# 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:** 5
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/81 "2008-03-31T02:14:12Z")
1. Sort of. I’m not very good at it, though when I first learned to drive, I had learned to drive a stick, and was quite comfortable with it. As it turns out, though, the best deal I could get on a car at the time was an automatic… it’s been 10 years, and I still have the same car! As a result, I’ve fallen _way_ out of practise for driving a manual transmission. Hubby and I have talked about it, and most likely our next car will be manual, with time for me to practise before purchase! 1. I’m Canadian (learned to drive in Québec, FWIW) 2. I’m nearly 27 ---
**Author:** ![Absolute](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Absolute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absolute)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/82 "2008-03-31T02:14:46Z")
1. I love driving stick. I’m sure I will always own at least one car that’s a manual transmission. 2. USA. 3. 1. ---
**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 31, 2008, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/83 "2008-03-31T02:25:20Z")
I can’t testify personally that this is true, but I have a friend who can’t drive stick, and travels to Europe proably a couple times a year for business. He’s told me he has trouble renting automatics. They frequently aren’t available, according to him. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/84 "2008-03-31T02:27:20Z")
(1) Are you comfortable driving a manual transmission? Sure, though I haven’t done it in years. (2) What country do you live in? USA (3) How old are you (roughly)? 55 ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/85 "2008-03-31T02:55:52Z")
I learned how to drive using a car with manual transmission. I’m not sure if I can do so anymore, though. It’s been 17 years since I’ve driven a stick – and yes, I do prefer automatic. BTW, I hope everyone realizes that the results in this poll will be somewhat self-selecting. People are much more likely to say “Hell, yeah! I can drive a stick.” than to shyly admit, “No, I can’t.” ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/86 "2008-03-31T03:16:58Z")
I learned how to drive my mother’s car which was a stick. Then I got an automatic for my first car, 4-5 years later I got my second car which was a stick, and my current car is too. I prefer to drive stick, owned a few other fun cars that were stick, and of course the motorcycles. I’ve also been to Europe a number of times and have had no problems driving with my left hand. I enjoy stick so much I don’t mind driving one in traffic at all. I’m a 34 male from the USA. ---
**Author:** ![kelly5078](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/87 "2008-03-31T04:14:10Z")
(1) Are you comfortable driving a manual transmission? Yes. Drove one (actually 2) for 20 years, till I got sick and tired of shifting in Houston traffic. My wife still drives one. (2) What country do you live in? US of A (3) How old are you (roughly)? 57 ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/88 "2008-03-31T04:21:20Z")
1. Yes. Learned to drive stick when I was 10. I’ve had 8 cars - 4 stick and 4 auto, so I guess I like them equally, but sticks are certainly more “fun”. 2. US 3. 26 ---
**Author:** ![beanpod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9adbd/32.png) [@beanpod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beanpod)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/89 "2008-03-31T04:30:17Z")
(1) No. Never driven one. I do want to learn, but I’ve never gotten around to it. (2) USA (3) 24 ---
**Author:** ![beanpod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9adbd/32.png) [@beanpod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beanpod)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/90 "2008-03-31T04:30:25Z")
duplicate post ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/91 "2008-03-31T04:33:14Z")
I can drive 4- (or 5-) on the floor, or 3-on-the-tree, even. US, all my life. 49 & counting. ---
**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/92 "2008-03-31T04:40:21Z")
\*\* (1) Are you comfortable driving a manual transmission?\*\* Yep, prefer one over an automatic, though my current vehicle is automatic, unfortunately. **(2) What country do you live in?** United States **(3) How old are you (roughly)?** 34 ---
**Author:** ![CaerieD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@CaerieD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaerieD)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/93 "2008-03-31T04:40:36Z")
(1) Sure am. It’s all I drove for the first couple of years after I got my license, though I’d been taught on an automatic. I had to teach myself how to drive stick. (2) USA (3) 27. ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/94 "2008-03-31T04:40:42Z")
1.) Yup 2.) USA 3.)49 (female) I was around 14-16 and my dad made me learn before he’d let me get my license or a car. ---
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/95 "2008-03-31T04:41:04Z")
1. Yes…learned to drive a 1960 Chevy ton truck out on the farm as a ten-year-old. Have almost always owned one. 2. US 3. 45 (but smooth 🙂 ) ---
**Author:** ![mambocrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc348/32.png) [@mambocrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mambocrow)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/96 "2008-03-31T04:42:21Z")
1. Yes 2. U.S.A. 3. 58 ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/97 "2008-03-31T04:44:23Z")
Yes-all kinds up to 15 speeds and hi-low rears. USA M-51 ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/98 "2008-03-31T06:05:08Z")
1. Yes 2. US 3. Under 35 … I learned how to drive on two sticks, one that didn’t really have a reliable reverse, one that didn’t really have a reliable first gear. Plus, I drive a manual, today. I like them. I can pretty much handle any American manual that you throw at me. I’ve also driven on the left side of the road (in NZ - which has a very low population density, not London, which is the opposite), but they only offered automatics, and even with that, I had a hard time with turnsignals and windshield wipers. And I’m really short, so I had a hard time positioning the car in the lane. I’m also really, really, really right handed. i can barely operate a mouse with my left hand. If I were planning on driving around the city, I’d probably spring for an automatic, just one less thing to worry about. If I were planning on driving around the middle of nowhere (to the extent there is a nowhere), I might just try a stick. ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/99 "2008-03-31T06:11:09Z")
1. Yes. Both my truck and car are 5 speeds. I also used to drive school buses, was fully Crown qualified (ask **Mr. Bus Guy** about that one…), and drove one bus for a year or so that had a Fuller 10 speed RoadRanger in it. Also drove a 1947 Crown for 6 months with a gasoline engine - not Diesel - that bus kicked School Bus butt. Love manual transmissions. - As far as driving on the wrong side of the road? I’ve always wanted to try it. 2. USA 3. Under 50 (but not for long…) ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/100 "2008-03-31T06:25:57Z")
1. Yes. I had plenty of school friends who lived on farms, and i learned to drive a stick (three-speed column shift) in my early teens. I generally prefer driving a manual, although it does get to be a real pain in the ass in rush-hour traffic, and if i had a long rush-hour commute every day i’d probably prefer an auto. 2. USA, but i grew up and learned to drive in Australia. 3. 38 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316.md?page=6)