# Which vehicles can anyone drive?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-vehicles-can-anyone-drive/453455>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 19, 2008, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-vehicles-can-anyone-drive/453455 "2008-06-19T10:57:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Madd\_Maxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Madd\_Maxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Madd_Maxx)\
**Post date:** [June 20, 2008, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-vehicles-can-anyone-drive/453455/21 "2008-06-20T19:23:01Z")

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I think that a golf cart is pretty idiot proof.

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**Author:** ![dynamitedave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ed655f/32.png) [@dynamitedave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dynamitedave)\
**Post date:** [June 20, 2008, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-vehicles-can-anyone-drive/453455/22 "2008-06-20T19:33:42Z")

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**Santo Rugger** , yes it can happen; all the old timer’s around here have a story about running a diesel engine backwards. With ECM, I guess new engines can’t do it, and I don’t know if all old engines can, or just some. There is one type, I think it’s the 2 stroke diesels that when running backwarks can suck up their crankcase oil. They just keep reving higher until they explode as you can’t shut them off.

One trick that will slow newbies down with regard to 18 wheelers is finding and releasing the park brake. Some are a knob on the dash that require such a heave the dash moves too, others are just a little lever down beside the seat, and those are just the ones I’m familiar with.

A poster above referred to tractors. Some newer ones are CVT; Fendts cannot be moved unless you know how to set the transmission. MF Dyna 6 have no gear levers, just a small lever complete with a button on the armrest, and no requirement to use the clutch unless you’re inching up to something.

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**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\
**Post date:** [June 20, 2008, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-vehicles-can-anyone-drive/453455/23 "2008-06-20T19:47:45Z")

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[QUOTE=Madd Maxx]  
I think that a golf cart is pretty idiot proof.  
[/QUOTE]

And, by extension, if you’ve mastered that, you can drive a [GEM](http://www.gemcar.com/models/) around on the streets. Slowly.

(Actually, one of the major selling points for the turn-of-the-20th-century electric cars was ease of operation, as claimed in this [1913 Baker Electric ad](http://www.ece.msstate.edu/~jwbruce/EVads/Baker1.jpg).)

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**Author:** ![Rattlehead02](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rattlehead02/32/3944_2.png) [@Rattlehead02](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rattlehead02)\
**Post date:** [June 20, 2008, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-vehicles-can-anyone-drive/453455/24 "2008-06-20T23:50:17Z")

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Tanks - The Military Channel had a Tank School documentary. Not sure what kind of tanks they were, but they had handlebars like a bicycle. Didn’t seem like it took the newbies long to get the hang of it though.

Tractors - On Top Gear the 3 guys each picked out tractors to test. granted these were all top of the line fully loaded tractors. But they all looked like they could be a real bitch to get going.

Everything I know I’ve learned from TV.

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