Learning to drive stick shift?

[StormChasr]

My son had his girlfriend drive him to the emergency room last night, as he wasn't feeling up to par. He's okay, so, I thought of how ironic and funny it was that she did the driving. He was the one who taught her the fine art of clutch slippage, and I had the pleasure to watch the entire debacle.

Basically, if you're ever tried to teach anyone to drive a standard, try the basic principle first" Movement of the gas and clutch must be smooth and easy. As you slip the clutch gently, one must gradually add the gas in a smooth, linear manner"......right? Well, great theory there.

My son: "Okay, right foot goes down, left foot goes up."
Girlfriend: "On which one of the three pedals?" (oh-oh)
S: The extreme left one is the clutch
G; Okay--"you mean, the square little one."
S: "Yes, the one on the left."
G: "What about the one in the middle? I do't have 3 feet?" (groan!!)
S: "That is the brake. You put your foot on it to stop."
G: "So, how do I hold the brake and the clutch at the same time."
S: " You don't--you have to find the friction point."
G: "What is that?" (oh boy!!)
S: "That is where the clutch begins to slip out, and the gears engage.
G: "Oh." (she has blank look on face)
S: "Try it, it is easy." (here we go!!)
G: "OOPS." (car lurches and stalls) "How do I make it not do that?"
S: "Ease up gently on the clutch--don't pop it." (Easy for you to say)
G: "Okay let's try again." (car stalls) " This isn't easy--I don't get it."
S: "That's because you're not doing it right." (Oh no!)

This goes on for a few minutes, until she gets her high heel shoe stuck underneath the clutch, and it is wedged against the clutch and the floorboard.
G: "What do I do now?"

[southerngale]

Everyone should learn to drive a stick shift. Once you learn, it sticks with you forever.

[StormChasr]

Everyone should learn to drive a stick shift. Once you learn, it sticks with you forever.

Absolutely. Watching this scene was absolutely priceless--it was more fun than renting a movie.

[Skywatch_NC]

Thanks...no thanks...I'll 'stick' with manual.

Eric

[Brent]

[Skywatch_NC]

I imagine that his gf wanted to send him even more to the E.R. after that lesson and humiliation!

[MSRobi911]

Learning standard transmission driving looks like grasshoppers on crack!

I crack up when I see them coming, lurch...car dies, start car, lurch, lurch, lurch, car dies, starts car again, lurch, lurch. lurch finally take off....aftering hearing the engire rev up to I don't know what....

I know it was funny when I did it, but I learned in the back yard, backing up and going forward, over and over and over and over!

Mary

[P.K.]

lol - It isn't hard to learn to drive a manual.

[Miss Mary]

David - that was hilarious to read.

My dad tried teaching me to drive at age 16, temps, on his El Camino, 3 speed, on the column. I could NOT get it. I kept stopping, w/o pushing the clutch in. Of course this made my dad livid! We were like oil and water, with me trying to master a stick. He bought a used automatic later and whew, I did great.

A year later, my b/f taught me how to drive a stick. A different, relaxed, carefree peer must have been the difference, b/c I learned how to master a stick. Quite well!

To this day I drive a stick. This is my 5th 5 speed car. Hubby has a stick too. You should see trying to drive an automatic - I automatically push in for a clutch. It's just ingrained me, all these years (uh, over 30 now).

When our 17 year old got her temps, she was doomed. As I stated, both of her parents have manuals. And Nina is sort of klutzy. She knows it. Isn't into scootering, riding bikes, nothing like that. Well, it took us 10 months to teach her how to drive a stick. I thought for a while there she'd have her temps for a solid year. I became the oil to her water. She did much better with my husband in the car. I was a nervous wreck!

Long story short, we test drove the route she'd have to take for her driving test. It had a very steep, short hill, with a traffic light, right out of the gate almost. She was panicking. I was too, but had to keep it to myself. Nina hated a car right behind her at lights, back then. If she rolled back too far before taking off. We came home from that test drive all worked up. Hubby thought we were overreacting - two females worried about a little hill. He had to go out there and see for himself. Came back and gave me a big sigh. It was a concern he had to admit - we were right. We pictured her flipping out, panicking, using the emerg. brake until the car moved forward. Which we knew she'd have points taken off for.

Another long story short, we borrowed a Civic almost identical to mine, but an automatic. She passed and did just fine!

Now Nina can't imagine driving anything but a stick. And vows to always own one (a statement I also made at age 17).

People think we are nuts to want to own sticks. They're great in the snow I point out (something you don't need one for in FL). You can downshift into 2nd going down or up steep hills. You don't even to brake I also point out.

Oh well....it comes down to preference I guess. Our remaining daughter will we predict take to manuals like it was second nature to her. Which of course makes Nina see red - Laura's been riding bikes, zipping around on her gas scooter for years. She's just better at mechanical things we think.

I hope to always drive one, even into my senior years!

Mary

[pojo]

I dont' mind stick shift... its getting from a stop position to starting...that is the part that kills me...everything else is a sinch.

[sunny]

Try driving a stick and getting stuck in bridge traffic on the up slope.

[pojo]

Try driving a stick and getting stuck in bridge traffic on the up slope.

Uphill, stopping and starting... that is MY Problem!

[sunny]

Try driving a stick and getting stuck in bridge traffic on the up slope.

Uphill, stopping and starting... that is MY Problem!

lol - after YEARS of dealing with that - automatic darlin'!!!

[pojo]

Try driving a stick and getting stuck in bridge traffic on the up slope.

Uphill, stopping and starting... that is MY Problem!

lol - after YEARS of dealing with that - automatic darlin'!!!

amen to that sister

[gtalum]

I learned to drive a stick by myself in rush-hour Atlanta traffic. Talk about trial by fire!

[StormChasr]

I learned to drive a stick by myself in rush-hour Atlanta traffic. Talk about trial by fire!

OMG!! Where-- Peachtree hills, or Buckhead? That's like drivin up the side of a building.

[Pburgh]

David, that's hilarious. I could really visualize the whole thing!!lol

My Dad tried to teach me to drive a stick on the West Virginia hills many years ago. After being out on the open highway for a while, we headed home and no sooner did he get into the door than he poured himself a juice glass full of bourbon and downed it!!!!!! I swore that I would have someone else teach me from that time on. (I was afraid we might have to put him into rehab before I learned to drive)

I can't tell you how many clutches I burned out on those hills!!!! A fine line when holding it with the clutch on a West Virginia hill at a redlight ---- the balance must be perfect!!!!lol

[TexasStooge]

[MSRobi911]

After practice in the back yard for months and months I went to stay with my pregnant aunt in Saucier MS which is north of Gulfport, but south of Wiggins....local folks know where I'm talking about. I learned to "REALLY" drive on a 3 speed on the column truck on red dirt roads that had three slats for one tire and three slats for the other tire over little branches...what they called a bridge...HA! I was always scared I was going to drive off those slats and kill whoever was with me...but I did fine..took my test in a Vega (if anybody remembers those) and the Highway Patrolman was more interested in the car and the radio/tape player than he was in me driving. I did a perfect parallel park and he told me that was the best he had ever seen in his entire Carrier! I was flattered...he probably told that to everybody that did it...well I did do it perfectly. I drove a stick until I got my first van and now....I'm stuck on vans. If I go back to a little car, it will be a standard.

Unfortunately we haven't had a standard in our family for my two kids to learn on...they really need to learn it though.

Mary