Grelby tries to drive a standard! (Hilarity ensues)

It saddens me when I find out the truck of my dreams (my next big purchase) does not come with a manual transmission option in the high-end models. :frowning:

If you got it going, it sounds like you’re going to do fine. However, I’ve known a few people who could not get it, after some time. Eventually they just gave up.

Once I learned how to drive with a manual transmission, it was no problem learning how to ride a motorcycle. Those are hella fun too! :smiley:

I used to say that anyone could learn to drive a manual transmission with sufficient practice (typically, it doesn’t take that much). But I now say “almost” because of the experience of a friend, some years ago.

He had a beautiful fully original Mustang convertible that was his pride and joy. He got married to an equally beautiful woman, and six months later sold the car. He said it was either the car or his wife – he’d put in five (!) replacement clutches. She just couldn’t get the hang of it, and the strain on their relationship was too great (at that time, two cars was out of the question).

They remain happily married. He occasionally looks wistfully at a Mustang, but I suspect that’s one sleeping dog he’ll be content to let lie.

When I was 12 my dad suddenely decided it was time I learned to drive. We were going up this steep hill on a crappy dirt and rock road in the old wagoneer , and my dad,(of the throw them in, sink or swim teaching philosophy) stopped the car, got out and told me to get in the drivers seat. He went over the basics quickly and told me to start it up and go. I tried and of course stalled it out the first time. By now a local asshole in his brand new caddy pulled up behind us and started honking. I tried again, this time being carefull not to unclutch too fast, and as a result had a good bit of speed going backwards towards the caddy, and slammed on the brakes just in front of him. By now he was just laying on the horn and refused to back up and give me more room even though my dad was waving him back. Finally I just floored the gas and snapped off the clutch. Hehe, the torquey old 360 V8 seemed a little suprised but was up to the task and we roared forward in a full wheel spin mode. Now, remember the dirt and rock road ? I bet the old bastard never again refused to give a driver some room to get started, cause the caddy disappeared in the cloud of high speed dirt and rocks in my rear view mirror.
One other story. One of my friends had a girlfriend that he didn’t exactly go out with because of her mind. She was always bugging him to let her drive his 'stang. It got to the point where he just had to give in or lose privliges. So he got out of the car and told her she could drive it. He patiently explained how to clutch and gas as she tried to get it started. After about 20 tries she gave up and he comforted her. However he didn’t mention to her that he had put the car in 4th before he got out. :wink:

We have an old GMC with a completely buggered ignition - it can be started with a spoon. We leave it parked, unlocked, because the those likely to steal it can’t drive a three-in-the-tree… :smiley: