Do you still drive a stick shift? Did you ever?

[horseless carriage]

there's 7 gears now... a lot different to the 3 in the past...

Climb up into an older 40 ton truck and you will see why they are now automatic.

On the gear stick is a smaller lever, this is to change gear ratios, not actual gears. There are two sets of gears, high and low ratios. You change from one to the other with the help of the clutch pedal.

In all there are sixteen forward gears, but you don't need to use them all, for the most time the driver will be in 16H or sixteen high ratio.
No wonder automatic is much more preferable, and these days the onboard computer can sense downhill movement and assist with controlled braking by lowering the gears.

 

[hollydolly]

Climb up into an older 40 ton truck and you will see why they are now automatic.
View attachment 338343
On the gear stick is a smaller lever, this is to change gear ratios, not actual gears. There are two sets of gears, high and low ratios. You change from one to the other with the help of the clutch pedal.
View attachment 338342
In all there are sixteen forward gears, but you don't need to use them all, for the most time the driver will be in 16H or sixteen high ratio.
No wonder automatic is much more preferable, and these days the onboard computer can sense downhill movement and assist with controlled braking by lowering the gears.

I know all this ... once upon a time I was a transport scheduler.. been out on many HGV's in my time...... Scanias' mainly..

 

[horseless carriage]

Horseless carriage, you didn't mention the
headlight dip switch, I can see it!

Mike.

Well spotted, for those without Mike's amazing eye sight, there's a small circular switch on the floor next to the clutch pedal, it operates the main/dipped beam.

 

[Mike]

Climb up into an older 40 ton truck and you will see why they are now automatic.
View attachment 338343
On the gear stick is a smaller lever, this is to change gear ratios, not actual gears. There are two sets of gears, high and low ratios. You change from one to the other with the help of the clutch pedal.
View attachment 338342
In all there are sixteen forward gears, but you don't need to use them all, for the most time the driver will be in 16H or sixteen high ratio.
No wonder automatic is much more preferable, and these days the onboard computer can sense downhill movement and assist with controlled braking by lowering the gears.

Many years ago, horseless carriage, I drove a large
Volvo, with those gears, plus it had another high/low
switch on the dashboard, why anybody would want
or need so many gears is beyond me, I think that the
design was for other countries and sold here as a
vanity project, at the time the gross weight here was
on 32 tons.

I did use them a few times to see if I could manage
them, but you have to concentrate.

Mike.

 

[Timewise 60+]

No, we don't have one now. Yes, I did drive a Volkswagen Beetle for many years...you had to shift those 'a lot' with only 80hp! But the gas mileage was great...and they were great in snow and ice with the rear engine...I lived in Colorado.

 

[hollydolly]

No, we don't have one now. Yes, I did drive a Volkswagen Beetle for many years...you had to shift those 'a lot' with only 80hp! But the gas mileage was great...and they were great in snow and ice with the rear engine...I lived in Colorado.

we have /had a Vintage VW Bay camper... now 53 years old, and still going strong...

 

[Roadwarrior]

Yes, Until my 67' VW quit

 

[fuzzybuddy]

I started out learning on a stick in driver's ed. But when I kept shifting from 3rd into Reverse, the instructor said some people just weren't made for a stick. Somehow I got a US Navy drivers license. Then they threw in a truck and said " drive". Well, it was their truck, so I drove- wasn't pretty, at first. I did get a stick shift car after I got out. But for some reason I always got stuck trying to parallel park on a super steep hill. So enough of the stick.

 

[Manatee]

When I was a kid, I didn't know anyone that owned an automatic.

My first car was a 38 Ford convertible with a rumble (dickey) seat.

 

[Purwell]

I learnt to drive in a Triumph Herald manual 4 speed box (four on the floor) but my first car was a Vauxhall Cresta with three on the tree!
Always had manuals right up until last year but bought a Honda Jazz CRV. Wish I'd changed years ago!

 

[VaughanJB]

Years ago, I learned to drive a stick shift in the US Navy. I had a Toyota Tercel with a stick for a few years. Supposedly, I got better milage with a stick. But today, it's hard to find a stick passenger car. Maybe sticks still work for trucks, but I think, otherwise sticks are vanishing.
Do you still drive a stick shift? Did you ever?

Coming from the UK, yes, I drove a stick shift. When I went to the US, I got an automagic. Damn, I've never gone back. Automagic is amazing, and just makes perfect sense.

Mind you, I was never a boy-racer.

 

[Judycat]

My car is a 2008 Ford Focus. It has a standard transmission. My last car was a 1993 Ford Tempo. It also had standard. I go for them because they were in pretty good shape as used cars go.