# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/61 "2008-03-31T00:03:53Z")
[QUOTE=whistlepig] Yes. I learned to drive on a stick. (and how to lay rubber) United States 45. Shifting/working the clutch on the opposite side would make the first 30 minutes of driving interesting. I would have to think about it instead of just driving. [/QUOTE] What whistlepig said, except I learned on both an automatic and a manual ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/62 "2008-03-31T00:09:26Z")
Nope, I don’t feel comfortable driving a manual transmission. I do know how, sort of, having had a couple of hours of practice at it courtesy of a used car salesman who wanted to convince me it was no big deal. (I challenged him to teach me, and he did.) I also know how to shift gears from learning to ride a motorcycle, courtesy of the MSF. That said, (a) my wife learned to drive and has only driven with an auto, (b) same for both my parents, and © 90% of my driving time is in-city where I’d want to drive an auto anyway, as in NYC, “in city” means every single block ends in a traffic light or stop sign, and in Manhattan, replete with middle of the block obstacles like buses, double-parked taxis and jaywalkers. Even my motorcycle (well, a maxi-scooter) is a CVT. ---
**Author:** ![WreckingCrew](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wreckingcrew/32/4080_2.png) [@WreckingCrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WreckingCrew)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/63 "2008-03-31T00:09:27Z")
1. No - first thing I ever drove was a Dodge Power Wagon at a summer camp I worked at, which obviously was a stick, but that was 1987, and I was awful at it then. 2. US 3. 37 ---
**Author:** ![Winston\_Smith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e95f7d/32.png) [@Winston\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Smith)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/64 "2008-03-31T00:10:37Z")
Yes, if it’s got wheels I can drive it. 38/American. ---
**Author:** ![Kilvert\_s\_Pagan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@Kilvert\_s\_Pagan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilvert_s_Pagan)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/65 "2008-03-31T00:12:18Z")
I’ll tally these up in a little while, although there are some trends emerging. In the meantime, my own answers: (1) Yes. I didn’t learn it until age 22 - I moved to the mountains in Wyoming and needed a Subaru to get around in the snow; (2) USA (3) 49 - an age which seems to be disproportionately represented in the responses so far… ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/66 "2008-03-31T00:16:50Z")
1. Yes. I didn’t learn in one, though (my parents figured the less I had to think about, the better) and I took my test in an automatic. I have no strong preference; for city or hilly driving, an automatic is marginally better. 2. USA 3. 20 ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/67 "2008-03-31T00:28:06Z")
1. Yes 2. USA 3. 42 I prefer a stick for pickup trucks, sporty cars, and smaller cars. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/68 "2008-03-31T00:31:03Z")
(1) Are you comfortable driving a manual transmission? Yes. I haven’t driven a stick for 14 years, but I have no doubt I could. Wouldn’t even worry if it was driver on the right (ummm, unless the pedals are switched?) (2) What country do you live in? US (3) How old are you (roughly)? 43 ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/69 "2008-03-31T00:43:26Z")
1. First car I drove was a Rambler with a three-speed tranny column shifter. I’ve owned several vehicles with 4 or 5-speed floor shifters, and have driven a bucket truck with a split transmission (10 forward gears, 2 reverse, and required double-clutching). As an added bonus, I drove a stick shift van when I was stationed in Japan, driving on the left and shifting on the left, so I’m prepared for anything. 2. USA 3. 60 My Chrysler didn’t have an option of a manual shift, so I’m slushing it for now. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/70 "2008-03-31T00:57:20Z")
1. Yes. I dislike automatics for several reasons - one of which is I tend to get bored and end up often fiddling with the overdrive etc just because of that. The only time I might prefer an automatic is if I were driving some sort of huge V8 luxury car (I used to have a '72 Fairlane, and the automatic suited it) but that’s just for style reasons. 2. Australia 3. 37 ---
**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 31, 2008, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/71 "2008-03-31T00:58:59Z")
[QUOTE=GorillaMan] 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. [/QUOTE] Actually, something similar was part of the SoW driving test back in mumble-mumble (entirely too many years ago). After I completed the evolution, the tester asked me what was odd about what he had just had me do; having read the manual, I was able to give him the correct answer (that it was illegal). Perhaps it’s something genetic with people with roots in the British Isles, although my grandfather left Ireland long before automobiles appeared. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/72 "2008-03-31T01:04:14Z")
\*(1) Are you comfortable driving a manual transmission?\*Yep - my current commuting vehicle is a 5-speed. In fact, when I took Driver’s Ed in 1971, one of our practice cars was a stick. \*(2) What country do you live in?\*US - Maryland \*(3) How old are you (roughly)?\*I’m 54, and not all of those years were rough. My husband drives a stick, as does our 22 y/o daughter. ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/73 "2008-03-31T01:05:38Z")
1. Yes. I learned to drive three on the column as a teenager. I now drive a Jeep Wrangler with a six speed manual transmission. 2. Fly over country, USA 3. 55, Male ---
**Author:** ![gravitycrash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@gravitycrash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gravitycrash)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/74 "2008-03-31T01:38:53Z")
1. Yes, I have driven a stick for nearly 30 years. Although shifting with my left hand would take some practice. My left hand is really stupid. 2. USA 3. 45 male ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/75 "2008-03-31T01:40:06Z")
[QUOTE=robardin] Nope, I don’t feel comfortable driving a manual transmission. I do know how, sort of, having had a couple of hours of practice at it courtesy of a used car salesman who wanted to convince me it was no big deal. [/QUOTE] Forgot to add: I’m 37 and American. My Driver’s Ed was conducted in a dual brake car with auto trans, and all cars owned by relatives and friends whose cars I drove before buying my own were auto, and the attempt to sell me that 88 Mustang Coupe was the only time I’ve sat in the front seat of a car (much less the driver’s seat) with a manual transmission. ---
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/76 "2008-03-31T01:47:43Z")
1. Automatic since I started. I want to learn stick though someday. 2. USA 3. Early 20’s ---
**Author:** ![BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/77 "2008-03-31T01:48:45Z")
1. No… wait, I mean the other one. Yes. 2. US but living in Japan, which I guess answers your question about whether Americans can learn to shift with their left hands. 3. younger than 30 Didn’t learn on a stick though, for which I’m actually pretty grateful. Almost crashed my dad’s car in the stick-learning process. ---
**Author:** ![puppygod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@puppygod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puppygod)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/78 "2008-03-31T01:52:46Z")
1. Sure thing, I’m from Europe. 2. Poland, specifically. 3. Just hit 30. ---
**Author:** ![groo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecd19e/32.png) [@groo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/groo)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/79 "2008-03-31T02:05:40Z")
Yes, USA, 46. I’ve been driving a stick for so long that it feels creepy when I have to use an automatic. ---
**Author:** ![Amygdala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@Amygdala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amygdala)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/80 "2008-03-31T02:07:40Z")
1. Nope. I have a feeling that I can’t learn, either–not that I’m being flooded with opportunities right now, since I haven’t driven any vehicle at all in at least a year. I have in the past received multiple offers to teach me to drive standard, but none of them followed through. I think they were all afraid. 2. USA 3. 20 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316.md?page=5)