It amazes me how many folks can't drive a stick... everyone in my family can. BUT.... A would-be carjacker in California had a bigger challenge than evading police: actually getting away with the car he tried to steal in the first place. He didn’t know how to drive a stick shift. Police in Concord said a male suspect in his 20s made his way into another man’s car early Sunday morning and demanded that he be taken to an undisclosed location, the San Jose Mercury News reported. That’s when, police say, the suspect pointed a handgun at the owner, demanded his money then forced him out of the vehicle. You might imagine the next step would have been for the suspect to speed away with the owner’s car and money, but that’s not at at all how things went down. Police said the man tried to get away but couldn’t because the car’s transmission was manual, not automatic. Not knowing what else to do from there, he exited the car and ran away. Police are still searching for the suspect; authorities didn’t say if he made off with the owner’s cash. (H/T: San Jose Mercury News)
I would guess that a large percentage of young people can't drive a stick. Outside of sports cars and heavy trucks, there aren't many manual transmission vehicles on the market.
yeah and it's really kind of pitiful,, most other countries standards are...well standard.... but because by an large Americans are lazy..
Taught both kids to drive a stick in my 68 scout, put it in 4 low and there was no way they were going to kill the engine.
I don't know how to drive a stick. Both parents never owned a stick shift so there really was no way of me learning how. I've driven tractors with sticks... But no car/truck.
you REALLY need to learn there may come a day when you have too drive a stick, your life could depend on it... my oldest sons first cars was a 2001 5spd Jetta and now he drives an 89 Civic wagon he refuses to drive the one car we own that is an automatic...
I love driving manual vehicles. My next truck WILL be a manual, unless I find a good deal on a Duramax (Very small percentage come with a manual).
I'm in the same boat. I'd like to learn, but never had the opportunity. Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
I was taught to drive in my dad's Ford Currier pick up! It used to be an automatic transmission was an option on many vehicles, today you can't find a stick shift.
Everyone in our household can drive stick. My daughter used to tease her male classmates about it too.
Let,s see, the day I turned 16 I started my first job, I did have my license then I think for about a week at that point. When I started that job the foreman of the shop asked my if I knew how to drive stick , and I said NO. He said well you will know how in about 30 minutes. He took me out to an old International Harvestor pick up truck, I think it was a 64 vintage, no power brakes, no power steering and stick shift. After grinding a few pounds of gears, lo and behold in about 30 minutes, I knew how to drive stick, not very well, but I learned fast because that was part of my job. After a while I then graduated up to a 22' stake bed truck that was stick. Now, give me an automatic anytime. Stick is fun for a while, but it's a pain in the a$$ when you do a lot of city driving.
I learned to drive a manual and have owned a few. Jeep Wrangler and Rodeo were both stick but since then we've had auto's. Seems to me like there is a resurgence of the manual transmission lately though, a lot of sports cars with 6-speed sticks and quite a few pick ups.
