Only 18% of all Americans can drive a stick shift

Still driving my stick shift Suzuki. Applecruncher... as long as automatics rely on a torque converter, there will always be a small amount of slippage and therefore a standard shift transmission will always give better mileage. (unless of course the clutch starts slipping :p) At least that's been my observation over the last 50+ years of driving. Of all the rigs I've owned, I'd have to say that it's a toss up between the old wrecker I had with a 10 speed road ranger with a vacuum deep shift, and the GMC greyhound bus with it's grumpy wet clutch spicer 4 speed. (never could get that bugger to shift smooth) :eek: as to which was worse. My love for stick shifts will probably stop me from owning most newer vehicles. Heck, at my last trip to the Chevy dealer, I discovered that unless you're buying a fleet truck, you can't even get a standard trans in a pickup.:(
 

Both the Queen and Princess Anne have HGV, heavy goods vehicle, licences, probably similar to your CDL.

They need them for driving horse boxes around. The Queen got hers in the Army during the war.
 

Pappy said:
True that Tommy. It’s also easier to start a stick if you live on a hillside like I did. My first three cars had a 6 volt system and just wouldn’t start in freezing weather. I’d coast down the driveway, out to the road and let her roll. Pop the clutch and 9 times out of 10 she started right up.
Click to expand...

I can remember ' kicking it off ' and I can drive a straight shift. Had many a drag races in hot rods with stick , really liked the 4 in the floor types. Hubby always had a hot rod.
 
Everyone can drive a Manuel shifted car. All it takes is about fifteen minutes of instruction and a little practice.
 
I have always driven manual geared vehicles, even buses
and trucks.

The Bristol Double Decked Bus and the Scammel Articulated
Lorry both had "Crash Gear Boxes", no sycro-mesh and you
had to get the engine revs and the output to the drive shaft
equal in order to change gears, if done properly, you can actually
change gear without a clutch, though you need a clutch to start
off with.

The only automatic that I ever drove was a little car that my mother
had as she had bad hips, I used to take it for a short run to get it
really hot and clean out the bores etc, you can drive automatic like
a manual by using the stick between "D" & "L", D to change gears
and L to hold it in that gear.

Mike.
 
Is a stick shift manual transmission more economical on gas considering the same weight vehicle.

For some reason I think it is more efficient in transferring the power from the motor to the wheels.

I have no idea why I think that but that's what I believe.

And you can always get a rear wheel drive vehicle with a manual transmission.

Some people claim rear wheel drive is better for driving in snow and ice.
 
A manual transmission is better for economy, you can
hold a gear longer till it is time to up shift, I have been
in an automatic car driven by somebody else and the
gear ratios seem to be very close together, I heard and
felt slight jumps/judders as the gears started hunting
up and down, the rev's were in wrong speed, too slow
for the higher and too fast for the lower one, so several
things happened, the rev's altered up and down and at
the same time, the box shifted up and down, I don't know
which was the lead operation, the rev's or the shifts.

So in a manual car, if the rev's were too low, you would
drop a gear, then shift up when the speed was up a bit,
no point in labouring the engine when the Gear box will
do the job.

The definition of a gearbox: "A gearbox allows the driver
to maintain full engine revs under all road and load conditions".

Applies mainly to haulage I think.

Mike.
 
Camper6 said:
Some people claim rear wheel drive is better for driving in snow and ice.
Click to expand...
Having driven many front, rear, and four wheel drive vehicles in winter, my personal opinion is that the drive configuration is less important than the skill of the driver and the appropriateness of the tire design for the road conditions. That notwithstanding, there is something to be said for having the weight of the engine located directly above the drive wheels.

 
Camper6 said:
Is a stick shift manual transmission more economical on gas considering the same weight vehicle.

For some reason I think it is more efficient in transferring the power from the motor to the wheels.

I have no idea why I think that but that's what I believe.

And you can always get a rear wheel drive vehicle with a manual transmission.

Some people claim rear wheel drive is better for driving in snow and ice.
Click to expand...
i think 4 wheel drive is better in snow as well as a set of good winter tires
 
I've owned ONE automatic vehicle,ever. Poxy thing would spin-out and slip all over icy roads. [it was a BMW]
So I'm happy as a pig in chiffon to trundle around in my 4x4 SWB Land Rover,because I KNOW it'll grip when needed-it's proved that,several times.
 
Lord Elpus said:
I've owned ONE automatic vehicle,ever. Poxy thing would spin-out and slip all over icy roads. [it was a BMW]
So I'm happy as a pig in chiffon to trundle around in my 4x4 SWB Land Rover,because I KNOW it'll grip when needed-it's proved that,several times.
Click to expand...

A pig in chiffon! Never heard that one , love it. Yes, it's easier to drive on snowy roads with a manual transmission.... you can ease off the traction and avoid the spin. Of course 4 wheel drive is great.
 
Well,people naturally equate scruffy,unkempt people such as moi,with crudity,RavishingRose-so they expect ''a pig in sh1t''...so when it starts as they expect,but ends in rather naice custumier fabric.....well,thass wunn-up fer us scruffy geezers,innit doll! XXX
 
I drove a stick for years. It became second nature. Yup, I was "one" with my Toyota. We were a mean driving team. Then I drove an automatic. It dawned on me- why was I shifting like an idiot, when a few gears did the same job. Mindlessly shifting gears wasn't much of a benefit. I really don't need to be "one" with a hunk of metal, when I'm on a quick trip for some KFC.
 
I drove a stick for awhile..almost got killed in it. Pulled out in front of an 18 wheeler then it died because I couldn't work the clutch fast enough. Once when I was drivin it... I was on a hill and my husband was in the car with me. We were at a red light and he was tryin to tell me how to let off the clutch and give it gas at the same time. I totally freaked out and he had to get out and take over. I was so afraid it would roll back and hit the car behind me. .....I drive automatic now, but as long as there are no hills I do fine...
 
I learned to drive on a stick shift. My mother taught me. I was 14 yrs old. It was a Pontiac business coupe.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top