Is knowing how to drive stick in America still essential?

[DrumnBassBBoy]

http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/19/us/manual ... ?hpt=hp_c2

I believe driving manual transmission is essential. Parallel parking should still be taken seriously as well IMO. I believe our driving test should be more difficult in every state too. Driving automatics is more user friendly in America due to traffic. Though, I do like the approach of other countries seeing automatics as a pure upgrade and sticking to manuals as a default.

Just got finished reading the article and saw this line...
""I've got parents asking me why we teach their kids to parallel park when the car does it for you," he said."

Who ever that parent(s) deserve to get bitch slapped...

[OneCamJam]

Essential? No. But who wants to be "that guy" when you end up being designated driver or move someone's car that says "I can't drive stick".

I was at the car wash the other day and the attendant that got in the car to go through the wash (automatic wash) came out the other side and realized it was stick and didn't know wtf to do, all his buddies were clowning hard.

Don't be "that guy".

I guess it's kind of expected that females don't know how to drive stick, kind of dumb. My wife drives stick, I probably wouldn't have married her if she didn't

JK I still would have.

[DrumnBassBBoy]

I know it is not essential.
Though, I feel if it is a machine you operate everyday, you should know how to use it in its different forms.

Not the same concept, but I would laugh at a computer tech (after looking at a 2001 model cpu) who came to me and asked me what a jumper is...
If you are around it, you should know about it IMO. To many people are to oblivious to their surroundings and should know common knowledge. I could careless less if you just like getting from point A to B. What happens when you don't have a cell phone or anyone to help you?

[armeddoc]

I don't think it's "essential". But you may be in a position where you need to know how.

More and more we are using devices that make life easier. Soon we will be like the fatasses on WALL-E. Computers and robots will do everything for us and most ppl won't be able to do anything but push buttons.

I perfer a manual trans personally.

[270R]

The article sounds about right, but I remain unconvinced. People can manipulate stats however they want to a certain extent.

First question: how many of those up tick on manual drivers include stats of semi-auto tranny? This can skew stats a bit more in manual favor. Don't put it past people to attempt to do this to curry some sort of favorable stats.

The second question: what's the break down on the age demographics? Younger people tend to go manual until they have a family. Ex: In the US, how many manufacturers are willing to make their minivan or SUV's at least 30-40% of the production as manual? Boy, if they do, a lot of those vehicles would be stuck on the showroom not bought. This was prevalent when the Tauras SHO first came out long ago. Manual drivers were bellyaching that "Ford needs to make SHO at least 50% as manual". Ford's bean counters started to do survey testing and found out only 5-8% were bought as manual SHO.

The third question: The US market is way different than Euro (East and West) and pacific rim countries. The US market stressed bigger vehicles with a bunch of luxury stuff. Also, public transportation isn't as good or just average in certain places while Euro is damn good on public transportation. Euro and pacific rim countries have tons of compact and subcompact cars rolling through cobble stones or very compact roads with heavy pedestrian, bicycle, moped, or livestock traffic. Has anyone seen travel channel of traffic around the Eiffel Tower, Roman Colosseum, or up the Alps? Imagine those roads full of SUV's and minivans . . . boy, traffic fatality would be high for non-car drivers.

The fourth question: Has automatic tranny caught up to manual tranny? IMO, auto tranny is about to surge past manual tranny in efficiency. In the 80's, auto tranny was too heavy and was two or three speed. In the 90's, auto tranny started to lose weight comparing to manual. In modern times, looking at some model weight in carpoint.com, auto tranny is about even to 60 lbs overweight for cars with manual tranny. Also, technology in auto tranny has improved drastically comparing to the 80-90's.

I can tell you my auto tranny experience driving my 84 Renault Alliance (3 spd), 89 240sx, 95 240sx, and 99 LS coupe. 84 Alliance had a crap tranny (typical of all company at that time). 89 240sx (typical at the time, absolute max life would have been 100-150K miles). My current 95 240sx (IMO, I was lucky to find a solid tranny up to 194K and going . . . I have done 3 tranny oil + 1 filter change within 90K). As for RIP 99 LS coupe, this was the best tranny that I had ever drive. My car was about 130K in miles, but it drove strong like it was only 25K miles (had done 2 tranny oil and 1 filter change).

The fifth question: What's the gas prices between the US to the rest of the world? We have lower prices than most countries, excluding oil producing countries who subsidize for their citizens. I dare anyone to look at Qatar's gas prices for its citizens vs non-citizens.

In FL, parallel parking was taking out of the state before I graduated in the early 90's. Only truckers towing stuff pretty much learn this on their own.

[SandalScout]

It's definitely not essential, it's damned near impossible to rent a car that's NOT automatic in the US. When I picked up my rental car in the UK, the woman had visited the states several times and stopped just as she handed me the keys and said "Can you drive a manual?" She said that autos were usually only in high-trim cars and quite a bit more costly. I loved my manual diesel S-MAX.

I do agree that driving tests are extremely easy and should be harder. That said, I almost NEVER have to parallel park. I do, on occasion on literally 1 street in town, but everywhere else here (and most other places in the south) is pull-in parking. I think it should be a required skill, but it would rarely be used by most people.

[KillahB]

I can probably list you about 10 people that I know, born and raised in the US(excluding members here) that can drive a stick. It's a dying art. Even hardcore dragsters don't have a conventional manual gearbox.

Back in a place far far away from there, there were progressive endorsements to driving. If you had an endorsement for a certain type, you were allowed to drive that type and the types below, but nothing above (similar to what is here). However, there were a lot more types. The hierarchy was as follows: automatic car - manual car - light goods vehicle - heavy goods vehicle - motor omnibus / minibus - tractors - road roller. Most got their driver's license on a light goods, which encompassed auto and manual car as well. It BLEW my mind that coming to the US (and this is a true story), under an automatic license (regular Class E), you are qualified to drive a 7-speed manual gearbox 26' U-Haul truck! I think they switched them all to auto now, but still.... Driving a Yaris and driving a 26' truck require a bit more than just one generic license, IMO.

[armeddoc]

Driving tests are way too easy in the US.

[SweetCosmicPope]

I actually prefer driving stick. You can feel the car more, if you understand my meaning, and it's just alot more fun.

That being said, I actually have a very hard time finding manual transmission cars. Except for going to new car dealerships, most used cars I find are auto, which I find deplorable. That says to me that us "stick drivers" are few and far between.

[darkemerald]

Well, I learned how to drive on a standard tranny, and I belive everyone should at least have a lesson or two in driving a standard transmission. I belive people are becoming lazy, and want to sip on there Coffey and talk on there cell phone and not be bothered by a manual transmission. Granted I've been getting more lazy over the years...

I find that cars with a manual transmission are more reliable, and cheaper to get fixed. I like the satisfaction of if my starter happens to go out on a trip I can still get my car started. If my clutch goes out I can still get it somewhere to maintain it or get it fixed. A few months ago I was having starting issues, and if it was an auto then my car would have to sit at work till I found out the problem or get it towed home. It turned out to be a simple wiring problem. So in the end I wasn't without my car and it didn't cost me anything to get fixed.

So yes I think it is important. A lot of people don't get manuals because they don't know how to drive them, not because they don't want them. So I think everyone should learn how to drive one and then let them take it from there. If they then want to get an auto, that's on them, but when they get stranded... I'll wave when I drive by.

[RPW00mirage]

You'll find more auto cars than manual or even assisted manual. Too many fat lazy American slobs and 10 child soccer moms to enjoy the freedom of the 3rd pedal. Manual drivers and cars are a minority.

[mirage1]

Also, I suspect drivers that buy new automatic vehicles are less likely to keep their cars as long (less attachment) and thus cycle through new cars faster. Where a person that prefers manual transmissions would hold onto cars longer and thus produce less sales.

Example: 10 people buy automatics and keep them 2 years before buying another. 10 people buy manuals and keep them 4 years before buying another. In those 4 years they will sell twice as many automatic vehicles, but both have the same number of drivers. That statistic was only new vehicle sales.

When automatics start rivaling the performance of a manual transmission, that has to help their sales as well.

[SandalScout]

Also, I suspect drivers that buy new automatic vehicles are less likely to keep their cars as long (less attachment) and thus cycle through new cars faster. Where a person that prefers manual transmissions would hold onto cars longer and thus produce less sales.

Interesting... just a hunch or have you heard this before?

If so, that's reason enough for car companies to make mostly automatics.