this post was submitted on 29 Aug 2023
377 points (93.3% liked)

Asklemmy

45062 readers
1051 users here now

A loosely moderated place to ask open-ended questions

Search asklemmy ๐Ÿ”

If your post meets the following criteria, it's welcome here!

  1. Open-ended question
  2. Not offensive: at this point, we do not have the bandwidth to moderate overtly political discussions. Assume best intent and be excellent to each other.
  3. Not regarding using or support for Lemmy: context, see the list of support communities and tools for finding communities below
  4. Not ad nauseam inducing: please make sure it is a question that would be new to most members
  5. An actual topic of discussion

Looking for support?

Looking for a community?

~Icon~ ~by~ ~@Double_A@discuss.tchncs.de~

founded 5 years ago
MODERATORS
 

And where are you from? And how old? Not "do you" but just if you know how.

I'm in the US, mid 30s and can (and do) drive a manual transmission.

(page 3) 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[โ€“] BonesOfTheMoon@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Nope, manual transmission isn't common in Ontario,, I lived in the US for a bit and everyone seemed to drive stick, but I never figured it out. I don't understand why anyone wants to drive it.

[โ€“] Zak@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

It's fun. Of course that's more true in a sporty car on a mountain road than in an SUV in city traffic.

It used to be that manuals had better fuel economy and acceleration. That changed about a decade ago.

[โ€“] Swarfega@lemm.ee 3 points 1 year ago

You have more control over the cars throttle. Like using the gears to actually slow the car down rather than just using the brakes.

load more comments (1 replies)
[โ€“] grue@lemmy.ml 4 points 1 year ago

US, mid thirties, and I not only drive a manual transmission, I go out of my way to insist upon it. For example, I own a truck and an SUV made in the '90s because it's difficult to find newer ones without an automatic.

[โ€“] thedoginthewok@feddit.de 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Yes, but after having an electric car for about two years, I never really wanna go back to ICE, manual or auto. The acceleration is addictive
And electric cars don't really need manual transmissions.

I drove ICE auto for about 8 years, then 3 years manual and electric for the last two.

[โ€“] kava@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

US late 20s. Yes I can and every car I've owned for the last 8 years has been manual

I go out of my way to find them.

[โ€“] nik282000@lemmy.ml 4 points 1 year ago

36, Canadian, 10/10 would recommend. Winter driving is way more fun with manual, and it can be a lot easier on gas if you're in the mood.

  • 5 speed '93 Suzuki Sidekick 2006-2009
  • 6 speed '05 Jeep Wrangler 2009-2021
  • 5 speed '10 Mazda B2300 2021-Present
[โ€“] GeminiFrenchFry@lemm.ee 4 points 1 year ago

Yes Midwest, U.S. 40y

[โ€“] OddCoincidence@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Nope, I'm scared to even use the paddle shifters on my auto

load more comments (1 replies)
[โ€“] RagingRobot@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

I'm in my 30s grew up in FL and I can

[โ€“] gingerjoos@beehaw.org 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

From India, late 30s and I drive manual. I learned to drive less than an year ago in a manual that I own. Manual cars are cheaper and I bought one since I believe switching from manual to auto would be easier than the other way around. I don't feel comfortable driving an automatic; and it is only recently that I realised that ALL of my friends and family drive automatics! I live in a large crowded city with terrible traffic problems and I sometimes wonder if driving an automatic would be easier.

load more comments (1 replies)
[โ€“] lorez@lemm.ee 4 points 1 year ago

Italian, 45 here. Always driven manual.

[โ€“] Gort@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

All my cars, bar one, have been manual transmission, as is my current one. To be honest, as I'm lazy, I do prefer auto, but it's easier to buy a car with manual transmission here in the UK, as you have more options.

[โ€“] Chriskmee@lemm.ee 4 points 1 year ago

USA, 33, daily drive a stick.

Bought my first car with my own money in 2013, a 2014 WRX, it only came in manual. I've been driving it since.

[โ€“] dusty@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 1 year ago

I can drive a manual yeah, I don't feel like I'm in total control when driving an automatic, I'm 20 and live in the Netherlands

[โ€“] JSens1998@lemmy.ml 4 points 1 year ago

My brother always use to tell me that driving manual is just driving with extra steps. Lol

[โ€“] Razzazzika@lemm.ee 4 points 1 year ago

37, Eastern PA. I CAN drive a stick, but I don't like to. It's another distraction I don't need while driving. Can pay attention to all the other idiots on the road when not worrying what gear I'm in or when to shift.

[โ€“] frankhorrigan@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

Late 30s, Canada, and absolutely I can.

[โ€“] ristoril_zip@lemmy.zip 3 points 1 year ago

Yes, 46, my first car that was "mine" (my mom's old car) was a manual. The first car I ever bought had a shitty automatic (I think the seller may have pulled one over on young me). Since then I only buy stick shifts for myself. (My wife's is an automatic.)

[โ€“] Cryan24@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

38 Ireland, yes, it's the main transmission type here, the same as most of Europe.

[โ€“] Hadriscus@lemm.ee 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

France, early thirties, I can. Automatics are still pretty new on the market, most people I know cannot operate one. It's easier of course, but kinda throws you off at first. My wife owns one and it's great for traffic and keeping a low fuel consumption, since the thing is made to shift gears exactly when necessary. The tradeoff is no sportsy driving, of course, but I can live with that for some time.

load more comments (2 replies)
[โ€“] Crack0n7uesday@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

US, 37, been driving a manual since I was 16.

load more comments (1 replies)
[โ€“] StThicket@reddthat.com 3 points 1 year ago

I'm 42, and can drive manual, but I've had an automatic the last 5 years.

My son is now learning to drive, but he will most likely not need to drive a manual ever.

[โ€“] reverendsteveii@lemm.ee 3 points 1 year ago

I only learned on a riding lawnmower but I can do it. I actually went looking for a car with a manual, figuring that it would be cheaper up front, cheaper to fix and cheaper to run. I couldn't really find one in any model of car I wanted, so I ended up having to go with a manumatic with paddle shifters, the worst of both worlds!

37, Switzerland, and I can drive a manual as much as I enjoy an automatic from time to time. The former is still the most common type of transmission even though the trend has been reversing over the years.

[โ€“] Lorindol@sopuli.xyz 3 points 1 year ago

Scandinavian, mid-40's. The vast majority of cars in Europe have manual transmission, in my country you can't even get a driver's license if you can't handle it. I prefer manual, whenever I drive automatic I feel like there's something missing.

[โ€“] TheWeirdestCunt@lemm.ee 3 points 1 year ago

I'm from the UK and after driving one about 100 metres I refuse to drive an automatic car, it's one of the main reasons why I don't want an electric car either. Automatic cars are horrible twitchy things that just aren't enjoyable to drive and you can't change gears to anticipate a change in the road before you're already on that bit of road.

[โ€“] Kazumara@feddit.de 3 points 1 year ago

First time I drove anything but a manual was driving the shitty trucks of the Swiss army. It felt weird and wrong, but then again driving with standard issue boots makes using the pedals a bit harder sometimes, so it's probably good I didn't have to use the clutch.

These days I mostly drive rented cars so it's whatever is available, who cares.

[โ€“] Superpotatoboy@lemm.ee 3 points 1 year ago

Big yes! Mid 20s and currently daily drive my miata

[โ€“] haych@lemmy.one 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yes, I'm from the UK so pretty much everyone here can even if they own an automatic. It's not seen as a big deal here, it's just normal.

I prefer manuals, I won't be buying an automatic until my leg falls off.

load more comments (1 replies)
[โ€“] Saneless@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 year ago

US, 40s. Gave up my manual a few years ago to get a bigger car when I became a single dad. The ol Mazda 3 wasn't cutting it

[โ€“] Lord_Logjam@feddit.uk 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

In the UK it's pretty standard to learn in a manual. I currently have an automatic and honestly I don't want to go back. I like to think I'm a pretty good driver and gears were never an issue for me, but man is it nice to have one less thing to think about when driving.

Oh and I'm 39.

[โ€“] BackOnMyBS@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I have had only manual transmission cars for the passed 19 years except for 4 years, at which time I had a manual transmission motorcycle. I don't know what I'm going to do once internal combustion cars are phased out. I need a manual tranny. Luckily, my new car only has ~12k miles on it, and it's a make that is typically known for lasting over 200k miles. My only threat is accidental damage.

Edit: I live in the USA

[โ€“] spike@discuss.tchncs.de 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

30, german, yes I can, no I do not. I drive a hybrid, so no manual transmission.

load more comments (1 replies)
[โ€“] tryagain@lemmy.ml 3 points 1 year ago

Yes. European. It's the norm.

[โ€“] Dkarma@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Don't answer these. They're attempts at pinning ur account with a specific demographic and or phishing attempts.

[โ€“] Chronic_AllTheThings@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

If you're implying OP is mining data for guerilla marketing, their post and comment history doesn't look like it.

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (2 replies)

I drive an automatic but I learned with a manual and used it for years. I find manual impractical for daily use but I can use it if I need to.

32 years old, Italy

[โ€“] theodewere@kbin.social 3 points 1 year ago

the great thing about manual transmission is it almost doesn't matter how big the motor is, or whether it's front/rear/AWD, as long as the platform is balanced you can have fun on it.. EVERY car nut appreciates a Golf with a stick, no matter how muscular a hot rod you drive..

load more comments
view more: โ€น prev next โ€บ