Huh? How many people can't drive stick?
 

I heard two people talking and I heard that 82% of the US driving population do not know how to drive stick.

Would you agree with that? And where can I verify (if possible).?

Pete

Sounds a bit high to me as we still get a fair amount of sticks in the shop. Age doesn't really seem to be a factor either.

Unless it's from a sampling survey, how would they know? Can't go by car sales since a lot of "shift for yourself" folks become "shiftless" every now and then, especially if you have AMG ambitions.

Remember back when an auto tranny was an option on a vehicle?

Especially with econoboxes, don't remember why it was so tough to design an automatic for some of these?

Eeek!
 

You have *no* idea how much I hated reading that.

Ick.

Just had to add:

Here's a quote from the article above:

In a car equipped with a manual transmission, gridlock can mean pushing and releasing a clutch pedal over and over again. And since some pedals are stiffer than others, driving can be physically exhausting. And talking on a cell phone and sipping coffee — favorite pastimes of today’s drivers — is much easier without worrying about shifting gears.

---

You know, I'm sorry, but if pushing the clutch "exhausts" you, maybe you should join a gym.

Ok. I'll stop now.

Pete

Im 17 and never learned stick, though for my first car that I buy myself, it will have a manual transmission for sure. My dad hasn't had a stick shift since the late 80's I believe, his Toyota Tercel. So I never got a chance to learn.

I know how to drive a stick-shift, but I wouldn't want one to drive in rush hour traffic. My sister drives a 1994 Honda Accord with a stick shift and my mom used to drive a 1971 VW Cabriolet with one as well, and that's what they say is the only downfall to it. To me, there's already too many crazy people to look out for driving out there, all close together in rush hour, just add shifting and clutch depressing, and well, it's best to look out for crazy drivers with an auto tranny, so I can have both hands on the wheel in case I need to perform an extreme manuever quickly. Manual transmissions are better suited for open highway driving or racing in my opinion. As for the longetivity, as long as the transmission filters are changed at regular intervals along with a good, synthetic fluid, you can get a long life out of one.
-Joe

Uh Huh
 

And if your FAVORITE pastime is drinking coffee driving, and chatting on your cell phone, you shouldnt be on the road anyways. you could hurt my car....

With all the advancements in transmissions, how long will it be before you can't buy a car with a clutch pedal?

I learned on a stick, and wouldn't have it any other way. I think it played a big role in increasing my overall "road awareness", b/c I had to think about which gear I was in and the amount of torque I had available to the driving wheels, in case I had to get moving quickly.

Anyway, I had no problem driving a stick (my Mazda pickup) in heavy traffic. Got the 190 as an auto, drove it like that for over a year. Swapped in a manual, and it only took me a few days of heavy-traffic driving to get used to it again.

Heh - Whine about the stick in rush hour traffic? Man have you guys had it easy. Try driving a truck with manual steering and brakes with a three on the tree double clutching in the same conditions and tell me that isn't easy.
All you must think of is the simple physics of the operation, the engine meshing with the transmission at perfect rates. Once you have this down it will be much smoother than any automatic.... I prefer to select my own ratios thank you, but on my Mercedes I have no other choice than to let the valve body do it for me.... :(

I don't understand what the complaining is all about regarding clutching. I learned to drive stick as a teenager, as manual trannies were the only thing my Dad would own. Add to this, learning to drive vehicles with as many as 13 forward gears - all unsynchronized, and in heavy city traffic, clutching became second nature. If you hate clutching so much, learn how to shift without it. Some of the time, I use the clutch in my truck, others I don't. Most of the time, I couldn't tell you which way I'm doing it at the time.

It's actually sad to see the manual transmission fading away. Unfortunately though, it's as much a part of emissions, as it is people who want to turn on the car, shove it into "D" and disengage the brain. My Prius for example, cannot exist with a manual transmission. Automatic trannies allow for the car's computer to decide which ratio is right for the power demand, and keeping the exhaust clean. As hybrids expand, and then give way to fuel cells, conventional transmissions will die due to being obsolete.

I still don't get why you lot insist on driving cars with sticks- over here we have a gear shift lever, surely that makes things much easier? No splinters...

It's the one thing I miss on my Merc though, that and a proper handbrake.
Though sitting in a traffic jam on the M25 (London's orbital car-park) I don't miss working that clutch constantly...

I'm sure you know manual transmissions are the norm over here in old Europe, though auto's are becoming more popular as we get lazier. Usually they're seen as 'luxury' options on high-end cars.

I find that hard to believe, I know one person over the age of 18 who can't drive a stick (my wife).

I think it's an important skill to have, and agree that all first time drivers should learn w/ a stick.