How many people have you taught to drive stick?

[Daschicken]

Originally Posted by 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?




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.

I had about 6 years of clutched motorcycle experience before trying to learn to drive stick. It didn't help me. Of course, my teacher (dad) also sucked at teaching...I tapped the gas and the rpms shot up to 3000, the clutch was like an on/off switch, and the car rolled back if I let off the brake. Of course, I know what to do now, but it didn't help me back then.

Auto's are seen as a luxury feature here in merica', so EVERYONE HAS TO HAVE ONE! Even the el' cheapo cars are almost exclusively autos. Kind of strange, considering the auto adds at least $800 to the price...

That explains why Honda struggled to sell the already very limited number of V6 6MT Accord sedans, its almost luxury car territory, and its not exclusively sporty..

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by Daschicken

I had about 6 years of clutched motorcycle experience before trying to learn to drive stick. It didn't help me. Of course, my teacher (dad) also sucked at teaching...I tapped the gas and the rpms shot up to 3000, the clutch was like an on/off switch, and the car rolled back if I let off the brake. Of course, I know what to do now, but it didn't help me back then.

Unless it has the parking brake activated by a pedal, I actually feel more comfortable to drive a car with manual transmission than to ride a motorcycle. I'm not so good when it comes to do the punta-tacco, so I prefer to use the parking brake handle to avoid going backwards while starting uphill driving.

Auto's are seen as a luxury feature here in merica', so EVERYONE HAS TO HAVE ONE! Even the el' cheapo cars are almost exclusively autos. Kind of strange, considering the auto adds at least $800 to the price...

Seems like it's deemed a comfort feature everywhere, but it's quite odd to see a vehicle fitted with an automatic transmission that doesn't have other features such as air conditioner (mostly adapted for disabled drivers, even though in some countries it's not so unusual to see paraplegics driving cars with manual transmission).

[Daschicken]

I'm up to 14 taught now. Latest student struggled with rev matching on downshifts, and started to revert back to stalling often at the end of the lesson. Need more time to teach him, might schedule another lesson.

[JockoT]

In the UK most people start off driving manual transmission. Later they may change to an automatic. It is just the way it has always been, with (until recently) automatics being few and far between.
I drove for 25 years before getting my first automatic. 25 years later I reverted back to a manual (it was what I could afford at the time). For driving pleasure I thing the automatic wins, hands down. For economy, it has to be manual.
Some driving schools are introducing automatics (one or two to their fleet), but they are rubber band driven CVTs (yes, I know they are not actually rubber belts).
Passing your test on an automatic gives you a restricted licence and you can only drive automatics. You must then sit a second test, on a manual, to get a full licence, which permits you to drive either.
I wanted my wife to learn to drive and suggested she learn on an automatic. Once getting her licence and gaining confidence in traffic, and such, it would be a lot easier to make the transition to a manual. When you think about it, starting off as a total novice, who doesn't even know what the pedals do, learning to drive a manual, coping with other drivers, parked vehicles and busy roads, is a rather daunting task.

[Fat Charlie]

Originally Posted by JockoT

For driving pleasure I thing the automatic wins, hands down.

Maybe it's due to some sort of coriolis effect or something produced by driving on the left side of the road, or being on the other side of the Atlantic? 'Cause it's the exact opposite over here.

[botsapper]

Son and two daughters; two drive a manual and the other drives an auto.

[JockoT]

Originally Posted by Fat Charlie

Maybe it's due to some sort of coriolis effect or something produced by driving on the left side of the road, or being on the other side of the Atlantic? 'Cause it's the exact opposite over here.

When I started driving I would not have thanked you for an auto. Changing gear was part of the pleasure, heel and toe changes, double de-cluching, racing changes, clutchless changes.
Then at 42 I got my first automatic, just as I started 170 miles a day of motorway driving, with huge traffic jams through Glasgow, morning and night. Since then my driving has never really been for pleasure. Busy city driving, traffic jams and endless queues. Why would I want a manual for that? Even now, most of my driving is in busy traffic. The Jazz may be a city car, but with my noisy gearbox, lack if first gear finesse, and a tiny four pot motor it does not give me any pleasure in traffic.

[freebeard]

Originally Posted by JockoT

For driving pleasure I thing the automatic wins, hands down.

Single-speed electric?

[JockoT]

Originally Posted by freebeard

Single-speed electric?

That is my ultimate aim, once we move to Edinburgh and I have the drive and garage.
At the moment an EV is out of the question.
Going for the VW e-Golf.

[samwichse]

Anyone with a 10+ on this poll must hate their car's transmission and want it to die