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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[–] Defcon08@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

Yes, 29 from Belgium. I got my first automatic transmission in January. Everyone around me drives a manual

[–] Dubious_Fart@lemmy.ml 4 points 1 year ago

Nope.

Some people in my family tried to teach me when I was young, but I didnt immediately and perfectly absorb the knowledge of how to master it from the atmosphere, so obviously I was just a piece of shit that was trying to ruin their transmission/car/life and cant appreciate a single fucking thing anyone does for me and that i'm an ungrateful piece of shit and to just get the fuck out of the car and never ask them for anything again (not that I asked them to teach me stick in the first place.. They insisted, i suspected then, and continue to do so to this day, that it was just a trap.)

Which really helped my desire to drive, much less drive stick.

[–] TooMuchDog@lemmy.ml 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year 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.

[–] 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.

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[–] tryagain@lemmy.ml 4 points 1 year ago

Yes. European. It's the norm.

[–] pepsison52895@lemmy.one 4 points 1 year ago

Late 20s and in the Midwest US. I daily drive a manual 1994 Mazda Miata.

[–] Grownbravy@hexbear.net 4 points 1 year ago

American, Mid 30s, and all cars I've owned so far are Manual Transmission.

The shitposty part of me wants to call it a giant stim toy

[–] OddCoincidence@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

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

[–] Glimpythegoblin@lemm.ee 4 points 1 year ago

The car won't let you break it. Give it a try.

[–] 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.

Yes, almost 40, USA. I don't currently own a manual, but used to. It was a great way to save a few thousand on a car and it's a lot more fun to drive. But very few cars in the US have a manual option these days.

[–] Vorthas@lemmy.ml 4 points 1 year ago

Nope, never learned. I'm 31 in the US. Never had the need to learn as I was raised with automatics only.

[–] lorez@lemm.ee 4 points 1 year ago

Italian, 45 here. Always driven manual.

[–] 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.

[–] GeminiFrenchFry@lemm.ee 4 points 1 year ago

Yes Midwest, U.S. 40y

[–] ratofkryll@sh.itjust.works 4 points 1 year ago

35, Canada, and manual is my preference although my current car is an automatic.

I learned to drive on an automatic, but bought a manual for my first car and got my ex to teach me how to drive it. It was important to me that I be able to get into pretty much anything and drive it. After driving an automatic exclusively for the last year, I miss having that level of gearing control, especially on hills and corners.

[–] RagingRobot@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

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

[–] frankivo@feddit.nl 4 points 1 year ago
  1. Driving manuals for 20+ years. Yes, Europe.
[–] Hadriscus@lemm.ee 4 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.

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I’m 26, from the US and I learned manual when I was 22. I live in Mexico now and im glad I learned because manual is still very common here, and that’s what I’m driving now

Yep - been driving for around 30+ years here in Australia (I'm late 40s). Grew up driving manual, have owned several manual vehicles, including my current one.

[–] foosel@feddit.de 4 points 1 year ago

Yes, 40, Germany. And I actually do.

[–] Marcbmann@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

30 years old. US. I can and do drive a stick shift.

Really hard coming from a family with only automatic cars. Very few people have stick cars, and even fewer are willing to teach you in their own car.

Can't even rent a stick shift to practice on. Your best bet is to sign up with a driving school that offers stock shift lessons, which I almost did.

Instead, a buddy of mine was kind enough to let me practice for 2 hours with him in a beater he had. Then I went and picked up my brand new WRX. Stalled like 12 times on the way home. But I figured it out!!

[–] 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.

[–] d41@startrek.website 4 points 1 year ago

I'm 36, I live in the UK, and I've driven a manual car since I was 17. I've only driven an automatic twice in my life and I'll probably never own one.

[–] Superpotatoboy@lemm.ee 4 points 1 year ago

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

[–] 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.

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[–] haych@lemmy.one 4 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.

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[–] someguy3@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)
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[–] myrrh@ttrpg.network 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

...american; when i learned to stick-and-clutch fourty years ago (driving fifty-year-old used cars) we still called it a standard transmission...

...we like to say that i married my wife because she drove a standard, but when she traded in my last hatchback the manufacturer only offered automatics in the new models; would've been a dealbreaker for me but she liked the car...

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[–] StThicket@reddthat.com 4 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.

[–] 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

[–] dosse91@lemmy.trippy.pizza 3 points 1 year ago

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

[–] calhoon2005@aussie.zone 3 points 1 year 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?

[–] hsl@wayfarershaven.eu 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Late 30s, learned to drive in NL and now live in SE. Initially learned about transmissions by running around on four wheelers. I drive a manual car every day. There's a lot of fun and connection to driving manual, though I see the ease and efficiency of the automatic transmission as well as the general trend.

[–] mannycalavera@feddit.uk 3 points 1 year ago

Yes and here in the UK if you fail your test enough times with a manual transmission you get to try with an automatic.

[–] HerrLewakaas@feddit.de 3 points 1 year ago

German, mid 20s, can and do

[–] techgearwhips@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Yes. 39 y/o male. But 99% of the people I know, don't know how. So now it's easy to guess what country I live in.

[–] renlok@lemmy.ml 3 points 1 year ago

UK, early 30s only ever driven manual, automatics are still more expensive here than manuals but are slowly becoming more common esp with the rise of electric cars. Although I doubt ill get one any time soon.

[–] 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.

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[–] BCsven@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 year ago (4 children)

Mad respect for my 60+ aunt in the UK; when I visited she drove me around various hilly roads for sight seeing and some stop and go traffic uphill. She definetly mastered the handbrake, clutch, gas combo for uphill stops/starts. Meanwhile my mom has smashed into a few storefronts in an automatic in flat Canada.

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[–] Fhek@lemm.ee 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Yes. It’s my daily.

Canada.

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

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