# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![Heller\_Highwater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/278dde/32.png) [@Heller\_Highwater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heller_Highwater)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/41 "2008-03-30T23:00:53Z")
1. Yes. I learned on a stick, and both cars I’ve owned have been manual. 2. USA 3. 26, male ---
**Author:** ![Danalan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@Danalan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danalan)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/42 "2008-03-30T23:10:53Z")
I love sticks, learned on them. Mrs. Danalan also learned on sticks, in fact could not drive an automatic until she was over 35 (she would always hit the ‘clutch’, which in an automatic is the brake). We’re both in the US, almost 50 (yikes!) My kids both can drive a stick, because I made them learn. Both US, 25 and 27. To compile all four: 1 - Yes x4 2 - USA x4 3 - 49, 48, 27, 25 ---
**Author:** ![SaharaTea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SaharaTea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaharaTea)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/43 "2008-03-30T23:13:03Z")
1. Yes, I learned on a stick and have only owned manuals. I hope to only drive manuals for the rest of my life, but I doubt it will happen. 2. US 3. 30, female ---
**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, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/44 "2008-03-30T23:13:05Z")
[QUOTE=Danalan] (she would always hit the ‘clutch’, which in an automatic is the brake) [/QUOTE] Fond memories of my first time driving an automatic, all the way through south London, Friday evening. How I didn’t end up with somebody hitting me from behind, I’ll never know. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/45 "2008-03-30T23:14:49Z")
[QUOTE=Kilvert’s Pagan] I postulated that many if not most Americans under 35 don’t drive a stick. Time for an unscientific poll: (1) Are you comfortable driving a manual transmission? (2) What country do you live in? (3) How old are you (roughly)? [/QUOTE] I can’t drive a stick but I can ride a broom but I digress. 1. Yes, completely. My first vehicle was a small pickup with a manual transmission. I have racked up more than 150K miles on manual transmissions. 2. U.S. 3. 34 I think the people in the UK make too big of a deal about the types of transmissions. There is the simply fact that, if you can’t drive a stick, you aren’t going anywhere anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/46 "2008-03-30T23:24:37Z")
Yes, learned on a stick, all mycars but one have been stick. US 49 ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/47 "2008-03-30T23:30:12Z")
1. Yes. I learned on a stick and I prefer them, though I haven’t got one now (I have a used mommy van). 2. American 3. 1. The car I often drove in high school was an old station wagon K-car that was a manual. It was quite tricky to drive and very fussy. My best friend was learning to drive and bugged me to let her drive my car around the parking lot. I told her that if she could start it, she could drive it. I knew the car was safe, she’d never be able to do it! Edited to add that when my husband and I went to the UK, we did indeed rent a car, and of course it was a manual. All fine and dandy, but it gave us a kick to see that the car had a “sporty programme!” We still refer to using the sporty programme. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/48 "2008-03-30T23:30:47Z")
(1) Yes, learned in my teens and still perfectly comfortable driving a stick whenever the need arises. Fun, actually. (2) U.S. (3) 59 ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/49 "2008-03-30T23:31:39Z")
1. Yes, and prefer manual to automatic transmissions. Learned the technique by driving company pickup trucks while working for a railroad. 2. USA 3. 53 ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/50 "2008-03-30T23:31:54Z")
(1) No (2) Australia (3) 43 ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/51 "2008-03-30T23:32:11Z")
1. Yes, I learned on a stick, as does everybody in the Netherlands. Sticks are the default here. Since last year, I drive a Toyota Prius, which came only in automatic. While I still occasionally play air-stickshift, I have to say I much prefer automatic. I’ve heard automatic is more environmentally sounds and saves fuel as well. Really, everybody here drives stick for no other reason then that all cars are stick, and the only reason for that is that everybody has learned stick. It’s a circle, much like the circle that prevents ergonomically better keyboards then Querty from catching on. 2. Netherlands. 3. 1. ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/52 "2008-03-30T23:36:43Z")
This is obviously skewing towards people who can (and I think that among my friends, it’s about 50/50), but I’ll add mine anyway. 1. Yes, and I refuse to buy an automatic. I’ve only owned one, and it drove me nuts. When we moved to Japan, they were very difficult to find, but we finally got a couple. Japan drives on the left side of the road, so having the stick on the left was an adjustment, but you get over it. I still prefer to have it on the right–it feels more natural to me. 2. US citizen, now in Japan 3. 27 ---
**Author:** ![fervour](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@fervour](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fervour)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/53 "2008-03-30T23:44:53Z")
1. Yes. 2. U.S. 3. 41 ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Bruin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Queen\_Bruin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Bruin)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/54 "2008-03-30T23:47:09Z")
(1) Are you comfortable driving a manual transmission? I learned on a manual and it is my preference. Autos make me mentally disengage with driving. (2) What country do you live in? USA (3) How old are you (roughly)? 27 ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/55 "2008-03-30T23:48:07Z")
(1) Are you comfortable driving a manual transmission? Yes (2) What country do you live in? USA (3) How old are you (roughly)? 28 ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/56 "2008-03-30T23:52:17Z")
Yes USA 40 My wife: No USA 53 We were discussing this the other night, I was sure she should have learned to drive on one. Apparently not though. ---
**Author:** ![Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d9b06d/32.png) [@Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boozahol_Squid_P.I)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/57 "2008-03-30T23:52:47Z")
1. Yes 2. USA 3. 25 ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/58 "2008-03-30T23:53:57Z")
[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] I can’t drive an automatic 😉 1; Yes (exclusively manual, never owned a sludgebox, never will) 2; U.S. (Maine) 3; 36 I love driving manuals, only thing worth driving ---
**Author:** ![DadWagonDriver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/edb3f5/32.png) [@DadWagonDriver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DadWagonDriver)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/59 "2008-03-31T00:00:12Z")
**(1) Are you comfortable driving a manual transmission?** Not in a car. I do drive a motorcycle to work every day though. I think that it’s easier to feel the clutch with my hand and shift with my foot than vice-versa. **(2) What country do you live in?** USA **(3) How old are you (roughly)?** 26 ---
**Author:** ![Critical\_Mass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@Critical\_Mass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical_Mass)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/60 "2008-03-31T00:03:07Z")
1. Yes - learned to drive on one. I have a CDL and way back when, used to drive some interesting transmissions with lots of gears. 2. Canada 3. 40 I used to be one of those people who would say that I prefer the standard transmission and couldn’t imagine wanting an automatic. Then, about 5 years ago, I was looking for a new vehicle and realized that I kind of liked the convenience of an automatic. So I got one. And I like it. I don’t understand how someone can’t drive an automatic. The learning curve is pretty easy on that particular skill. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316.md?page=4)