this post was submitted on 29 Aug 2023
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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.

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[–] thelsim@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 years ago

Western Europe, and yes I can drive manual. Mostly because that's how I practiced for my driving exam.
I switched to hybrid, and later electric, driving and haven't really used manual transmission anymore.
The only exception is when I have to borrow my mother's car. Then it's a lot of grinding gears before the muscle memory comes back to me :)

[–] featured@lemmy.ml 2 points 2 years ago

Yes, early 20s USA. Learned at 18 and drove manual every day until I sold my last car in November

[–] user224@lemmy.sdf.org 2 points 2 years ago (2 children)

I am 17 and don't even have a driver's license (I already could). However I don't want that in the first place. I don't feel comfortable about being in control of a heavy vehicle moving at relatively high speed. I know I'd drive over a pedestrian the first month because I got lost in my thoughts and completely forgot to pay attention to being in a damn car.
Or just fall asleep. Being in a train, bus, or even just playing a bus simulator on my phone immediately makes me sleepy. Sleeping driver is not a good driver.
Additionally there's the high prices of gas to consider, low prices of bus transport, and for me as a student non-existent prices for trains.
Why pay extra to create additional traffic and kill people?

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[–] archomrade@midwest.social 2 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

My friend taught me for the most part in college when I was 22, and then when I bought my first manual it was 5 hours from my house. If I didn't figure it out I wouldn't have gotten home 🫣

Only killed it a couple times, and only when I was getting on/off the freeway. And once in stop and go traffic, but I don't think anyone noticed

[–] EarthBoundMisfit@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago

In the US, in my late twenties, and yes I learned how to before I was even legally allowed on the roads here. I do still infrequently drive manual cars as I'm a bit of a car enthusiast. I prefer automatic for a daily driver, but any sports cars or older vehicles are more fun with a manual transmission!

[–] ozamataz@lemm.ee 2 points 2 years ago

I'm in my late 40's and have been driving manual transmission since I got my license at 16. But I'm also one of those freaks that always loved driving manual cars in any situation, I used to drive one daily in downtown Chicago rush hour traffic.

Cars were always a passion of mine, my family had two cars when I was a teenager, one auto and one stick. I begged to be taught the stick as soon as I got my license. I definitely fall into the "enthusiast" category of car owners. In the last 25 years I've had 6 cars, all of them manual transmission, and all of them I take to the race track for HPDE events whenever I can.

[–] Auzy@beehaw.org 2 points 2 years ago

In Australia, near 40.

Love a car I can push start and I have more control over power.

That being said, I want an EV for my next car when they have 1000km or more range (which isn't far off at all)

[–] OldFartPhil@lemm.ee 2 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Mid 60's in the US. I've always driven manual transmission cars. Fairly common for folks my age to know how to drive manual transmissions, since most of us had economy cars in the 70's and 80's. At that time, automatic transmissions were an expensive option and had a negative impact on acceleration and mileage.

My daughter is 29 and doesn't know how to drive a manual transmission and I don't think most of her peers can, either.

EDIT: Accidentally a manual.

[–] donuts@kbin.social 2 points 2 years ago

Mid-30s. Yes. I used to daily drive a manual when I was in college, but I haven't touched one in like 10 years so I'd probably be pretty rusty.

[–] GissaMittJobb@lemmy.ml 2 points 2 years ago

Yes. If I hadn't learned to drive manual while getting a license, I wouldn't have been able to drive them legally, which I figured would have been unnecessarily restrictive.

That being said, I prefer driving automatic, since you don't really gain anything from driving manual anyway these days. Also I don't own a car and drive maybe 4 times a year, so it's really whatever.

[–] HUMAN_TRASH@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago (3 children)

Yes, 32, USA Started learning to drive on my dad's old early 70s Chevy C20. My first car was an automatic but second car was a manual 89 camaro and that's where I really learned manual. The only time I drive manuals now is at work and it's only around the lot

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[–] hamsammy@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago

35, American, can only drive automatic but have been trying to learn manual. My barrier is never having a car available to me to practice on. πŸ™ƒ

[–] Fhek@lemm.ee 2 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Yes. It’s my daily.

Canada.

31 β€” Learned how to drive manual at 18.

I'm 40 and have never used a manual transmission, and have no desire at all to ever use one.

Yes. Mid thirties UK. I've actually never driven an automatic.

[–] rm_dash_r_star@lemm.ee 2 points 2 years ago

Old guy in the USA. My first car was a sport motorcycle so six speed with clutch and shifter. I have a sedan with an auto trans, but also a 4WD truck with manual. When I learned to drive in my teens automatic transmissions were not as nice as they are now, just three speeds and not very smooth. Now they're typically six speed and much nicer. I really dislike a manual trans in heavy traffic, quite a chore.

[–] ZeroTemp@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Yep, I actually learned how to drive on a manual. Before I got married all my cars were manual transmission as well. In my late 30s from Midwest USA.

[–] candle_lighter@lemmy.ml 2 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

i dont even know what manual transmission means if that tells you anything about me.

I can drive manual, but I hate it. I don't want to worry about releasing the clutch just right to avoid jerk, so I bought an electric car. Certainly was expensive, but it's infinitely more smooth than a manual transmission could ever be. 23 year old, living in Germany.

[–] 30p87@feddit.de 2 points 2 years ago

German, just 18, and I drive a manual.

Not learning manual would mean extra courses in order to be allowed to even make the license to drive larger trailers or trucks.

Also, manuals are cheaper, or actually, automatics are probably newer and therefore more expensive.

[–] LongPigFlavor@lemmy.ml 2 points 2 years ago

No. I'm 25 and from Florida.

[–] tsonfeir@lemm.ee 2 points 2 years ago

I can, older than you.

[–] TooMuchDog@lemmy.ml 2 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

When I was 15 my grandfather took me out into the woods to teach me to drive stick in a 30,000 lb dump truck. I had never driven anything bigger than a golf cart before. My space to work with was a clearing maybe three times the size of the truck. I did not learn to drive stick that day.

[–] benpo@lemmy.ml 2 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Southern Europe, 34. I only know how to drive with manual transmission (I tried an automatic city car once, and I literally couldn't exit the parking spot). I'm too used to control the car with the clutch. I should learn though, because I use car sharing services, and they are progressively replacing their cars with automatic transmission ones.

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[–] Chainweasel@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago

US, 36, and I've only ever owned manual vehicles. I think I've drove automatic maybe 5 times in the past 20 years I've had my license.

[–] adamth0@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Yes. Mid 40s UK. I have never owned an automatic vehicle, and it looks like there's not much in the way options when it comes to electric cars with manual transmissions.

[–] tebro@lemmy.tebro.fi 2 points 2 years ago

Well EVs only really have forwards and backwards. No additional gears.

[–] Starb3an@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 years ago

Yes. Houston TX. Mid 30s. I learned around age 15-16 on a 1940's Willys jeep my grandpa owned. Steering wheel had about 90Β° of play in it. Also drove a manual is Mexico. If I win the lottery, I'll buy and build a Caterham kit car.

[–] dbilitated@aussie.zone 2 points 2 years ago

42 Aus and this is a great way to get age and location details on accounts

[–] Setnof@feddit.de 2 points 2 years ago

My daily is an automatic but my old Magirus-Deutz is a special kind of manual. I’m 37 from Germany.

[–] Tedrick02@lemmy.today 2 points 2 years ago

Yes, US, late 30's.

[–] plant_based_monero@lemm.ee 2 points 2 years ago

I'm from Mexico I'm 22 years old and I have been driving since 14 or so (rural Mexico). My family has not own a manual since I started driving and I gues we will not buy one soon lol

[–] calhoon2005@aussie.zone 2 points 2 years ago

Yeah man. Australia. Mid 40s. My nieces have just started learning (we start here at 16). When I asked whether they were going to learn manual they said what's that?

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