Manual shift?

[Bun-bun]

O.K.,
Serious question.
Are there any members here who do NOT know how to drive a manual (stick) shift car?
I always assumed that anyone who rode a motorcycle could and did drive a stick shift car, until I was playing poker last weekend, and the subject came up. Two of the players who had bikes(a Harley, and a goldwing) had never driven a stick shift.
Is this common?


Part 2;
If you can/do drive a stick, which did you learn first, car or bike?



Discuss

[jdubbs32584]

O.K.,
Serious question.
Are there any members here who do NOT know how to drive a manual (stick) shift car?
I always assumed that anyone who rode a motorcycle could and did drive a stick shift car, until I was playing poker last weekend, and the subject came up. Two of the players who had bikes(a Harley, and a goldwing) had never driven a stick shift.
Is this common?


Part 2;
If you can/do drive a stick, which did you learn first, car or bike?



Discuss

Mother taught me a couple weeks ago to drive a manual shift car. First time ever for me. I learned on his Jeep Rubicon.

[Slide Panda]

Learned on an 84 Subaru GL.  So car 1st, then bike.  Save for 1 car I had no input in, all my wheels have been manual. 

[factorPlayer]

Mother taught me a couple weeks ago to drive a manual shift car. First time ever for me. I learned on his Jeep Rubicon.

I thought you were on the east coast?

[Bun-bun]

Mother taught me a couple weeks ago to drive a manual shift car. First time ever for me. I learned on his Jeep Rubicon.

Did you find it easier to learn than the bike?
Were you able to take the bike experience and apply it to the Jeep?

[lauramonster]

was bored the first night at MSF course (in PA).  They spent HOURS on feathering the clutch - and afterwards hubby and I realized it must be that many people (especially under the age of 30) do't drive a stick shift car.  

Learned to drive a stickshift car first, then automatic.

taught older sister to drive a stick shift (she's got 2 years on me!)

Work at a place where we have service trucks - and lots of under 30's come in for an interview and when asked if they can drive a manual transmission, they say yes.  But when asked if they can drive a stick shift they say no.  If an automatice means you don't shift, what do they thing a manual means??  Dumb as dirt....

[jdubbs32584]

I thought you were on the east coast?

Why so you ask? Does it matter?

Did you find it easier to learn than the bike?
Were you able to take the bike experience and apply it to the Jeep?

I don't know if its easier to learn on the bike or in the car because my experience in the Jeep was influenced by what I learned on the bike. I did find it very easy to learn on the bike. In my head, shifting stuff is done with the left side, acceleration and stop is done with the right. I know this is not completely accurate on a bike due to engine braking and other things, but it made it simple for me.

The bike experience did help in the Jeep cause I knew about finding the point on the clutch where the engine engages.

[the_Journeyman]

I learned on a bike 1st, 11 years old on a TS185.  Totally too much bike for an 11-year old, but I survived and had fun.  I tried to teach my ex, but she goofed a shift and someone honked and she sat in the middle of the road crying and screaming "I can't do this" but wouldn't get out and let me drive.

1st car was a stick too, so is my truck.  My fiancée can, but doesn't like to drive the truck, it's a bit scary for someone to learn on.

JM

[tcspeedfreak]

well i guess i learned on a bike first my old mans kawisaki 100g4 enduro dirtbike, then came along my first car an 89 pontiac firebird with a stick, only ever owned one auto only cause the price was right now my truck is a stick and i wont ever go back

[swampduc]

Learned on a car (a Yugo no less! the local shady body shop had one as a loaner when my bad ass '82 Corona wagon was in  ). Taught myself. I mean, who cares if a Yugo gets make the beast with two backsed up? I had a couple of automatic cars from the ages of 16-23, but for the last 11 yrs I've bought nothing but manuals. Wouldn't get another auto unless it was an all-out luxury car, which I probably wouldn't want.
It did help in learning how to ride a bike because I understood friction zones.

[Stella]

I've had about as many cars as boyfriends in my many decades of driving and dating â€"
both of which having gotten progressively better and all but one or two were manuals.    

The first was a '76 VW Beetle.  But then there was also the Farmall H tractor we had
back then too.....  the Dodge Power Ram Snow Commander, the subaru that was so
rusted you could see ground through the hood and floorboards, the Nissan Pulsar, the.....  

Fun to reminisce!  About the cars anyway.    

[the_Journeyman]

Forgot about tractors...  I was shifting a 3-speed gearbox on a 4-speed axle before I was driving a car ~

JM

[DesmoDiva]

Learned on a car first in Driver's Ed in HS.  VT requires a certain # of hours on a manual to get your license.

First car I drove outside of HS was a Ford F100 pickup with a 3 speed on the column.  

IMO, driving a manual car first would help make learning a bike easier, but learning to shift on bike would not translate as easily to a car.  

[jdubbs32584]

<snip>
but learning to shift on bike would not translate as easily to a car.  

Yup, I had to think about it when I was learning on the Jeep. I kept thinking that my left hand should be doing something...then I realized it was for flipping Mother off (oh, and steering of course). 

[herm]

car first
learned on a late 1970's dodge van
3 on the tree
around 12 years old at the time (me)