Asklemmy

My first car was a manual, drove that thing an additional 150-170,000 miles over 7 years. Been 2 years but I'm sure I could pick it right back up

Don't answer these. They're attempts at pinning ur account with a specific demographic and or phishing attempts.

Yep, my family only had manual vehicles growing up so I had to learn stick just to start driving. AZ here, also mid 30s.

I don't really drive at all, but I can and mostly because of hardcore racing sims that have a clutch lol

US, 30s, Can (don't)

I'm 36. Yes, I can. I learned on a stick shift.

Old guy in the USA. My first car was a sport motorcycle so six speed with clutch and shifter. I have a sedan with an auto trans, but also a 4WD truck with manual. When I learned to drive in my teens automatic transmissions were not as nice as they are now, just three speeds and not very smooth. Now they're typically six speed and much nicer. I really dislike a manual trans in heavy traffic, quite a chore.

37m, USA

I can. The first new car I bought was a manual, because it was less expensive. I embarrassed myself for a bit, but that's when I learned.

I learned to drive on a 1942 John Deere in the early 70s. No on-the-fly shifting but the basics of steering, clutch, and throttle were there.

In 2017 I bought my first automatic; that vehicle was not available in manual or I def would have bought it that way.

My friend taught me for the most part in college when I was 22, and then when I bought my first manual it was 5 hours from my house. If I didn't figure it out I wouldn't have gotten home 🫣

Only killed it a couple times, and only when I was getting on/off the freeway. And once in stop and go traffic, but I don't think anyone noticed

US - 30s Yeah, but only once and I was like 16 Could I still today? The phrase grind it til you find it comes to mind

US 28, can and do. only time I prefer automatic is when traffic is really bad, otherwise manual is more engaging end enjoyable imo

German, just 18, and I drive a manual.

Not learning manual would mean extra courses in order to be allowed to even make the license to drive larger trailers or trucks.

Also, manuals are cheaper, or actually, automatics are probably newer and therefore more expensive.

Yes, 30s, USA (Midwest)

My first car I got when I was 16 was a manual transmission so I learned on that.

Yes. I'm from the USA and in my late twenties. I learned how to drive on an old Jeep Wrangler on a farm.

Yes, early 20s USA. Learned at 18 and drove manual every day until I sold my last car in November

Yes. Mid thirties UK. I've actually never driven an automatic.

35, American, can only drive automatic but have been trying to learn manual. My barrier is never having a car available to me to practice on. 🙃

Western Europe, and yes I can drive manual. Mostly because that's how I practiced for my driving exam.
I switched to hybrid, and later electric, driving and haven't really used manual transmission anymore.
The only exception is when I have to borrow my mother's car. Then it's a lot of grinding gears before the muscle memory comes back to me :)

Early 30s, US. Yes I can drive a manual. They have their moments when they are better than autos.

I'm 40 and have never used a manual transmission, and have no desire at all to ever use one.

the great thing about manual transmission is it almost doesn't matter how big the motor is, or whether it's front/rear/AWD, as long as the platform is balanced you can have fun on it.. EVERY car nut appreciates a Golf with a stick, no matter how muscular a hot rod you drive..

I can drive manual, but I hate it. I don't want to worry about releasing the clutch just right to avoid jerk, so I bought an electric car. Certainly was expensive, but it's infinitely more smooth than a manual transmission could ever be. 23 year old, living in Germany.

Yes, 32, USA Started learning to drive on my dad's old early 70s Chevy C20. My first car was an automatic but second car was a manual 89 camaro and that's where I really learned manual. The only time I drive manuals now is at work and it's only around the lot

In the US, in my late twenties, and yes I learned how to before I was even legally allowed on the roads here. I do still infrequently drive manual cars as I'm a bit of a car enthusiast. I prefer automatic for a daily driver, but any sports cars or older vehicles are more fun with a manual transmission!

Yes Dominic Toretto taught me

No. I'm 25 and from Florida.

Yep, I actually learned how to drive on a manual. Before I got married all my cars were manual transmission as well. In my late 30s from Midwest USA.

Southern Europe, 34. I only know how to drive with manual transmission (I tried an automatic city car once, and I literally couldn't exit the parking spot). I'm too used to control the car with the clutch. I should learn though, because I use car sharing services, and they are progressively replacing their cars with automatic transmission ones.

Mid-30s. Yes. I used to daily drive a manual when I was in college, but I haven't touched one in like 10 years so I'd probably be pretty rusty.

USA, 40, and...it's complicated? Haha. I've never driven a manual car, but I have ridden a motorcycle which generally has a manual transmission.

And because this is as good a place as any--I suspect once self-driving vehicles are common, the number of people who can drive even an automatic will plummet.

Why? Because kids will be born, then grow up with parents driving them places for their entire life experience, and then will go into their teens using driving services (like some futuristic Lyft company) with automated driverless cars that drive for them. And if that works fine to get you everywhere you need to go...why bother to learn how to drive a car? Do you really NEED it?

I think there'll be a generational divide, with older generations boggling that the damn kids on their lawns are "so lazy" they never even learned to drive, and I think there'll be an urban/rural divide where rural kids might not have access to AI cars that can drive for them so are forced to learn in order to be able to get anywhere, while city kids can have a car summoned to them by their phone at a drop of a hat to get wherever they want to go.

But I think the younger generations, once one is born where self-driving vehicles are ubiquitous and being able to summon such a vehicle to you using your phone is commonplace (I think it'll be a generation or two after the Zoomers...we're on the horizon but not there yet), will not see why THEY have to drive when they can instead be driven. Driving is a waste of your time that you could use to be doing work, schoolwork, or something fun like a game. I know I would ditch it if I could go exactly where I need to go anytime I wanted while reading a book or something.

Edit: Self-driving cars would also be a HUGE boon to the elderly, giving them some sort of independence even once their reaction times dull. "No, grandpa, I can't let you drive yourself, but the car will totally take you wherever you need to go. Just put in your destination." There'll be a lot of bitching at first from some of the older people, then they'd figure out how easy it is to go places without worrying about their eyesight or something, and give in.

I suspect my generation might be the first in this position, of giving up keys and instead just ordering a car to take me somewhere without me being a danger of running someone over because my reaction times have degraded. I think it's reasonable to suspect in 40 years, when I'll be 80, cars will drive themselves.

US, 36, and I've only ever owned manual vehicles. I think I've drove automatic maybe 5 times in the past 20 years I've had my license.