Describing it that way is like explaining how to walk, though. Shift your weight to one side, and while maintaining your balance lift the other foot, move it forward while leaning, place foot in a location where it will not slip, and make sure you do it before your forward momentum tips you over, etc. You don’t think about the steps when you have enough practice.
But yeah, I’m sticking with EVs. If I absolutely had to go back, it would probably be a stickshift.
I fully agree. I’m quite capable of driving a stickshift, but why would I? My first car was a Volkswagen Beetle with its famous and beautifully smooth four-speed manual transmission. Later on I had a Datsun 280Z sports car with a manual trans. Today I basically want a car for transportation. I would have no greater interest in a car without an automatic transmission than I would in one without an engine, where I had to pedal it myself, like I did when I was eight.
My assumption is a stick-shift in a high-end sports car is more fun. You are more connected to the machine and the road. The overall experience is more than just push a pedal to go from A to B.
I am not sure a stick-shift gets you much in a low end car except that they are cheaper (or used to be). If every penny matters you get a stick-shift (or used to). I would not be surprised if a stick-shift cost more now since they are comparatively rare.
The ultimate in “road feel”! 
Personally, I loved my Big Wheel with the hand-brake option so I could spin-out.
Good times (really…loved that thing). Talk about feeling the road…you sure did in a Big Wheel and then some.
They used to be cheaper, and, IIRC, they also used to deliver better gas mileage than automatic transmissions did. Automatic transmissions got better, though I’m not sure if they actually got cheaper.
Nearly no US automakers offer sticks on low-end vehicles anymore (they’re now reserved for sporty cars) – though, for that matter, they don’t make many low-end vehicles anymore, either.
Not just mileage, but power delivered to the wheels. That’s why the original VW Beetles had four-speed manuals (back in the days when most manual transmissions were three-speed and some early automatics were two-speed). Beetles were all about low cost and reliability, and their underpowered air-cooled engines needed all the efficiency you could squeeze out of the transmission.
“First gear is not my best friend in the world.”
Speaking of putting up “DIP” warning signs that are only visible just before you hit the dip, I had about a half second today between being able to read the “Uneven Pavement” sign and going over the uneven pavement.
If I had to continually drive in heavily congested, stop-and-go urban traffic I’d want an automatic transmission. But I don’t have to do that (much of my driving is on country roads) so it’s easy and enjoyable to drive a stick shift.
I could purchase the vegetables and fruit I need at the supermarket and if I feel the need for flowers, buy a bouquet. But it’s satisfying growing my own even with the extra work involved.
That isn’t desirable for me at all. I can’t wait for true self driving cars, so I can be completely DISCONNECTED from the machine and the road.
Everyone has their hobbies and that’s fine. But if I need a potato I’ll get into my car, which is conveniently equipped with an automatic transmission as well as an electric starter and not a hand crank, and drive over to the supermarket and buy one.
SHUDDER.
Have fun with your Brave New World. Me, I demand total control over my driving experience without some mindless gizmo forcing my hand against my wishes and ruining my immersion.
[Again, I am just massively fascinated by the yawning gap in driving attitudes here, so not picking on you per se suranyi.]
Personally, I can go both ways with this.
The idea of a self-driving car where I could sleep or watch TV or read a book or whatever sounds great!
And, sometimes I like to drive. I can drive stick (indeed, being able to drive a stick shift car lead to me getting married…long story but surprisingly true). We are no longer together (neither the wife nor the car) but I still like driving stick on occasion. Although, I rarely get the chance anymore (mostly if I rent a car when traveling).
At the moment at the five dealerships nearest me (Subaru, Toyota, Nissan, Volvo and BMW) I can find ONE manual transmission in stock out of over 600 cars/vans/suvs. A Subaru WRX. I thought most/all of the WRXs would be manuals, but they are not.
“Total” control? Plug in an OBD2 scanner sometime. There are literally hundreds of parameters that govern your driving experience that you have little or no control over. I’m amused by the fact that a computer is controlling pretty much everything about your car’s performance, but you think you’re in “total control” because you’re doing your own gear shifting. I can be in the same kind of “total control” by forcing my automatic transmission to stay in low gear all the time and over-revving the engine, but that’s not my idea of fun.
As I’ve said many times, I hate driving. My dream would be a situation where I could read, or sleep, and the car takes me where I need to go. For that reason, I like public transportation, and I love when I’m the passenger in a car.
More hope for the manual zealots: 2 of my 3 kids are driving age and I’ve forced them both to learn on a manual. I suspect this will only be useful for them as an odd fact for future games of “two truths and a lie” but I don’t care.
The only reality TV show I like is “The Amazing Race” where the contestants race around the world.
It is common for the show to put them in cars with manual transmissions and many struggle with it.
So, you never know when it will come in handy. Might win them a $1 million race someday!
(And, as I mentioned above, it got me married…which may or may not have been a good thing depending on how you look at it.)
If you ever find the time, I’d love to hear that story
My son, as noted, had to learn to drive manual, as he inherited my husband’s Civic. It became his basically full-time when my husband broke his knee back in 2018 and couldn’t drive manual for a while.
My daughter, who finally got her learner’s permit again, will likely never learn to drive manual transmission. Just as well in her case; she’s got attention and frustration issues and managing the clutch etc. would be an extra deterrent.
I remember when I learned, it was terrifying (imagine stalling when you are in the middle of crossing at a busy intersection). I was surprised at how relatively quickly it became second nature.
I actually was personally responsible for teaching 2 people how to drive stick - my roommate, and my husband. And of course my son, though that was shared with my husband.
Yes I would buy a car with a stick in 2022. However, since it is now 2024 my statement is conditioned on getting one of my time machines working, or gaining access to some other time machine. I’d buy one now in 2024. I don’t have plans to buy a car right now, but the year’s not over yet.