Yes, that’s right. I’ve been able to drive for a couple months now and I’m finally making myself learn how to drive a straight shift. What with my Dad and Step-mother driving stick de jure and claiming that a man “has no cahones” (spelling on that? I’m in Latin, not Spanish.) (yes my Dad said that of me) if he can’t drive stick, I figured it was about damn time.
I just got back in from practicing (I’m finally gettin’ it!!)and I guess my reasoning for starting this thread would be a tasty mixture of wanting to hear horror stories, wanting some sympathy (I guess, don’t feel obligated), wanting some tips (want, want, want, all you do is WANT Alex), and sharing something mundane and pointless.
I had been driving for about a week. I came to an intersection and stopped just fine. As the way became clear for me to procede, I threw it into what I thought was first gear and let out the clutch.
{Chunk!} Stall. “Damn it!” Restart - Let out the clutch - {Chunk!} Stall. “Damn it!” Restart - Let out the clutch - {Chunk!} Stall. “Damn it!” Restart - Let out the clutch - …
Of course I had it in third gear, and I could not, in my confusion and stress, figure out why I couldn’t get moving. I thought I broke the friggin’ car.
After stalling it about 6 or 7 times, I ended up blocking main street, cars backing up going east and west as I played Biggest Idiot in Town.
I finally figured it out, and got moving, but it was quite embarrassing. When you live in a small town, witnesses always abound.
Arden: My step-father has made the attempt, as has my father. That was back when I just had my “permit” and couldn’t drive by myself, but now I decided that I’d be alot better off practicing on my own, and I am. I agree on the fun part, not to mention the acceleration, but it’s just a matter of getting confident and smooth enough for me now.
Jack: Ewww! That sounds genuinely awful. Young man, by the way. That’s my biggest problem, other drivers. I try to move too fast and end up letting off the clutch really quickly and killing it. I hate holding people up and feeling pressured to go. So… I drive in the evenings in the neighborhoods.
HAHA
ok my little brother is going for his learners permit. Well he doesn’t have it yet, but my dad was teaching him how to drive a stick.
Let me just tell you a little about the car he is learning in. It’s my dad’s toy, it’s his work car a 92’ firebird which he put an extremely larger engine in it.
Well the first couple times he just stalls, then my dad is telling him to give it a little gas “don’t be afraid of it” so he decides to give it some gas and ends up smoking the tires. Then after several more tries he does it!
HAHA then he is going to the end of the parking lot, still in first gear starts to make his turn to go back to the other end and “I just felt the car slowing down so I gave it some gas”–his own words. The car starts doing donuts, he is so scared and doesn’t know what to do, he just freezes, until my dad pulls it out of gear and starts yelling brakes clutch get off the gas.
I was lucky - eons ago when I took Driver’s Ed (like 30 years ago), one of the school’s DE cars was a 4-speed, so I learned from a non-relative. My first new car was a 4-speed - 1976 Datsun B210. I taught a former b/f to drive that car, then sold it to him.
Within the last month, however, I shared the honor of teaching my Perfect Child[sup]TM[/sup] how to handle our new 5-speed Beetle. She mastered it in about 2 weeks, altho she has the occasional problems backing out of our driveway, since it backs uphill.
I think everyone should learn how to clutch, just because!
Nicklz: Haha, that’s awful. I was never that bad, I just killed my dad’s brand new Passat about 8 times consecutively before he decided that I needed to, “Get the Hell outta the driver’s seat before I killed his car” and that we should get home.
FairyMom: My cousin just got a new lil green beetle. It took her months of not wanting to learn how but one day she decided that she needed to go somewhere so she just got in and drove. Really hasn’t looked back since… I agree on the learning to drive straight shift being a good idea. Always helpful to know that you aren’t limited (mostly) in what kind of cars you can actually drive.
I first learned to drive on a standard and my big embarrassment came the first time I tried to drive an automatic. I went to shift and stomped my left foot down… right onto that extra wide brake pedal. DOH!!!
Me? Oh, I have nothing of use to say (surprise, surprise.) I just can’t believe that not only did ARose post like, twice today, he even STARTED A THREAD. Maybe the lurker is rubbing off. And what a gracious thread-host he is. “Thank you for your replies.” Hahahaa…
[sub][sup]Sorry. Kinda. You can kick my ass tomorrow like a red-headed stepchild in front of all the rednecks gathered at the state fair. I can’t wait either.[/sub][/sup]
Ronin: I’d imagine I’d fear for my safety as well when trying to teach a dyslexic how to drive. Still… I don’t know my right from left so I can’t talk.
Opal: Haha, that’s awful! I never woulda figured anyone would have trouble driving auto. after stick. Ya learn somethin’ new e’eryday, though.
Searching: Baby, your ass is as good as kicked. You know this.
Mermaid: Wow, you didn’t have to go through all that space bar-less trouble for me… honest. Thanks for the advice, though. My real trouble now is first and reverse to an extent. I peeled out of our uphill driveway tonight.
I learned at age 24, in 4 sessions, after we bought a car with a stick. Hubby taught me and did a great job - he’s taught a number of his friends to drive stick as well. I suppose he could be available for rental
Seriously, I love it. We have an automatic car as well, and driving it just ain’t as much FUN!
In a church basement somewhere nameless, OxyMoron rises and says,
“Um, my name is Christian, I’m 33 years old, and…
I can’t drive stick.”
At the local H.S. where I first learned, all the cars were automatic. “'Cause if we taught stick, it’d take four hours to get you out of the parking lot.” So I suggested to my father that he teach me on our dying Volvo. “No, no, that’s got a really weird transmission, doesn’t make sense.” Nevermind that I could’ve stripped the damn thing with no harm done.
So today I have no cojones, because I am stickless.
I remember an article in either the NY Times or the WS Journal saying that very few sticks are sold anymore in the US market - I believe it was under 10%. Most of us don’t have the luxury of living where driving can be enjoyable; traffic’s nightmarish everywhere, so shifting is just a chore. Plus, as I understand it automatics are much more efficient than they used to be, so there isn’t as much of a fuel economy edge anymore.
I mean, learn stick all you want. While you’re at it, take a course in shorthand, or 8-track player repair.
(Hey, even in Europe it’s pretty easy anymore to get an automatic.)
My dad taught me how to drive a standard out in the middle of nowhere, near Big Spring (We had gone to visit my grandmother)
We’re out in the middle of cornfields, no one else anywhere near. The road is raised somewhat so that the shoulder forms an embankment. Dad explains the basic principles to me, and I start the car. Now every time I have to shift, I look down at the gear shift; in turning my head I turn my body and therefore turn the steering wheel. Which turns the car - down the embankment.
I tried 3 or 4 times to drive the car, and sent the car onto the shoulder every time. Dad gave up and Mom taught me how to drive.
when i was 15, my cousin decided to teach me to drive a stick in his old '84 porshe (i was feeling very cool that day). i did reasonably well, and it was the only timed i’d driven a stick until i bought my first car the next year.
i was 16 and dead-set on getting a standard, thinking i was an expert, what with my 45 minutes of experience a year prior. so i found a nice 5-speed and was feeling quite proud. until i had to drive it home.
i then realized that i had no idea what i was doing. i stalled it about 5 times getting out of the parking lot, but once i got into 3rd i seemed ok. i then proceeded to stall a dozen times at each stoplight and stop sign i had to stop for. the only reason i got through any intersection is because the car would jerk forward each time it stalled. i was mortified, and the other drivers on the road were not amused (they all made a point of displaying their displeasure by flashing a particular finger or shouting a profane comment as they honked and passed me).
eventually i learned. i’m now on my second car (stick) and i will never drive an automatic if i can help it.
I taught both my daughters to drive a stick fairly easy by getting them to learn the “sweet spot”, that spot where the clutch meets the flywheel. Try this; find a quiet road, put the car in first, keep your foot away from the accelerator and practice getting the car to go by just letting out on the clutch…no gas. You’d be amazed at how fast one learns. Half an hour and you’ll never forget where that clutch engages.
