Question of the Day, Friday, October 10

Good morning!  And Happy Friday!

Which do you prefer to drive, a vehicle with an automatic transmission or a vehicle with a manual transmission?

I'll take a stick any day. Clarence, the PT Cruiser, has a manual transmission and I love driving him around town. It's never really bothered me; I've never gotten caught on a hill and not been able to get up after a complete stop, although there are a few hills that I won't even attempt if I'm driving the Cruiser (there's a hilly street up at the Canadian side of Niagara Falls that I absolutely refuse to drive up if we have the Cruiser there....I'm simply not doing it). 

Our Hyundai Tucson is automatic. While I like driving the Tucson, especially during the snow months, I like driving the Cruiser more. 

I'll take a stick any day.

I can't get the knack of driving a stick. Many different people have tried to teach me but it just doesn't happen.
I can drive automatic so that's what I prefer.

Although I drove stick shifts for nearly two decades, I much prefer an automatic, especially for city driving.

I learned on a stick shift, one of the really old ones a three on the column.  That really dated me, they haven't been around for years.  I prefer an automatic though especially for city driving which is what I do mostly.  My car is an automatic and can be switched to manual shifting even though it doesn't have a clutch and I haven't even done that.

I was taught automatic (all my family's cars have been automatic) and haven't learned stick, though my boyfriend and most of his family drive stick. I think both of my brothers have hybrids but they still more or less use it as automatic. My dad used to drive stick, but he stalled once and at his age he fears his reaction time isn't as good anymore.

Part of me wants to learn, but not with my boyfriend's car, which I find too long as it's very difficult for me to see especially at my size.

I prefer the automatic. I have driven the stick in times past. When I was still working I had a Datsun 210 which was a five speed. I bought it specifically for the gas mileage.

I learned to drive on a stick but prefer an automatic, always have. 

I drove a stick shift for years, but definitely prefer my new automatic. I think the worst part of a stick shift was trying to drive slowly to look at things and eat an ice cream cone. It's hard to shift with one hand!

The one time I tried driving a stick, I ruined my good friends brand new vermillion TR7 convertible.

In my defense, I didn't want to try as we were under the influence of some unmentionable substances lol.  He thought it would be a great idea (shows his mind set at the time), and took me out into the unfinished parking lot of the condo he had just moved into.  The curbs, weren't completed and although I managed to drive forward, going backward to do sort of K turn, I totally got confused, and when I went forward again, the front bumper hit the curb which had metal stakes sticking out of it.  

He wasn't too upset, but, knew his PARENTS would be.  They bought the car for him and it literally was like a few days old.  Would you believe he actually lied to their faces how it happened, while intoxicated, and thankfully, left me out of the story.  He was such a conniver at that stage of his life (well, his whole life) that they believed whatever he said happened, and just went an repaired the car.

That scared me off permanently from ever trying again.  

jcat said:

Although I drove stick shifts for nearly two decades, I much prefer an automatic, especially for city driving.

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In the USA Manual/stick transmissions are cheaper. So when I bought my first car it was all I could afford. I actually bought it not knowing how to drive it. HAHAHA!

A stick is fun to drive and I bought one on purpose for my second and 3rd car. However, it is terrifying on steep hills like in San Francisco. 

With the advent of cell phones (pre ear pieces) a stick became impractical and I switched over to automatic. I can't see ever going back. I go to the snow, and drive in the mountains and city with traffic. Not good places for sticks.

But I am glad I know how to drive stick!

Try driving a motorcycle in San Francisco--talk about terrifying!

I learned in a car that had a three-on-the-tree (1941 Chevy), and like a stick a lot. But, with my legs starting to give out, I prefer an automatic.

I don't drive. Well let me clear that up... I know how to drive, I had my license, I just don't do it.

I get crazy nervous behind the wheel to the point of tears. I'm kind of okay riding with people, still nervous in the passenger seat.

Slykat12 said:

 
In the USA Manual/stick transmissions are cheaper. So when I bought my first car it was all I could afford. I actually bought it not knowing how to drive it. HAHAHA!

A stick is fun to drive and I bought one on purpose for my second and 3rd car. However, it is terrifying on steep hills like in San Francisco. 

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I did that! When I bought my first new car, I went into the dealership and test-drove a Plymouth Turismo. It was automatic, but I wanted a stick. Had no clue how to drive the thing, but I wanted a stick. They ordered my car and it would take six weeks for it to get here. 

Left the dealership and went to my parents and said, "Dad, I ordered a new car. But it's a stick. Teach me....now." He looked at me, shook his head, grabbed the keys to his truck, and said, "OK, let's go!" The truck was a stick, 3 speed on the column. We went up into the mountains and I drove an old fire lane up through there. Got it figured out and never looked back. 

I dearly love driving stick. There's just something about tooling around town in my Cruiser that makes me smile.....but I do stay off those really steep hills, unless I know I'm not going to have to stop half way up! Although I was training another zoning officer a few years ago, so he was with me on a site investigation and I was driving Clarence. We started up this one rather steep hill. They were working on the road and I got stopped half way up the hill. The flagman finally told me I could go and I just started up like I actually knew what I was doing! Whew! The guy who was with me looked at me and said, "Dang, Pam! You're good!" And I patted myself on the back, breathing a sigh of relief the whole time.

Well, I've only ever drove manual cars. Here in England manual cars are the most common with only few automatics about. They are becoming more popular though.

Winchester what is it about hills you don't like ? Is it hill starts ?

When you drive a stick shift on a hill you roll back into the car behind you causing an accident when u go from a stop to a go. That does not happen with automatics. All sticks here roll back to some degree on hills. The steeper the hill the faster the roll back. U have to gun the gas to go up the hill safetly to not hit the car behind you-this act can cause you to hit the person in front though. Until you have felt it you will never know how scary it is.. 

Slykat12 said:

When you drive a stick shift on a hill you roll back into the car behind you causing an accident when u go from a stop to a go. That does not happen with automatics. All sticks here roll back to some degree on hills. The steeper the hill the faster the roll back. U have to gun the gas to go up the hill safetly to not hit the car behind you-this act can cause you to hit the person in front though. Until you have felt it you will never know how scary it is.. 

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Oh yeah I know what you mean

But, if stopping on a hill you put your handbrake on. Then you bring the clutch up to the biting point, then you apply some gas and let the handbrake off - and away you go with no chance of rolling back

The trick is to use the handbrake as a 'safety lever' to prevent the car from rolling back while you adjust your feet during an uphill start.

Yeah I used the hand break. Feels like cheating. I was just reminiscing about the pros and cons. In America an automatic is easier to resell. I don't think even half of us know how to drive a stick.

Never learned how to drive a manual. Im too lazy it seems it makes driving too much work.