Poll: Escapist: Can you drive a Manual?

[stroopwafel]

I've never driven anything else but a manual. I live in one of the most densely populated areas and I have no problems with it. Manual also gives me more control over the car I think? Probably nonsense but whatever. It's only a pain when you need to go uphill(mostly parking buildings in my case), but the key is to pull the handbrake when standing still while gently pushing gas and slowly releasing handbrake and you never slip/roll backwards. And with traffic lights I'm the fastest to leave when near redlining from first to second gear. Things you kinda learn through experience.

I bought a new car a few years ago(standard here is still manual) and had the option to upgrade to automatic for 1300,- euros. I contemplated for a while but decided fuck it there are more fun things I can do with that money.

As for manual being 'outdated', probably true but then again cars themselves have been around for like 100 years now so define 'outdated'. As long as we won't see a true revolution in automotive technology, manuals will continue to 'stick' around as well.

 

[shootthebandit]

03 Jazz,

The important thing tough, auto's are just more fun. The go-kart comparison isn't far off only my go-kart comes with AC, air bags, and a stereo.

An automatic jazz should never be compared to a Go-kart. Unless its one of those pedal go-karts you had as a kid. My friends first car was a jazz and he single handedly brought the average age of a jazz driver down to 80. I drive a clio Sport with 197 bhp in a small car. Now that is a go-kart. 6-speed manual a shit ton of grip

Perhaps I am a bit of an elitist but I will always prefer a manual because I have more control. I will be the first to admit that I see an auto as an inferior car (not the driver though). Manuals are just a bit more rewarding, yes you have to put in the effort of pressing a 3rd pedal and moving your left hand but it pays off

I Suppose it depends on what you want. I dont like anything that takes control away from the driver. Im not a huge fan of cruise control either. If you want driving to be easier get an auto with cruise control and you just have to point it in the right direction

Its also cultural. Us brits all (about 90%) drive a manual and probably even more have learned to drive a manual. We are a bit set in our ways. Whereas america seems to have embraced the auto. I like to think of it as America built its roads for the car. Europe built its cars for the road

 

[Megalodon]

Also, in the US you very rarely have to worry about some idiot rolling back and hitting you when trying to go at a stoplight because their foot slipped on the pedal.

Which shouldn't happen anyway if you keep a safe distance between cars.

Low speed control is so much easier on an automatic (take your foot off the brake, it moves forward slowly- great for really poor traffic) and backing up is much safer (for the same reason, you don't need to apply any gas to move).

Depending on the engine, this is entirely possible in manual cars. Even if you do need to add gas to move, if you're even vaguely competent at driving, this isn't a concern.

You can even control when your car switches gears by letting up on the accelerator slightly to increase, and braking to decrease.

Got to say, that doesn't sound like control top me, compared with a manual where it will be in the exact gear I tell it.

It is a good skill to know, to drive a manual, in case it is ever needed, but honestly there is very little true advantage to a manual that you can tangibly feel on an everyday basis. No design of anything is ever made safer by having additional moving parts, or more integral human input.

This, like so many things, ultimately comes down to acclimatisation. Never having driven an automatic, I barely even notice changing gears any more. The only real point of reference I have is my grandfather, who had an automatic for a time, but then went straight back to manual for his next car, make of that what you will.

 

[Lightknight]

If I didn't have people pulling up an inch behind me when stopped at a light going up hill then I would be fine driving stick. But since I can't control other drivers I'll stick with automatic which doesn't stall out or roll backwards on hills until it catches.

But that's probably because most people have automatics now. I imagine Europe would have a more manual experienced drivers who take more caution on hills.

 

[Alfador_VII]

If I didn't have people pulling up an inch behind me when stopped at a light going up hill then I would be fine driving stick. But since I can't control other drivers I'll stick with automatic which doesn't stall out or roll backwards on hills until it catches.

But that's probably because most people have automatics now. I imagine Europe would have a more manual experienced drivers who take more caution on hills.

Hill-starting is a skill you have to pick up while learning to drive in the UK. Basically if you roll backwards while trying to start during the test, that's a major fault (you're not allowed many of them), possibly even a fail right there, depending on how bad it is.

Even on a steep hill, I can get it going in first gear without moving backwards or stalling (think I might have stalled two or three times doing it in the years since I passed), it's pretty much second nature now as I've done it so often.

 

[Lightknight]

If I didn't have people pulling up an inch behind me when stopped at a light going up hill then I would be fine driving stick. But since I can't control other drivers I'll stick with automatic which doesn't stall out or roll backwards on hills until it catches.

But that's probably because most people have automatics now. I imagine Europe would have a more manual experienced drivers who take more caution on hills.

Hill-starting is a skill you have to pick up while learning to drive in the UK. Basically if you roll backwards while trying to start during the test, that's a major fault (you're not allowed many of them), possibly even a fail right there, depending on how bad it is.

Even on a steep hill, I can get it going in first gear without moving backwards or stalling (think I might have stalled two or three times doing it in the years since I passed), it's pretty much second nature now as I've done it so often.

Hmm, I see people roll all the time. I'd always just assumed that it was a flaw with the vehicle rather than a skill.

But two or three times. Any of them accidents or close calls? That'd be two or three situations more than I'd have with an automatic. Safer, smoother rides from what I've seen and not always that much less gas efficiency.

 

[shootthebandit]

If I didn't have people pulling up an inch behind me when stopped at a light going up hill then I would be fine driving stick. But since I can't control other drivers I'll stick with automatic which doesn't stall out or roll backwards on hills until it catches.

But that's probably because most people have automatics now. I imagine Europe would have a more manual experienced drivers who take more caution on hills.

Hill-starting is a skill you have to pick up while learning to drive in the UK. Basically if you roll backwards while trying to start during the test, that's a major fault (you're not allowed many of them), possibly even a fail right there, depending on how bad it is.

Even on a steep hill, I can get it going in first gear without moving backwards or stalling (think I might have stalled two or three times doing it in the years since I passed), it's pretty much second nature now as I've done it so often.

Hmm, I see people roll all the time. I'd always just assumed that it was a flaw with the vehicle rather than a skill.

But two or three times. Any of them accidents or close calls? That'd be two or three situations more than I'd have with an automatic. Safer, smoother rides from what I've seen and not always that much less gas efficiency.

From what I gather from these replies you can pass your driving test in an auto in america then jump into a manual without knowing what to do. Whereas in the UK if you pass in an auto you cant drive a manual.

Stopping on a hill in an auto is the opposite for me. I feel as if its going to roll back on me.

A manual is fairly easy and for those who don't know you put your handbrake on, rev your car a bit higher than usual (if its really steep you'll need more revs) then lift the clutch till it bites and at the same time release your handbrake

Another bonus of a manual is the wheel spin. All you do is rev your car really high and then release your clutch really quickly. Your wheels will spin. Automatics dont really like you doing that to them

n.b. I do not condone wheel spins ;P its is infantile and ruins your tyres (it is fun though)

 

[AnarchistFish]

yeah but I haven't passed my test yet


they're a huge pain

 

[Weaver]

Where is the option "No, but I'd like to learn"?

Simply put, I don't know a single person with a manual transmission car so I have no way of learning how to drive one really. Most cars here are automatic.

 

[RoonMian]

I actually can't drive automatic. Every time I've been in an automatic I did lots of accidental emergency brakes when my foot tried to find the clutch and accidentally stepped on that frying pan of a brake pedal instead.

 

[Nimcha]

I actually have more trouble driving an automatic car. It never shifts when I want it to and it'll always end up either giving me too many revs or too little. Also getting used to the brake pedal is a pain.

 

[Brutal Peanut]

My husband tried to teach me, I just couldn't get it. I didn't even manage to get my license until the beginning of this year, because it finally became necessary - I'm 26 and just popped out a baby in May. I just needed to learn to drive, so automatic was the fastest and easiest way for me so I could get the baby around to her appointments and running errands. Also, the car that we had for me to learn on, that I would be driving the most, was an automatic. So, *raspberry*

 

[Funyahns]

I prefer to drive a manual car. Even more so in winter, if you get stuck in snow its easier to move a manual.

 

[SerBrittanicus]

I can drive a manual since I am from the UK and did my test in one, but switched to auto since they are so much more comfortable with all the driving I have to do - best decision I ever made.

 

[Alfador_VII]

Hill-starting is a skill you have to pick up while learning to drive in the UK. Basically if you roll backwards while trying to start during the test, that's a major fault (you're not allowed many of them), possibly even a fail right there, depending on how bad it is.

Even on a steep hill, I can get it going in first gear without moving backwards or stalling (think I might have stalled two or three times doing it in the years since I passed), it's pretty much second nature now as I've done it so often.

Hmm, I see people roll all the time. I'd always just assumed that it was a flaw with the vehicle rather than a skill.

But two or three times. Any of them accidents or close calls? That'd be two or three situations more than I'd have with an automatic. Safer, smoother rides from what I've seen and not always that much less gas efficiency.

I said I'd stalled only a couple of times, out of hundreds of hill-starts, but I always used the brake (and handbrake) to avoid rolling backwards when that happened. Never a close call caused by it.

I do however give learner drivers a lot of space on hills if I'm behind them, just in case

 

[shootthebandit]

Where is the option "No, but I'd like to learn"?

Simply put, I don't know a single person with a manual transmission car so I have no way of learning how to drive one really. Most cars here are automatic.

Its not really that difficult. When youre driving along just change gear (clutch in select gear) when the revs get relatively. 2500-3000rpm if you are being conservative and redline if you want to go fast

you can use your clutch to control your car. When maneouvering instead of letting go of the gas you can put your clutch in and then slowly bring it out again to move the car.

If you leave it in the default auto yes its a slug, flip it into 7 speed and S mode and it will accelerate far better, nothing will cure its under-steer, but then its not a sports model. You have to remember that its only the UK that views the Jazz (Honda Fit to Americans) as an old persons car.
To be fair, the Clio has always been a go-kart/dodgem because it is a nippy little sod even in the older 1.0 models. Before I had to move over to auto I did briefly own a Clio, and loved it. Living in Teesside though it was a typical target for thieves so I only had it for about 18 months.

So its a semi-auto then? Or it just changes to a 7-speed auto?

To be fair my mate loved his jazz and he says it was a lot more responsive than his subsequent 1.2 corsa (but then again vauxhall/GM are a pile of shit).

The clio sport is amazing though. Its so much fun. Its just enough power for it to be fast but not too much for it to be uncontrollable. You can just rev it to 8000 and chuck it into corners and it keeps asking for more. The MPG is a very low (I can get low 30s sat at 70 in 6th gear, usually I get around 25) its fast and its nimble and I dont think it would be anywhere near as fun if it was an auto (mainly because I wouldnt get my satisfying little beep and green light that tell me to change gear on the redline)

 

[Grimh]

Yes, it's the default here in Sweden. You have to specifically request to get a automatic license I think.
However as I don't really care for driving I prefer automatic so I have to do as little driving as possible.

 

[Crazy Zaul]

Wheres the 'Yes because all cars are manual except ones for disabled people' option for the rest of the world except America?