[Art]

Originally Posted by beanbag

I would've learned to drive a manual years ago, only my dad was like, "there are these things called automatic transmissions, and they're better for girls. there's no reason for you to learn to drive a stick-shift!"




(my dad means well. he just grew up in a different school of thought, particularly about girls.)

Haha. My personal school of thought is that every person in America who learns to drive should be required to do so on a car with a manual transmission. But I do know where your dad is coming from.

[gtrdave]

Originally Posted by The Phantom Mullet

Not if you like good cars......

My Dodge Neon 5-speed appreciates your comment.

[OiBoyz]

Originally Posted by beanbag

I would've learned to drive a manual years ago, only my dad was like, "there are these things called automatic transmissions, and they're better for girls. there's no reason for you to learn to drive a stick-shift!"

Yeah, you might break a nail or something.

My dad was different. He taught me how to drive the stick, also how to drive a tractor. He expected me to be able to change my own tires and to check my own oil.

My mother, on the other hand, had some weird "because you're a girl" rules. I couldn't take woodshop in high school because "who wants to marry a woman who has missing fingers?"

Mom... 1) you're not supposed to lose your fingers. If you do, you're doing it wrong. 2) who wants to marry a man that would matter to?

Oops. Sorry to hijack the thread.

[beanbag]

Originally Posted by OiBoyz

Yeah, you might break a nail or something.

My dad was different. He taught me how to drive the stick, also how to drive a tractor. He expected me to be able to change my own tires and to check my own oil.

My mother, on the other hand, had some weird "because you're a girl" rules. I couldn't take woodshop in high school because "who wants to marry a woman who has missing fingers?"

Mom... 1) you're not supposed to lose your fingers. If you do, you're doing it wrong. 2) who wants to marry a man that would matter to?

Oops. Sorry to hijack the thread.

hahaha. I promise I won't take this more off-topic after this post (although it is my thread =D) but that is really funny.

I do know how to add oil to my car. I got a flat tire once on my way to work, and I was about 40 minutes from home, once you factor in freeway/in-town traffic. my dad wouldn't tell me how to change it. he told me to wait right there (like I could go anywhere) and he would come and fix it for me. so he brought my brother, and they fixed it. and wouldn't let me help. in fact, they told me to sit in the car. which...I didn't. I ended up being really late for work.

then, I got a flat tire when I was living away at school and since my dad hadn't let me help change to the spare the first time, I had no idea how to fix it this time and I was two hours away. fortunately my school was full of gentlemen, and a couple of the guys came and changed my tire. and explained everything they were doing.

my uncle is nothing like my dad. he was apprenticed as a mechanic when he was 12, and he's been a mechanic ever since. he made my cousin take her car apart, take her engine apart and rebuild it, and stick it back in her car with no help. he said it was awful watching her struggle to get the engine in all alone (she's like, 5'5 and maybe 135-145 lbs) but she had to be able to do it in case something happened and he wasn't around. and she did it. so if I get a manual, he'll be the one teaching me to drive it. I've already asked him about it. haha.

of course, even though my dad didn't let me learn to drive a manual, he built a whole bunch of furniture/kitchen stuff out in the backyard and guess who assisted him in that--using power tools and all. I will never understand my dad!

[OiBoyz]

Originally Posted by beanbag

I do know how to add oil to my car. I got a flat tire once on my way to work, and I was about 40 minutes from home, once you factor in freeway/in-town traffic. my dad wouldn't tell me how to change it. he told me to wait right there (like I could go anywhere) and he would come and fix it for me. so he brought my brother, and they fixed it. and wouldn't let me help. in fact, they told me to sit in the car. which...I didn't. I ended up being really late for work.

Well, keep in mind, this was the days before cell phones, and if I had a flat tire, I was on my own. We lived out in the country and there might not be a car along for hours.

[What5647]

1. how difficult is it to make the shift from an automatic to a manual? (no pun intended. I promise.)

Depends on the driver. Most pick up the basics within the first week. I wouldn't recommend freeway merges for a few weeks. (of course, I take on and off ramps at high speed, so read into that what you will. Expect for it to take up to a full year before you're proficient enough to shift as smoothly as an automatic consistently. Practice makes perfect, after all.

2. how difficult is it to drive long distances with a manual? say like...across the country, or at least halfway across the country?

It's not hard at all, with or without cruise control. Pretty much the same as an automatic tranny.

3. how annoying is it to drive in the city with a manual?

I'd say it depends on the person. I've been in heavy, stop and go traffic for about six hours in mine, and it didn't bother me a bit. However, this sort of thing would bug some people. I'd also say that when I was still learning to drive stick something like this would have been very frustrating for me.

Other notes: I'm with Redbaron on the use of the parking brake on hills, no need for it once you know what you're doing. And you'll definitely want to practice starting on the steepest, least traveled hill you can find.

I'm also of the opinion that everyone should at least know how to drive stick. Also, I'd go as far as to make everyone without a disability drive stick in the interest of keeping people off cell phones. However, that tends to make people just take their remaining hand off the steering wheel....

Oh yeah, you'll want some sort of hands-free setup for your phone. If you're like me you hardly ever use it driving, but if you ever need it, you'll be glad you're prepared.

[tmlfan123]

Originally Posted by thesteve

I own a '98 Civic EX.

Good car eh?

1. Completely depends on the person. It took me a few weeks to be completely comfortable, and I still stall occasionally. It's not overly hard, however.

2. As people have said before, it's really no different driving long distances.

3. As your comfort level with driving stick improves, so will your city driving. I wouldn't recommend driving in big cities for a few weeks after starting to drive stick.

[Tim Possible]

I think being able to operate a manual transmission is a valuable life lesson.

I mean, what if you're in Texas, and there is a guy chasing you with a chainsaw and the only available car has a stick? You'd get your face chopped off just because you couldn't drive a stick....

[OiBoyz]

Originally Posted by tmlfan123

1. Completely depends on the person. It took me a few weeks to be completely comfortable, and I still stall occasionally. It's not overly hard, however.

It won't take long til you're just doing it without having to think about it. It becomes second nature.

[LaserRacer]

Originally Posted by redbaron

I picked up 4.8mpg average by skipping CC on my trip from Poulsbo to Oceanside, CA which is pretty significant considering that it was ~2700 miles round trip (in a weekend)

What in the heck were you doing in little Norway?

[mulletman]

When I was in little Norway.... I was doing recon.

[beanbag]

thanks for all the answers and suggestions you guys. if you have any more, please feel free to share. =)

Originally Posted by What5647

Oh yeah, you'll want some sort of hands-free setup for your phone. If you're like me you hardly ever use it driving, but if you ever need it, you'll be glad you're prepared.

actually, it's illegal to talk and drive in california now without a headset. you must be able to use it hands-free or you get a ticket if you're spotted by the cops.

Originally Posted by El Cabong

I think being able to operate a manual transmission is a valuable life lesson.

I mean, what if you're in Texas, and there is a guy chasing you with a chainsaw and the only available car has a stick? You'd get your face chopped off just because you couldn't drive a stick....

thanks, thanks for the huge confidence boost about moving to texas.