How many people have you taught to drive stick?

[Fingie]

almost everyone here in finland know how to operate a manual

[Fat Charlie]

There's a lot of things Murricans can't operate. Cars are the least of our worries.

[ThermionicScott]

I've taught one, an ex-girlfriend. She was a pretty quick learn, but I don't know if she's driven stick since then. My wife is interested in learning so that she can drive my Subaru in the winter, and possibly move toward only owning manual cars.

[AlexanderB]

None, they learn stick in driving school here.

[Magician]

Quite sad there are very few sticks in America...Every car in my household is a stick including my wife's car. I have 5 kids and they all drive them to include my two youngest, girls... Even my parents can. An automatic transmission can't even come close to being as reliable or as inexpensive to own. I'm not against an automatic, but just be prepared for some big expense if you like to keep your cars a long time to get a better return on investment.

[Fat Charlie]

Originally Posted by AlexanderB

None, they learn stick in driving school here.

Elitist *******s.

Our precious babies shouldn't have to learn anything as insanely complicated as shifting gears before they're allowed to drive.

[AlexanderB]

I can't help it, they even get a choice. Automatic-only licence, or take a few minutes during the first lesson to learn how to move the stick and operate the pedal with the third leg.

Automatics here are rare and expensive, and are seen as something for, well, people who shouldn't be driving to begin with.

More are popping up though, because of hybrid cars and some companies making (dual clutch) robotic gearboxes standard equipment.

[Fingie]

yep, also true here.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

I haven't taught anybody to drive stick, but would eventually some previous experience with motorcycles help a novice driver to learn it?

Originally Posted by AlexanderB

Automatics here are rare and expensive, and are seen as something for, well, people who shouldn't be driving to begin with.

More are popping up though, because of hybrid cars and some companies making (dual clutch) robotic gearboxes standard equipment.

In Brazil, at least until the early '90s, automatics were seen either as "fancy" or as a driving aid for disabled drivers. In regard to the automated-manual transmissions, the single-clutch ones are still available here but didn't really take the manuals away in lower-end segments of the automotive market, while the dual-clutch ones have experienced concerns about the durability under our harsh driving conditions here.

[Magician]

Automatics certainly will overheat and break much easier and much more expensive to fix or replace. There may be some advantages with newer automatics, but I'll stick with the manuals!