I stall very infrequently but I just remember that when I went to Spain for the Christmas season last year I rented a brand new Seat Leon that had about 60 kilometers on the odometer and it took a little while to get used to since it was both brand new and a diesel, which felt different to me than the manual Mazda 3 I’m used to back home.
The worst part was having to get accustomed to the car in rush hour traffic in downtown Madrid :eek:
I said “never” meaning since I learned how to drive, but actually, I think it’s happened. I just reflexively pop the clutch and I’m back in business before even I’ve realized I stalled it. It still doesn’t happen very often.
Yeah, I did that, too. My mother gave me a car that had automatic. I drove it 800 miles home, and on the last turn onto my street I went for the clutch and found the brake and wham!
My kid, who was five at the time: “Mom, you stopped way too soon!”
I answered about once per year, but should probably be a bit more if I consider my off pavement driving.
Now, failing to put an automatic car into park when I turn it off happens to me more often than stalling my manual.
It’s very rare, I find that the less power/torque the vehicle has the easier it is to stall it. There are vehicles like trucks and hot rods that have so much torque you almost cannot stall them even if you pop the clutch.
A couple of times recently. New car, still not completely used to it. And Subaru decided that they would display the gear you’re in on the dash, but only when the clutch is engaged. So … if you’re at a light in 3rd and think you’re in 1st, and the clutch pedal is depressed, well, too bad.
I bought a new Mustang with a stick (six-speed) five weeks ago; it’s the first time I’ve driven a stick in 14 years (after driving a stick on-and-off for the preceding 15 years). It’s coming back to me fairly quickly, but I stalled it a half-dozen times in the first week, and have been stalling maybe once a week or so since then. There are two different reasons why I’m stalling:
Not giving enough gas when pulling away from a stop (this is particularly true when working my way into the garage from the alley, which is a tight corner and requires at least one back-and-forth)
Thinking I’m starting out in first gear, when I actually have the car in third (only happens a few times, but it’s pretty embarrassing).
a while ago I had a Ram 2500 with the Cummins turbodiesel and the manual trans. It was almost impossible to stall that thing short of dumping the clutch in fourth gear going uphill. Nearly became a big problem one time- I was filling the tank on a rainy day, and stepped in a spot on the pavement that was slick with fuel. I should note that at most stations, the diesel pump (and the ground near it) is usually an oily mess. I get in, start the truck, put it in reverse and right then my foot slips off of the clutch pedal. damn truck just shot backwards. Extremely lucky there was nothing or nobody behind me.
I think I’ve stalled in traffic once or twice since learning to drive a stick some twenty years ago. But I’ve stalled while parked a couple of times in the last few years. I’ve absentmindedly released the clutch after parking without realizing the engine was still running – thank goodness I always set the parking brake.
ETA: Since someone asked about no-stallers and clutch lifetimes: It’s a '97 Acura, and it’s still on its original clutch. The exhaust system seems to be on its last legs, though.
We have two manual transmission cars at the moment; one purchased within the last 6 months and one about 18 months ago. I’ve stalled both of them more than once since we’ve gotten them, but since the poll doesn’t have a ‘once every few months’ option, I chose ‘once a year’, because that’s how it will average out long term.
Probably two to three times a year.
In a very lame defense, I do live in a place with hills and sometimes, I have an off day.
Not often enough.
If I had just kept my foot of the clutch that last time someone slammed on the breaks in front of my little manual, I’d still be driving it today.