# Poll: Can you drive a stick? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 30, 2008, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316 "2008-03-30T21:35:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Lillith\_Fair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bb73d2/32.png) [@Lillith\_Fair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lillith_Fair)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/21 "2008-03-30T22:14:51Z")
Yes USA 49 ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/22 "2008-03-30T22:18:07Z")
1. Yep, learned on an '85 Lancer 2. Canada 3. 30 ---
**Author:** ![RoniaBorkason](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9dc877/32.png) [@RoniaBorkason](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RoniaBorkason)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/23 "2008-03-30T22:18:10Z")
1.Yes 2.USA - California 3.27 I know manual well enough - I’ve taught it to a friend and to my husband. I think that I would adapt well to UK fashion, being a leftie. I’ve always wanted to try it. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/24 "2008-03-30T22:18:47Z")
1. Quite comfortable. I’d prefer to drive stick except in heavy traffic or bad weather. 2. USA 3. 28 ---
**Author:** ![kitemaker\_chuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a88e4f/32.png) [@kitemaker\_chuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitemaker_chuck)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/25 "2008-03-30T22:19:45Z")
(1) I prefer a manual transmission any day! I’ll stick with the stick! (Even my kites have sticks!!) (2) I’m from the U.S. of A. (3) Fifty-five (55) years old! ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/26 "2008-03-30T22:23:52Z")
**(1) Are you comfortable driving a manual transmission?** Learned on a manual and actually prefer it. **(2) What country do you live in?** USA **(3) How old are you (roughly)?** 29 ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/27 "2008-03-30T22:27:12Z")
1. Infinitely prefer manual over auto tranny, have driven everything from three on the tree to 26’ box trucks. 2. US 3. 49 ---
**Author:** ![Sarahfeena](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarahfeena/32/519_2.png) [@Sarahfeena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarahfeena)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/28 "2008-03-30T22:28:51Z")
1. I can drive a stick, and prefer to, although I can’t anymore due to a back injury. 2. US 3. 41 ---
**Author:** ![Martha\_Medea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@Martha\_Medea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martha_Medea)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/29 "2008-03-30T22:29:49Z")
Yes. I’ve never driven an automatic and have no plans to try. British living in Dominican Republic. Female, 44. ---
**Author:** ![PaulParkhead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@PaulParkhead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PaulParkhead)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/30 "2008-03-30T22:32:55Z")
1. Prefer manual, though I’ve been driving autos for the last three years in the USA. People keep asking me “Do you know how to drive stick?” like it was some sort of God-given ability that inspires reverence. I drive stick because (as others have noted) in the UK we all learn on stick-shift, otherwise we can’t drive a manual transmission. 2. I live in the USA. I am British. 3. I’m 35. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/31 "2008-03-30T22:38:28Z")
[QUOTE=Kilvert’s Pagan] (1) Are you comfortable driving a manual transmission? (2) What country do you live in? (3) How old are you (roughly)? [/QUOTE] 1- Yep. Learned how to drive in a 64 Chevy van. 3 on the tree. I was about 11. Then a '67 (?) Chevy pickup also with a three speed on the column. Dodge dump truck too. And plenty of tractors, motorcycles and such. My parents taught me how to drive at an early age. One of the best things they did. 1. USA > [@](#): > > (3) How old are you (roughly)? 1. I’m 47. And sometimes a bit rough around the edges. 🙂 (My Wife is 47 and has had two manual transmission cars). ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/32 "2008-03-30T22:39:37Z")
1. yes. 2. USA 3. 50s My first two cars were stick. 1972 Subaru, 1979 Chevette. I also had a motorcycle for about 10 years. I haven’t driven a stick for over 10 years, but I’m sure I could pick it up again quickly if I wanted. ---
**Author:** ![Euryphaessa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Euryphaessa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euryphaessa)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/33 "2008-03-30T22:40:50Z")
1. Nope, never learned. I’ve driven a smart fourtwo, but that’s not quite like a real stick shift. 2. Canada 3. 19 ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/34 "2008-03-30T22:43:53Z")
1. Yes. But I haven’t driven one for a few years and am probably rusty. My little Geo Metro was about the easiest stick shift around. I’d prefer to own a manual, but my wife can’t drive one, so any car we have will be an auto. (I love my wife dearly, but there is no way I’m going to try to teach her to drive a stick.) 2. US 3. 34 (breathing down the neck of 35), male ---
**Author:** ![tremorviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/35 "2008-03-30T22:44:39Z")
1. Nope. I’ve been taught a couple of times but never really got any practice. I have no doubt I could quickly adapt to driving one but I’m not currently comfortable with a stick. 2. USA 3. 40 ---
**Author:** ![kellner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c2a13f/32.png) [@kellner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kellner)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/36 "2008-03-30T22:53:09Z")
1. Yes. I’ve never driven an automatic. 2. Germany 3. 27 ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/37 "2008-03-30T22:53:51Z")
1. Yes. My father wouldn’t let any of us take the test unless we had demonstrated our competence — by his standards — with a manual transmission. He was of the opinion that anyone who couldn’t handle a stick didn’t really know how to drive. (He also believed that anyone who couldn’t drive competently in reverse was no better than someone who could only turn left. He was a man with strong convictions, and a heavy hand with which to instill them.) 2. USofA. 3. 1. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/38 "2008-03-30T22:59:13Z")
[QUOTE=OttoDaFe] He was of the opinion that anyone who couldn’t handle a stick didn’t really know how to drive. [/QUOTE] He would approve of the British driving test, with the ‘reverse around a corner’ requirement. Exactly what it sounds like, stopping on the major road, reversing into the connecting one, keeping a constant distance from the kerb, and giving way to any traffic that might appear during the procedure. Which pretty much entails pulling forward and starting again. Almost completely pointless in itself. But as a test of both control of vehicle at low speed, forward as well as reverse, and of 360-degree observation, it’s great. ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/39 "2008-03-30T22:59:22Z")
1. No. My dad tried to teach me once when I was a teenager, but I was freaked out that I would damage the car, so the lesson lasted all of about ten minutes and ended with me in tears. 2. US. 3. 1. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/40 "2008-03-30T23:00:27Z")
1. Yes 2. U.S. 3. 57 (I’ve been driving sticks for longer than many respondents have been alive–41 years.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316.md?page=3)