kiwimoogle84:
I don't have a POS, and besides, POS is in the eye of the beholder. My ex had a 1991 Chevy S-10 and he loved it more than anything. His starter went out on a road trip, and we started it up three times push starting and got through our trip and home, plus another couple of times to make it through until payday when we could afford to fix it.

Also, sticks are stolen less since criminals aren't masterminds. Also, manuals are better in snow since you can control what gear you're in and how high/low you rev it. Far more control.

I could do this all day. :)

Call me old fashioned, but I still think everyone should know how.

I will agree that knowing how to drive stick can be useful, won't deny that! :)

When I mean POS I mean a car you know that is going to die soon...you can feel the engine hurting for air and acceleration and know that the transmission will die because it slips to much. I won't deny that if you are in that situation you can try and push start it, but that won't guarantee that it will work... my choke and crank start point is still valid ;)

Actually, the only criminal that it would prevent would be a car jacker. New cars have so many electronic anti-theft in them, that they get stolen by being towed out of the spot. Even then, I have a GPS monitoring on my car that would call me if the car ever moved when not turned on! :P

Again, as for RPM control, Autostick is also win. I can force gears, up shift, engine break with down shifting, etc... although I don't like steering wheel paddles.. makes it to much like a video game. My T Shifter is just nice to grip while I drive with my left hand.

Automatics are the AOL of the Auto world.

LOL at 470 hp Auto with tiptronic.

I love to drive. I'll drive anything any distance except a Monocoque (stamped sheet metal) moped. I drove my buddies half way down the block and got off, walked back and told him to go get his POS. Farkin' death trap. Which is saying something, I've driven a 1960 Frod Falcon standard with a milk crate for a front seat. At one point I had a different auto with different serious problems every month.

I've had more used motorcycles than most Harley dealers.

I agree with the Manly Aspect of shifting. I also feel more competent as a driver because I'm more informed by the subtle information sent by the vibration of the shifter.

If you truly enjoy the act of shifting, Mopar made an Omni that had a split transmission. Essentially it was an eight speed, with a 4 cylinder, econobox. Utter waste of time but fun for a while.

The worst time I've had with standards transmissions was when there was road construction between work and home. It would turn a 40 minute commute into a two and a half hour ordeal five nights a week for nearly a year. You just try floating a clutch in and out for two hours and see what YOUR left leg looks like.

Other than that I'm good with gears I'm good with slush as long as we're movin'

392Zaphod: Carn:

Totally agree. I was thining this the other day when I saw the umpteen billionth person weaving toward me in the next lane with their head bent on their phone. If you drive a stick, you are multitasking most of the time while driving - both hands independently and both feet. Automatics require one hand and one foot and no brain. If you forced all cars to be manual, it would force people to learn how to drive or they just wouldn't be able to. Less traffic, less accidents, yay!

I have a friend who drives a 2010 Jeep Wrangler 4 door with 30 inch tires, and can text and shift... null point is null.

You can eat and shift. You can use your phone and shift. You can get into just as many accidents and shift. Hell, just look at the comments above, people say they are shifting without even noticing.

All I see in this thread is people yelling at clouds at how in the good old days they had to learn.. this new fangled technology is just dumb! TV will make people dumb! Computers will make people obsolete and lazy! You are all going to die without onions on your belts.

I have YET to see ONE argument as to WHY manuals are better. I know how to drive both, but would rather enjoy my autostick. The only real answer is that Manuals are cheaper than Automatics.

//slashies make it better
///just because!

True, manual drivers can distract themselves too. My point though is that the fact that driving the manual causes you to multitask and be coordinated the whole time, the driver ought to be better at it then the automatic driver. As someone said above, no matter what the manual driver is doing, some of their attention must be on the task at hand. We need some scientists with lab coats to run some tests to get some real data on the subject. Bottom line, a manual transmission gives you more active and passive control over the vehicle. In my current car ('03 Mitsubishi Lancer), the "shifting zone" for speed generally goes in 15 mph increments, ie, every 15 mph roughly corresponds to 3000-3500 rpm which is the general shifting range for normal driving. School zone? Stay in second gear. 35-45 limit? that's third. Fourth is generally only tapped for highways and fifth, freeways and rare times when the Beltway isn't jammed up. There are other things the manual gives you, but I would put a significant chunk of money down that says most automatic drivers do not put nearly this amount of thought into operating their vehicle in different environments or situations.

Two kinds of Fark threads bring out the old farts. Tattoo threads and these.

Girion47: Automatics are the AOL of the Auto world.

LOL at 470 hp Auto with tiptronic.

LOL at even the fastest street legal car in the world (268mph) is triptronic

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bugatti_Veyron

The onions on your belt are starting to show their age

ArcadianRefugee: Only reason to learn to drive a stick is this: when the zombie apocalypse begins, you aren't going to wanna be searching for "just the right car", so it helps to know how to drive as many different types of vehicle as possible.

Beyond that: meh. Not knowing how to drive a stick is like no knowing how to write cursive -- you can live your whole life and never need the skill even once.

So what you're saying is....never, because zombies aren't real.

/Drivers saying "You gotta drive stick durrrr" is like guitarist going, "You gotta have a tube amp durrrr..."

kiwimoogle84:
I'll agree to disagree just fine, but some of us don't have the cash for a BRAND new car. Or even if I did, I see no reason to replace a 2007 that's running great and is paid off.

And unless the foot motion goes with it, you have to agree it's not the same as a clutch.

totally agree to disagree. My whole point is that people who still drive stick are as crazed as the Apple Fan Bois :)

Carn: 392Zaphod: Carn:

Totally agree. I was thining this the other day when I saw the umpteen billionth person weaving toward me in the next lane with their head bent on their phone. If you drive a stick, you are multitasking most of the time while driving - both hands independently and both feet. Automatics require one hand and one foot and no brain. If you forced all cars to be manual, it would force people to learn how to drive or they just wouldn't be able to. Less traffic, less accidents, yay!

I have a friend who drives a 2010 Jeep Wrangler 4 door with 30 inch tires, and can text and shift... null point is null.

You can eat and shift. You can use your phone and shift. You can get into just as many accidents and shift. Hell, just look at the comments above, people say they are shifting without even noticing.

All I see in this thread is people yelling at clouds at how in the good old days they had to learn.. this new fangled technology is just dumb! TV will make people dumb! Computers will make people obsolete and lazy! You are all going to die without onions on your belts.

I have YET to see ONE argument as to WHY manuals are better. I know how to drive both, but would rather enjoy my autostick. The only real answer is that Manuals are cheaper than Automatics.

//slashies make it better
///just because!

True, manual drivers can distract themselves too. My point though is that the fact that driving the manual causes you to multitask and be coordinated the whole time, the driver ought to be better at it then the automatic driver. As someone said above, no matter what the manual driver is doing, some of their attention must be on the task at hand. We need some scientists with lab coats to run some tests to get some real data on the subject. Bottom line, a manual transmission gives you more active and passive control over the vehicle. In my current car ('03 Mitsubishi Lancer), the "shifting zone" for speed generally goes in 15 mph increments, ie, every 15 mph roughly ...

That's because I don't have to know that crap because my car has an automatic. I can spend more time paying attention to the road.

verbaltoxin: Two kinds of Fark threads bring out the old farts. Tattoo threads and these.

old farks, thats good.

personally I learned in a dodge truck with 3 in the tree.

mjjt: Me: "Did you try push starting it?"

Does that even work on a modern car? The transmission may let you spin the flywheel but it's not going to help with the electric fuel pump, injectors, etc. Just carry one of those 12V jump-starter battery packs in the trunk.

I just wish that the automatic drivers would stop getting bored at traffic lights and inching forward.
Most irritating.
How about stopping where you need to stop and staying there?

kiwimoogle84:

See, and that's just insulting. Apple fan people are likely hipsters who wear skinny jeans, go along with every fad, drink crappy beer and don't know how to drive at ALL, because they're better than us meat-eaters and prove it by biking everywhere on their fixed-speed while reducing their carbon footprint.

Apples and oranges, pun not intended.

Sorry! Didn't mean to offend, but that literally made me LOL!

What I meant was the level of devotion to a specific technology or platform... I would never have intentionally called you a hipster! I am not the cold hearted! ;)

Ivo Shandor: mjjt: Me: "Did you try push starting it?"

Does that even work on a modern car? The transmission may let you spin the flywheel but it's not going to help with the electric fuel pump, injectors, etc. Just carry one of those 12V jump-starter battery packs in the trunk.

You can push start a modern car with a manual transmission. When you pop it into second gear once you get your speed up, you'll spin the alternator along with everything else in the engine and get enough power to spit some fuel into the engine and fire off the spark plugs, getting you running. It does run the car rich though, and habitual use of the technique can destroy your catalytic converter and its hard on your clutch.

I'm always gobsmacked over how smug Americans are when they can drive stick.

Everywhere else is the world it's just called "driving".

I have a manual in my subaru and I don't understand where/how all of you drive that you're so busy shifting that you can't do anything else in the car.

I taught my wife to drive stick in college. (ha ha) I parked the car on a hill, asked her to get in the driver's seat, stood a full car length back, and side "drive". Easiest lesson ever. Of course she was shouting out the window that she was going to run me over. It was awesome.

I recently bought a GTI. Went to one dealer and told him I wanted a manual GTI. He tells me most women dont buy manuals so why dont I look at the automatics. I told him that I don't buy from douchebags so why don't I go to another dealer. Went to another dealer had no problems and he even taught me some shifting techniques to make my commute from Balt to DC easier.

/cool story sis
//If you live in the Balt/Wash area buy your VW from Ourisman in Laurel. Ask for Joe. Great guy

verbaltoxin: That's because I don't have to know that crap because my car has an automatic. I can spend more time paying attention to the road.

You don't want to pay attention to crap like the road though, do you. That' s why you drive an automatic. So you can apply your makeup and mascara and nail polish while flying down the highway straddling two lanes. Or maybe you just want to sext someone.

/pay attention to the road my ass.

Ivo Shandor: mjjt: Me: "Did you try push starting it?"

Does that even work on a modern car? The transmission may let you spin the flywheel but it's not going to help with the electric fuel pump, injectors, etc. Just carry one of those 12V jump-starter battery packs in the trunk.

It's way harder, you need a lot more speed than before. You have to spin the alternator enough to boot up the computers before it will even think of sparking.

Joce678: I'm always gobsmacked over how smug Americans are when they can drive stick.

Everywhere else is the world it's just called "driving".

America has a very unique car culture, one which is mainly filled with Luddite idiots.

zez: I have a manual in my subaru and I don't understand where/how all of you drive that you're so busy shifting that you can't do anything else in the car.

It's hard to up or downshift when holding a drink / cell phone / food item / newspaper, and the wheel at the same time. Something has to be sacrificed. Shift, Steer, or hold the item that's distracting you from driving. Pick one for each hand.

Once you're up to speed you can do other things though.

Got caught in something of a flash flood once. Engine died and would not restart, but I was able to drive it out using the starter and some judicious clutch action. With a stick you always have the bump start option too.

Joce678: It's way harder, you need a lot more speed than before. You have to spin the alternator enough to boot up the computers before it will even think of sparking.

15 mph, second gear. drop clutch.

/source, 07 RX-8.

fluffy2097: verbaltoxin: That's because I don't have to know that crap because my car has an automatic. I can spend more time paying attention to the road.

You don't want to pay attention to crap like the road though, do you. That' s why you drive an automatic. So you can apply your makeup and mascara and nail polish while flying down the highway straddling two lanes. Or maybe you just want to sext someone.

/pay attention to the road my ass.

I'm a dude, you moron. I've also had 1 accident in my entire driving life, a minor fender-bender in a crowded, busy parking lot. So YES I've spent 99% of the time paying attention to the goddamned road, because I'm not fumbling with crap in my car while I'm driving.

Telling me I need to drive a stick is f*cking retarded. Just admit you like old, outdated technology and let it be. Same thing with the dumbasses who think have an acetate-coated disc that scratches like hell is better than a digital file that can be exported to any compatible device. It's just old tech that you like because of nostalgia and imagined benefits. Get over it. Don't tell the rest of the world they have to slow back down for you, grampa.

I learned how to use a manual transmission by riding a motorcycle. Hadn't ever driven stick in a car yet. It's quite simple: Get it wrong and get hurt. A couple of years later when I first tried a car with manual transmission, it was pretty much smooth sailing.

/love driving stick. the driver is so much more involved in the experience.

While I prefer automatic now, I thank my dad for making me learn to drive a 3 on the tree manual before letting me drive anything with an automatic tranny.

verbaltoxin:
I'm a dude, you moron. I've also had 1 accident in my entire driving life, a minor fender-bender in a crowded, busy parking lot. So YES I've spent 99% of the time paying attention to the goddamned road, because I'm not fumbling with crap in my car while I'm driving.

Telling me I need to drive a stick is f*cking retarded. Just admit you like old, outdated technology and let it be. Same thing with the dumbasses who think have an acetate-coated disc that scratches like hell is better than a digital file that can be exported to any compatible device. It's just old tech that you like because of nostalgia and imagined benefits. Get over it. Don't tell the rest of the world they have to slow back down for you, grampa.

I would like to subscribe to your newsletter!

These days, I drive an automatic. Stop and go traffic, 1/2 hour to creep 1/2 mile can make your left leg tired.
Also, I have a bad shoulder.
Also, 2 times I have drove while exhausted, parked, and came back to find the car had rolled away. (Working 20 hour days for a few weeks in a row can do that to you.)
I live on the top of a big hill. The second time, I decided the next car would be an automatic.

URAPNIS: I just wish that the automatic drivers would stop getting bored at traffic lights and inching forward.
Most irritating.
How about stopping where you need to stop and staying there?

As a manual driver, I love to coast to a complete stop at a light using only engine braking, the roll about a foot back towards the tailgating asshole behind me before ever touching the brake pedal. Stops them from tailgating right quick. So does using engine braking. If they cant tell when you're decelerating because you don't use the brakes, they get very uncomfortable tailgating.

Manual transmissions are also a lot easier to service and repair. Far fewer moving parts.

All of these posts that say "You don't know how to drive until you drive stick" remind me of people who have control issues.

It's a vehicle, not an extension of your penis!

miss diminutive: One of my few regrets is that I never learned how to drive stick. An ex-bf tried to teach me once, but he got so pissy with me when I stalled it once that I just decided it wasn't worth the hassle.

He's a pussy. Males that yell are showing their lack of confidence in their ability to converse (loud=right, so to speak). It's not too late to learn. You can teach yourself easily. Borrow someone's stick shifter, find a parking lot with a small grade in it, and learn to start it rolling uphill. You 'catch' the car with the clutch, then S-l-o-w-l-y let it out and keep the RPMs up, but not over-rev'ed. Once you get it , you'll be so proud. It's easy. Practice a little speed-shifting, if there's room in the lot.

That's the hardest thing to do with a stick. Once you got that, you've pretty much done it. Stickshifts, especially nowadays with the syncros, are easy to do once you get going, just keep the RPMs in the right range (there's TONS of leeway) for the speed. An average person should be able to drive a stick shift, cook a dinner, change a diaper, and build a bookshelf. Less is for primates.

verbaltoxin:
That's because I don't have to know that crap because my car has an automatic. I can spend more time paying attention to the road.


You don't have to know what crap? The speed limit? How fast you are going? How those two things compare to each other at any given time? These would be included in "paying attention to the road". You might be doing it wrong.

verbaltoxin: I'm a dude, you moron. I've also had 1 accident in my entire driving life, a minor fender-bender in a crowded, busy parking lot. So YES I've spent 99% of the time paying attention to the goddamned road, because I'm not fumbling with crap in my car while I'm driving.

Telling me I need to drive a stick is f*cking retarded. Just admit you like old, outdated technology and let it be. Same thing with the dumbasses who think have an acetate-coated disc that scratches like hell is better than a digital file that can be exported to any compatible device. It's just old tech that you like because of nostalgia and imagined benefits. Get over it. Don't tell the rest of the world they have to slow back down for you, grampa.

You sure sound like a girl.

Your profile makes you look like one too. Are you PMSing or something, you sound incredibly roid raged out.

Do your balls really shrink and fall off when you take steroids like you do?

I simply cannot imagine owning a vehicle with an automatic transmission! Can't stand 'em (except perhaps for a work van). What happens if you become stranded somewhere with a dead battery? How would you start the piece of shiat? You wouldn't!

Mikeyworld: miss diminutive: One of my few regrets is that I never learned how to drive stick. An ex-bf tried to teach me once, but he got so pissy with me when I stalled it once that I just decided it wasn't worth the hassle.

He's a pussy. Males that yell are showing their lack of confidence in their ability to converse (loud=right, so to speak). It's not too late to learn. You can teach yourself easily. Borrow someone's stick shifter, find a parking lot with a small grade in it, and learn to start it rolling uphill. You 'catch' the car with the clutch, then S-l-o-w-l-y let it out and keep the RPMs up, but not over-rev'ed. Once you get it , you'll be so proud. It's easy. Practice a little speed-shifting, if there's room in the lot.

That's the hardest thing to do with a stick. Once you got that, you've pretty much done it. Stickshifts, especially nowadays with the syncros, are easy to do once you get going, just keep the RPMs in the right range (there's TONS of leeway) for the speed. An average person should be able to drive a stick shift, cook a dinner, change a diaper, and build a bookshelf. Less is for primates.

Back in 1996 I took my then g/f to an empty college campus road to teach her how to drive a manual.
She started having second thoughts and got all huffy puffy so I went to the back of my truck, put the tailgate down, lit up a smoke, and told her that we weren't leaving until she drove out of there.
She finally did it after throwing a tantrum.
Freakin' 12 year olds are incorrigible.

392Zaphod: Girion47: Automatics are the AOL of the Auto world.

LOL at 470 hp Auto with tiptronic.

LOL at even the fastest street legal car in the world (268mph) is triptronic

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bugatti_Veyron

The onions on your belt are starting to show their age

First, I'm 28
Second, the Veyron's transmission and your shiatbox "muscle" car's transmission are far different animals.
Third, all that horsepower you claim to have is useless unless when your car's computer decides your gear is incorrect.

I love idiots like you at stop lights. Always revving at my car. I've been able to get at least 2 people pulled over for speeding because they wanted to race.

fluffy2097: verbaltoxin: I'm a dude, you moron. I've also had 1 accident in my entire driving life, a minor fender-bender in a crowded, busy parking lot. So YES I've spent 99% of the time paying attention to the goddamned road, because I'm not fumbling with crap in my car while I'm driving.

Telling me I need to drive a stick is f*cking retarded. Just admit you like old, outdated technology and let it be. Same thing with the dumbasses who think have an acetate-coated disc that scratches like hell is better than a digital file that can be exported to any compatible device. It's just old tech that you like because of nostalgia and imagined benefits. Get over it. Don't tell the rest of the world they have to slow back down for you, grampa.

You sure sound like a girl.

Your profile makes you look like one too. Are you PMSing or something, you sound incredibly roid raged out.

Do your balls really shrink and fall off when you take steroids like you do?

Considering you're the one that uses engine braking to troll drivers I'd say you're the one with the testosterone problem. Oh and you're the one that feels the need to go on assuming someone is a girl when they say they don't drive a stick.

So I think it's about time for you to go get your pre-op counseling, lady.


Carn: verbaltoxin:
That's because I don't have to know that crap because my car has an automatic. I can spend more time paying attention to the road.


You don't have to know what crap? The speed limit? How fast you are going? How those two things compare to each other at any given time? These would be included in "paying attention to the road". You might be doing it wrong.

You didn't say "speed limit" you talked about which speed ranges accuate which gear. So no, I don't need to know that because I am not working a clutch and a stick shift.

This thread:


BACK IN MY DAY, WE BAILED HAY THEN LEARNED STICK, BOTH WAYS IN THE SNOW, AND WE LIKED IT!

verbaltoxin: Oh and you're the one that feels the need to go on assuming someone is a girl when they say they don't drive a stick.

Actually I'm calling you a girl because your entire aura screams "pussy". Being adamant you are better off not knowing how to drive stick is just a very small portion of the massive aura of "I'm a pussy" you give out.

/Are your fake wrestling belts supposed to make us respect you?

verbaltoxin: This thread:

[images.sodahead.com image 350x253]
BACK IN MY DAY, WE BAILED HAY THEN LEARNED STICK, BOTH WAYS IN THE SNOW, AND WE LIKED IT!

You really don't understand how much more control you get over a car with stick rather than manual do you?


It's like putting someone online for the first time and they have two choices, AOL or Firefox.

With AOL you know that it's going to be easy, you can get to most sites and surf using keywords.

With Firefox, you have to know URL's now, you have the ability to block ads, popups, even Flash. You can use tabs, color those tabs, set them as default when the browser opens etc... Sure you have to learn these features, but once you do it all becomes 2nd nature that isn't even considered a mentally straining task, you do it automatically.

fluffy2097: verbaltoxin: I'm a dude, you moron. I've also had 1 accident in my entire driving life, a minor fender-bender in a crowded, busy parking lot. So YES I've spent 99% of the time paying attention to the goddamned road, because I'm not fumbling with crap in my car while I'm driving.

Telling me I need to drive a stick is f*cking retarded. Just admit you like old, outdated technology and let it be. Same thing with the dumbasses who think have an acetate-coated disc that scratches like hell is better than a digital file that can be exported to any compatible device. It's just old tech that you like because of nostalgia and imagined benefits. Get over it. Don't tell the rest of the world they have to slow back down for you, grampa.

You sure sound like a girl.

Your profile makes you look like one too. Are you PMSing or something, you sound incredibly roid raged out.

Do your balls really shrink and fall off when you take steroids like you do?

How in blue blazes did the topic of steroids get into a thread about transmissions???
Anyway, I'd advise you keep your comments and opinions about it to yourself Mr. pencilneck!