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When I got married, my wife moved up to live with me in Canada in the dead of winter. Our only car was a manual rust bucket my brother gifted us with. For some reason, it was always freezing cold in that car. I eventually squeezed an old pizza box in front of the rad and it helped retain a modicum of heat. But man what a junker...
At any rate, we'd get off work and it would of course already be dark and I'd take her to a parking lot to teach her stick. She'd be trying to do donuts in the snow while the car was lurching around or spinning the tires. She just kept getting angrier and it didn't help when I'd yell "you're gonna stall! give it more gas!" Our marriage was seriously tested at that point but by some miracle we're still together?
43, US - can and do drive a manual.
No. From rural Oregon, early 20's. My dad has been meaning to teach me with our old Ford Focus, but it hasn't happened yet. :(
Yep, own a manual, driven manuals prior, and learned when I was young (conceptually at least, I grew up racing motorcycles, and the idea of clutch+shifting became a thing when I was about 8). Never formally was "taught" in a car, just got in and started driving one. Am 32 in Appalachia.
30, Chile, yes, I prefer it.
US 28, can and do. only time I prefer automatic is when traffic is really bad, otherwise manual is more engaging end enjoyable imo
American here. My first car was manual and I would love to still be, but I'm a musician minivan user and they don't make manual minivans.
Yep i can. 30 Male Canada. Grew up in the praries just outside a small town. All we had for fun growing up besides games was old cars and dirtbikes. Currently drive a automatic however.
I learned to drive on a standard in Maine, and my first car was a standard. I am now in my mid 30s,
I enjoy them but God would I not one in LA that and they seem almost a non option now outside of high end race cars
Yes, 30s, USA (Midwest)
My first car I got when I was 16 was a manual transmission so I learned on that.
Mid 30s, US. First car was a manual, but I have an automatic now. I do miss it, but I probably drive much safer now that it's less fun. Even though it was just a beat up old passat I always felt like I was in forza driving the manual
Yes I know how to drive a manual, I learned many years ago. I'm from the US and I'm 42.
Learned on an old beat up truck when I was like 20, I remember I got stuck stalling out on the highway once, I don't even remember how. I freaked out so bad. 8 years ago I had 2012 Mazdaspeed 3. I miss that car so so much.
Yes I can. 30 and from the US.
Yes. I bought a manual car a few years ago having never driven one before. I taught myself how to drive it in my driveway and with the help of YouTube videos. I really enjoy it and hope that even in the future when EVs are the final nail in the coffin for manuals that I still have at least a "fun" car with a manual. I'm in the US and a millennial.
I haven't tried in over 10 years, but I was able to back then. It would probably take a bit of practice to get it back, but I'm sure I could figure it out again.
Since then I have owned two cars with paddle shifters, which I think is the best of both worlds for a casual driver who likes playing racing games, but has never driven on a track and doesn't really plan to.
30s in the US and I can't drive a manual. I honestly don't even know where to go to even get a manual transmission vehicle. My dad had one 25 years ago and that's the last time I've been in a personal vehicle with manual transmission. I don't see why anyone would want one either. Who wants to make driving even more difficult and tedious than it already is?
Probably, I've tried a few times, but I'll ask you, why would you want to? Esp if you vehicle has paddles/slap shift?
US, learned to drive on the east coast, early 40s, and I can and prefer to.
My wife, however, does not, so I live in the auto world.
19yo from france, and i do too
Not well, but I got some practice with an old beetle back when I was learning. I've kept the practice of keeping lefty on the dead pedal because of it.
36, Scotland. Been driving almost 20 years manual. Briefly had an automatic Volvo XC90, it was great, didn't have to put down my cup of tea while approaching roundabouts.
39, Philly. Up until my current VW, yes. Couldn't get a manual GLI when I was buying in 2021 and needed to make a decision. At least the dual clutch 7 speed DSG auto is fun as hell to drive and feels like a manual.
Late 40s, from the US. My mom drove a manual so I learned on her car. Then my first car was an old VW Bug, and my next couple of cars were also manual.
Now that I live in a city with soul crushing traffic and a completely broken public transit system, I drive an automatic. Driving a manual in stop and go traffic is just not fun. Plus, it's gotten hard to even find a manual transmission anymore. But when we went on vacation to Costa Rica a few years ago they gave us a car with a stick shift and I had a blast bombing that thing around.
Austria, mid 20s, yes
In Germany, driving with a manual is pretty standard. Although I did a special driving license (B197) which allows you to learn driving on a manual for 10 lessons and then switch to automatic for the rest of the course and the driving exam while still being allowed to drive a manual. It's pretty new tho. I did it because I really sucked at shifting. I now drive a manual and I'd say I'm okay with it although I'd really prefer an automatic.
I'm in the US in the Pacific North West, mid 30s, and I can (and do) drive manual transmissions. My last two cars both were manuals. I hate CVTs, but could live with an automatic if it was quick enough with paddle shifters.
First car i bought, in 1988, was a manual. The day before i bought it, i checked out a book from the library (no internet, you know?) that told me how to drive it and "practiced" in my bedroom. I bought it and drove it home, terrified traffic would stop as i was going over a big bridge. I have an automatic now because i need an suv for work and manuals are hard to find in the US.
I know how. I learned ony dad's old pickup. Havent used manual since (in my 30s)
I just didn't have the need for driving licence. So no, automatic or electric or manual.
With good public transport and cost of car ownership it didnt make sense. But now I will probably do it just in case.
Yes. Germany, 20 years old
South East US (bible belt), 27, yes.
I learned shortly after getting my license, because I wanted to be versatile. My first car was a manual, but unfortunately decided to go back to automatic so I could lend my car without having to give a crash course.
I love driving stick it makes the most boring car that much more fun.