[Grouch]

I am terrified of stick shift.
I can't drive that to this day. My dad screwed me up on it, because he decided he wanted a belly laugh and my first time out directed me up a super-steep hill, so of course I konked out, and the worst part was, I could not get started again...not only that, it was so steep that even with the car in gear and the e-brake set I was still going backwards.

I had to cruise backward turning till I was perpendicular to the road to stop creeping back, and I got out of the car and told dad he was driving the rest of that way. Of course, he got his laugh, and I got soured on stick for the rest of my life.

I tried, one other time, and konked even on a flat stop...tried 11 times to start up again, and could not do it in a Mazda Miata. I gave up after that. No stick for me ever again.

I'll bet if you had someone who was a trainer interested in teaching you, not pranking you, you could do it. I've taught numerous relatives, girl friends the kids of girlfriends and so on to drive a stick. I've got a niece, who if we can get time, wants to learn. Your dad wanted to teach EVERYTHING at once and treated it like a joke. If I was training you in manual shifting, before we ever got near the road, you'd be taught clutch control. No traffic, no hills, nothing else.No jokes either. I used to train people on operating a lift truck. Some got better at it than me.

You can do it. You just need someone interested in teaching you not messing with your head. I didn't drive an automatic until I was 18. When I was learning to drive, I remember turning left and stalling in front of an older man. He just put his hands up in the air. You have a kid and an older adult and the car gets hiccups and dies. Fast forward many years, I'm teaching a niece to drive a stick. She kills it. I get out to move the car rather than have her freak out. The lady behind us sees a kid and an older adult and a car stalling. She just grinned and threw her hands up. I think it's programmed into older people.

People built the car. People (like you) are it's boss.

 

[Grouch]

I learned long ago - first on motorcycles, then later on vehicles. With motorcycles your left hand operates the clutch while your left foot shifts (up or down). With a car it's more or less opposite - operate the clutch with your left foot and shift with your right hand. Admittedly it has been a while since I operated a vehicle with a manual transmission, but in a pinch I can do it. It's like riding a bicycle - you never forget.

I started at age 8 by driving a tractor. Grampa would have taught me at 7 but I couldn't reach the pedals yet. On motorcycles, NOW they operate like you said. My first bike was a 1955 Harley Model F. Complete with "Suicide" clutch. I found out really fast why it's called that. You shift with your left hand on a shift lever and push the clutch with your left foot. If you're at a light and your right foot is down, you're in gear ready to go and lose your balance and instinctively put your left down......... Alarums and consternations result. Also road rash.

 

[Doug D]

You shift with your left hand on a shift lever and push the clutch with your left foot. If you're at a light and your right foot is down, you're in gear ready to go and lose your balance and instinctively put your left down......... Alarums and consternations result. Also road rash.

I had to reread what you posted. So that bike was opposite of normal bikes? Yikes, that would be concerning.

 

[Grouch]

I had to reread what you posted. So that bike was opposite of normal bikes? Yikes, that would be concerning.

I think H-D went with conventional controls a year or two later. My last bike was an H-D and while some controls were unique, they weren't too different from other bikes I've had.

 

[NCAngela]

I'll bet if you had someone who was a trainer interested in teaching you, not pranking you, you could do it. I've taught numerous relatives, girl friends the kids of girlfriends and so on to drive a stick. I've got a niece, who if we can get time, wants to learn. Your dad wanted to teach EVERYTHING at once and treated it like a joke. If I was training you in manual shifting, before we ever got near the road, you'd be taught clutch control. No traffic, no hills, nothing else.No jokes either. I used to train people on operating a lift truck. Some got better at it than me.

You can do it. You just need someone interested in teaching you not messing with your head. I didn't drive an automatic until I was 18. When I was learning to drive, I remember turning left and stalling in front of an older man. He just put his hands up in the air. You have a kid and an older adult and the car gets hiccups and dies. Fast forward many years, I'm teaching a niece to drive a stick. She kills it. I get out to move the car rather than have her freak out. The lady behind us sees a kid and an older adult and a car stalling. She just grinned and threw her hands up. I think it's programmed into older people.

People built the car. People (like you) are it's boss.

Frankly, t may sound bad to say this...but dad was a jerk. He always loved getting a laugh at someone else's expense...and it was not good-natured practical joking it was mean.

He's been dead twenty years now, and he still messes with my mind. I am just plain terrified of a stick shift.

 

[Grouch]

Frankly, t may sound bad to say this...but dad was a jerk. He always loved getting a laugh at someone else's expense...and it was not good-natured practical joking it was mean.

He's been dead twenty years now, and he still messes with my mind. I am just plain terrified of a stick shift.

Are we cousins? I had a bunch of relatives like that. At my age, most have died off, but I had a lot like that. On the other hand, I retired after 45 years at a factory where people liked to mess with you. Eventually they learned that what they start, I finish.

Someday you might decide to face your phobias and find someone to teach you. Don't rush it, it will be when you are ready.

Then again, with the advent of hybrid and total electric cars, you might never need to know. I can think of a lot more important things in life than driving a stick.

 

[Doug D]

I'll say this much about manual transmissions. While the enthusiast in me likes them, my left knee tends to protest (a lot!).

 

[NCAngela]

Are we cousins? I had a bunch of relatives like that. At my age, most have died off, but I had a lot like that. On the other hand, I retired after 45 years at a factory where people liked to mess with you. Eventually they learned that what they start, I finish.

Someday you might decide to face your phobias and find someone to teach you. Don't rush it, it will be when you are ready.

Then again, with the advent of hybrid and total electric cars, you might never need to know. I can think of a lot more important things in life than driving a stick.

We might be cousins, LOL.

Nah, i got a guy at work that bangs on me all the time (he does it to everyone) but we all understand it is good-natured messing around. He found out I give as good as I get!