all my cars are automatics, but i would not mind learning how 2 drive a stick. (then again autos are basicly stick shifts without the 3rd pedal)

Ive never owned a stick, but I had to learn when I went to work for my first dealership. I’ve driven stick Vettes to stick Metros there all fun. I feel smarter as a driver for knowing how but I dont think it makes me a better better than anyone else.

Defintely funner to drive a stick.

EXAMPLE:
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Driving stick either saved my life, or at least my employment…
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Back in 1988, I was working on the addition to a house for a contractor. One day the roofing contractor came. My boss and I were supposed to help them on the roof. It was a 3-story addition, and the roof slope was 40 degrees. Worse yet, especially back then I had acrophobia.
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Nonetheless, I didn’t seem to have any options. Everyone was climbing the 36 feet to the roof’s edge. I was last to go up the long-ass and very shaky aluminum ladder, then to somehow survive the transition from that onto the roof. I was scared shitless, perhaps the most ever and that’s saying something.
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Almost as soon as I got up there I told my boss there was NO WAY I could be of use to them and I had to get down (but getting back onto the ladder was what I dreaded most). Oh, did I mention the power line??? That’s another story, too long.
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Anyway, the ‘49 Ford dump truck the roofers came in had a flat on the inner tire of the driver side. They needed to have it fixed so they gave me $30 and told me to find a place that did split rims.
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Tell ya what. I weighed about 130 lbs back then and it took most of my weight to push in the clutch. After driving it for 2 hours, even the roof was starting to look like a better option.
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Also, I used to build telephone booths, my first job out of high school. Since I could drive stick, they let me operate the forklift which believe it or not had a manual gearbox and 2 speeds (ever hear of that shit?) I stacked phone booths sitting on wood palettes 3 high. Talk about shaky.
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Something as simple as driving stick can make a surprising difference. I think new drivers should have to take their driving tests with manual transmissions.

Just thought I’d mention this, but even with knowing stick there are two vehicles I can’t drive, a big rig and a Model T. Don’t laugh, semis are well the largest vehicles on the road and Model Ts take some time to learn from what I hear, but hey I’m willing.

I AM better than someone who can’t drive a stick.
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Don’t like it?
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Get off the couch, put down the video game controller, and go learn how.
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So there!

damn straight

I use to think It was a big deal and then I my friend got a brand new 2008 Mazda 3 with a 5 speed in August and he swears he can drive stick with the best of them and to this day if there’s any incline at a stop he still roll’s like a foot back and it’s jsut like maybe it’s time to admit you can’t do something but god forbid.

Good response GT, I agree with you 100%. Even if you don’t own/drive a manual, you should still know how to drive one.

I agree. Manual steering, manual transmission, throw away all that “driver assistance”. I am the only source of power in my HF other than the brake booster. It may be slow as crap and can’t accelerate, but when I’m throwing that stick and I can feel every single bug I run over through the steering wheel, nothing beats hitting those twisties.