First car i bought, in 1988, was a manual. The day before i bought it, i checked out a book from the library (no internet, you know?) that told me how to drive it and "practiced" in my bedroom. I bought it and drove it home, terrified traffic would stop as i was going over a big bridge. I have an automatic now because i need an suv for work and manuals are hard to find in the US.
this post was submitted on 29 Aug 2023
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UK, mid-30s, only ever driven a manual car. Automatics are a bit more common now in the UK but if you pass your test in an automatic you're not allowed to drive a manual, so very few people don't know how to drive a manual.
U.K., 36. Yes. Most can.
Austria, mid 20s, yes
US, late 20s. I've been driving manual transmissions on the farm since I could reach the pedals. All but two vehicles I've ever owned are manual. Its my preference, especially since I'm my own mechanic and hate working with autos.
Austria, early 30s, have driven an automatic only once in my life. I kinda get the appeal, but I don't feel like the little bit of convenience justifies the higher price point, so I wouldn't get one myself unless it costs the same (or less) as the same car with a manual.
Australia, mid 20s, I can drive manual but currently drive an auto
30s. I was learning, and could drive with little to no traffic. I have an anxiety thing where my right side tremors, and learning to drive manual with traffic would always set it off. :(
Yes, since I was 16. Im 40 in GA, USA.
Probably, I've tried a few times, but I'll ask you, why would you want to? Esp if you vehicle has paddles/slap shift?
In Germany, driving with a manual is pretty standard. Although I did a special driving license (B197) which allows you to learn driving on a manual for 10 lessons and then switch to automatic for the rest of the course and the driving exam while still being allowed to drive a manual. It's pretty new tho. I did it because I really sucked at shifting. I now drive a manual and I'd say I'm okay with it although I'd really prefer an automatic.
European here: Driving manual for 35 years now. Yes, I think I can. Can't cope with those automatic cars though.
German, Mid 40s. Learned on manual, drove nearly my whole life manual, got a Golf with automatic a few years back and love it. I still drive manual from time to time with pool cars from work and my girlfriend's car
Northern Europe, in my 40s, always driven a manual.
US. Mid 30s. I have only ever owned and driven manual cars.
Mid 50's, northeast US, yes I can. I don't but I used to.
USA, early 30s, drive manual mustang GT daily
40-something, Eastern US, can drive manual, haven't for years because I threw my back out in DC traffic driving stick.
Born before the A-Team existed, drive both. Prefer my sports cars to be manual but would be happy with DCTs. I have not had good experiences in terms of longevity with automatics. And no, I don't consider DCTs to be automatics.
I'm learning how to drive now and I picked manual transmission. Because it's a lot easier to switch to automatic later if I would need to.
Asked some younger guys at driving school why they picked automatic, and their response was that they believe manual will go away in cars and it will all be automatic.
Maybe so. But it still can't hurt to know it. Many old cars will be around for a long time.
And where are you from? And how old?
Defuq kinds of questions are these? Is this not against site rules?
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Yes, since I was 12 years old.
US, 37, yes.
I don't drive at all, so no?
Mid 30s, USA. I'm smart (Ivy League science doctorate) but I can't drive a standard transmission because my dad "couldn't teach me" because I "wouldn't learn right". It was just me asking him questions like "What does the inside of the clutch actually look like? " and him yelling "That doesn't matter, just ease out on the clutch while giving it some gas!" Apparently I can be taught a lot, but not how to drive a standard.
Weirdly, my engineer friend let me drive his standard transmission car once after giving me some basic instructions and I did okay going up and down the road alone, but that was just one day and I fear I've forgotten everything. But I must be mistakenly remembering that, because according to my father I "can't be taught!"
Bro...