drivers are to make it known that they drive a stick, and espouse the alleged superiority thereof).
I think you misread my comment - I was half-jokingly suggesting the opposite (that deep-seated psychological complexes are the reason people would choose a manual transmission for an everyday car that is not, in fact, a race car).
Currently neither, but I do have a license and Dad taught me how to drive a stick when I turned 16.
I’ll admit it… I can’t drive a stick. I’ve tried to learn, had several people attempt to teach me. They all said I was hopeless. 
Where do you live/what company do you keep that it often gets shoved down your throat?
:rolleyes:
Since most americans seem to be only vaguely aware that such things as non-automatic transmissions even exist, I find it hard to believe it gets shoved down your throat with any frequency. Unless you hang out with serious car fanatics I can’t see anyone making a big deal about it.
Well, one who is an expert with a manual transmission actually is more in control of his car than one driving an automatic. Come over some time and I’ll take you for a ride and you’ll know what it’s like to have control of a vehcle. 
I don’t think psychological complexes have much to do with it, really.
My very first used heap of a car was a manual, so I tend to prefer them. Every time I drive an automatic, I keep itching to use the clutch.
Well, a new vehicle with a four-cylinder and stick is almost a given to yield mid to upper 30’s on the highway nowadays. It’s the leather interior that’s going to be the sticking point.
Out of curiosity, sparky!, why did you post this poll? What were you hoping to learn or prove, and why?
Ha! That’s funny. Back in the day (in my 20’s), I’d smoke, drink a Diet Coke, shift, and steer. Huh… smokin’, shiftin’, sippin’ and steerin’.
And the only wrecks my car ever got into were when I wasn’t in it. (There was a time when it would fling itself into pick-up trucks. I swear this had nothing to do with me inadequately setting the brake.)
Please tell us that you then exit through the window and do a backflip to the pavement.
Car and Driver® magazine is conducting a “Save the Manuals” campaign that will interest you.
http://www.caranddriver.com/features/save-the-manuals-official-headquarters
Just curious if most people drive an auto. I’m actually surprised how close the numbers are.
Me too, but as was pointed out upthread, I wonder if a lot of auto drivers can’t be arsed with voting.
Talk about an insulting and ignorant statement.
84 votes in, and it’s split 50-50- That’s pretty shocking considering automatics not only are uncommon in the US, they make up less than 10% of all cars sold here. I know polls here are far from Scientific, but this seems to indicate they’re possibly completely worthless!
I drive an automatic because I never learned to drive a stick. I’ve heard stories in threads like this about how peoples’ fathers taught them to drive a manual, but my dad doesn’t know how to drive a stick either, so he couldn’t have taught me. In fact, nobody I know well knows how to drive one.
In my case, our car is over 10 years old. Don’t know how many manuals were sold back then as opposed to now.
C’mon, mon. I have never told anyone in my life that I drive a manually transmissioned vehicle. I’ve never heard such a boast either.
There are, though, many true advantages to driving a stick:
Generally a lower sticker price when new
Better acceleration when needed
Fewer engine revs during normal driving yield longer engine life, oil life and less noise
More driver involvement = less distraction or falling asleep at the wheel
Better control of which gear the trans is in at any given time
Quicker downshifts
Access to engine braking
Safer driving down very steep hills or mountains (less chance of overcooking the brakes)
Better vehicle control during sub-optimal driving conditions
Folks who want a stick will pay a substantial premium for a used car with a stick vs an automatic
I could probably think of a few more–maybe later.