Car breh's, can you drive a manual? and how did you learn?

[cdub123]

My pops had me driving around in a shopping mall parking lot. Easiest way to get the hang of it.

In the early days I was always shook if I had stopped on a hill. Scared that MF would start rolling backwards and then I stall out.

 

[BobbyBooshay]

Yep, but I'm from UK and when I passed my test most cars were manual - so was normal\expected to drive and pass in them You could opto for leanring to only pass Automatic, but whats the point. If you can drive manual you can drive auto. Autos were too expensive back then, but now majority of cars are Autos.

My last 3 cars been autos, dont think will ever go back to Manual

 

[shutterguy]

Lived across the street from a Honda car dealer my friend was a salesman at. He knew I wanted a del Sol VTEC at some point, told me "you want one, you might as well learn how drive one". Pulled one off the lot threw me the keys, he got in passenger seat and gave me the basics. I had it down by the 2nd day, Honda gearboxes are very easy.

Also rode motorcycles so learned that as well.

 

[GoAggieGo.]

Yep. My first car was a stick shift, and my pop taught me how to drive. It was a 1989 Honda Accord. Used to have so much fun with that car. Drove me and my siblings all over the gulf coast when I learned

 

[Piffiztheanswer]

Just leased a manual joint and learned on the fly.

 

[east]

i learned by myself thru trial and error, already knew how to drive automatic tho. manual is so more fun and nobody can borrow or steal your whip.

I wanted to buy a manual truck so I learned with a racing simulator. I bought a Logitech steering wheel with pedals and shifter and bought the sim GTR2. I ended up getting into racing online for a minute.

this doesn't give feedback on the clutch tho, and driving manual is all about feel imo

 

[DeuceZ]

I learned how to drive on a manual way back when.. Haven't driven one in years... still drive with hand on the gear though

 

[Geek Nasty]

I learned how to drive on a manual way back when.. Haven't driven one in years... still drive with hand on the gear though

The worst was when i had a auto car and a manual truck. I was always trying to shift in the auto from muscle memory

 

[zayk35]

I learned by watching and getting a few pointers then doing what I saw others do. Its easy after one or two trips on the freeway with some light traffic.

 

[ChatGPT-5]

Yes, unlike many here my father taught me how to drive .

literally 90% of the people in this thread said their pops taught them

 

[BobbyBooshay]

 

[AQz]

Outside of knowing someone with one, how can someone learn how to drive one?

My car is manual.

Take a look on Craigslist. Often you might be able to find someone giving driving lessons in manual cars for the low. I already knew how to ride a motorcycle, but that was how I learned.

Everyone is afraid of stalling but that’s nothing and even after you become a pro it’ll happen at some point.

Grinding gears is what you don’t want to do and that is completely avoidable.

If possible look for someone giving lessons in a Honda Fit or civic / accord.

 

[skokiaan]

Am from the UK we got 90 year old grannies Whipping manuals like it's nothing

I'm looking at this thread like

 

[Typical Knicks Fan]

Upshifting is the easy part. Downshifting and rev matching is the hard part. You will get comfortable after 10 hours or so. Just feel for the pinch point and let off the clutch and be careful in traffic not to roll backwards.

 

[abominable1]

own a manual VW myself
love it.