And where are you from? And how old? Not “do you” but just if you know how.
I’m in the US, mid 30s and can (and do) drive a manual transmission.
23, US. Yes, but I find them pointless for daily driver cars. Modern automatics are more fuel efficient and just make more sense because they’re much easier to operate and less annoying in stop and go traffic.
They’re great for off-roading and racing, but outside of those use cases automatics are just better.
I’m almost 30, living US and don’t know how to drive a manual.
I just don’t understand the purpose of learning or the superiority complex around those that drive manual. In my region of the world, the vast majority of cars are automatic to the point where you might have to straight up custom order a vehicle to get manual.
Sure, if I’m outside of the US, manual might be the standard in some areas…but I have no interest in attempting to drive a vehicle in a foreign country where I don’t know their local laws of the road. I’d rather take public transport or use services like taxis, Ubers, Lifts, etc.
It’s the year 2023. Automatic cars nowadays are more efficient than manuals in a majority of cases.
If you want to drive a manual or you prefer manuals, that’s great! More the power to you and I’m glad you like it! But to have a superiority complex about it is just odd.
It’s like some boomer making fun of a gen Z kid for not knowing how to use a VCR. So what? You don’t to learn how to use a VCR in 2023.
Again, this is in terms of my region. I get that manuals are common in other regions. But again, I have no interest in driving in a region where I don’t know the local rules of the road.
Austria, early 30s, have driven an automatic only once in my life. I kinda get the appeal, but I don’t feel like the little bit of convenience justifies the higher price point, so I wouldn’t get one myself unless it costs the same (or less) as the same car with a manual.
Germany, 20s, yes (and up until recently exclusively drove manual transmission cars from like before 2010)
My daily is an automatic but my old Magirus-Deutz is a special kind of manual. I’m 37 from Germany.
Yes, 40, Germany. And I actually do.
In Germany nearly everyone can drive manual. Used to be that if you didn’t learn how to drive manual in driving school, you weren’t allowed to drive manual with your license.
Still the case, got my B197 driving license last week in Bavaria. You have 10 lessons with manual as part of your education, then the rest + exam on automatic. B197 allows to drive both, B allows automatic only.
Not entirely accurate, B allows both manual and automatic, you get B by doing everything including the exam in a manual car, B78 is automatic only and B197 allows you to drive manual and automatic as well but as you described with only 10 manual lessons.
Thanks for clarification!
German, mid 20s, can and do
German here: can and do drive manual whenever I visit my parents. Don’t own a car myself
I’ve only ever driven a manual, but having heard how good automatics have gotten, I think driving manual is pointless nowadays unless you’re doing it for fun. It definitely feels better when you’re going on a highway, but if you’re driving in the city it’s unbearable.
When youre going on a highway/motorway you dont seitch gears at all so wouldnt it be the same?
German, late 30s. Automatic cars are rather uncommon in Germany, we sure like our manuals. Not being able to push my car into high RPMs when needed to overtake or accelerate quickly takes the fun out of driving. I’d never switch to automatic as long as I still have both arms and legs. And yes I know kickdowns are a thing, but it really doesn’t compare.
Also in the past if you did your driver’s licence in an automatic car, you could then only drive automatic cars with that licence. But if you took the test in a manual car you could drive both.
That is still the case. (Except for that one option where you drive a manual AND an automatic car and then do your test in an automatic)…
I’m Italian and it’s mandatory to learn how to drive stick in order to get a license. This could explain why we think driving at 16 is absurd: it would probably be difficult for a 16 years old to learn stick.
Why would it be difficult? Children can play complex video games and handle the controllers perfectly - why should a manual stick be too complex for teenagers?
Because you have to both learn how to move your car among complex traffic and learn how to operate the clutch pedal and the shift.
That’s why you learn how to operate clutch and shifting in areas where there isn’t much traffic - at least that was the case for me
28, Germany. Yes I can and I dont know anybody with a drivers license who cant.
Yes, but after having an electric car for about two years, I never really wanna go back to ICE, manual or auto. The acceleration is addictive
And electric cars don’t really need manual transmissions.I drove ICE auto for about 8 years, then 3 years manual and electric for the last two.
First time I drove anything but a manual was driving the shitty trucks of the Swiss army. It felt weird and wrong, but then again driving with standard issue boots makes using the pedals a bit harder sometimes, so it’s probably good I didn’t have to use the clutch.
These days I mostly drive rented cars so it’s whatever is available, who cares.
28, from France. Yes and I prefer manuals, I’ve even bought a manual sport car which are less common these days.
I’m going to buy a sport car manual, too, can’t afford a normal one.
Can’t afford a normal car but you can afford a sport car ? What car so you have in mind bro
No, read what i wrote, i only buy the manual for the sports car, a real one would be to costly.
