Cynthia passed her driving test today!

[cb600fshornet]

Well, the UK does it because a manual transmission is more difficult to use, a bit more co-ordination and finesse is required.

If somebody normally drives an automatic and has never used a manual, they'll be that focused on how to work the gearbox that it will become detrimental to the actual driving.

 

[Smart_Guy]

Where I live, I hear stories of people confusing the break pedal for the clutch in automatics, and... things happen!

 

[Lowndsey]

I'm sure in the UK, if you take your test using an automatic then you can only drive an automatic car on your licence.

Australia is the same

 

[strollin]

Well, the UK does it because a manual transmission is more difficult to use, a bit more co-ordination and finesse is required.

If somebody normally drives an automatic and has never used a manual, they'll be that focused on how to work the gearbox that it will become detrimental to the actual driving.

I learned to drive in an automatic but, once I knew how to drive, learning to drive a manual took maybe 30 minutes. The hardest part is learning to start from a dead stop in 1st gear. Once you get that, the rest is pretty easy.

 

[Draygoes]

I learned to drive in an automatic but, once I knew how to drive, learning to drive a manual took maybe 30 minutes. The hardest part is learning to start from a dead stop in 1st gear. Once you get that, the rest is pretty easy.

Thats good to know. I have never actually tried driving manual before. When I did drive, I only attempted it in auto.

 

[cb600fshornet]

I learned to drive in an automatic but, once I knew how to drive, learning to drive a manual took maybe 30 minutes. The hardest part is learning to start from a dead stop in 1st gear. Once you get that, the rest is pretty easy.

Yeah you'll b able to do it, just takes a bit longer to gain that "finesse" on the clutch that is needed at times.

Anyone can pull away and change gear normally, sometimes you need to be a bit more practiced!

 

[strollin]

You're absolutely right about that but that "finesse" isn't needed to pass a driving test.

A few years back I drove a BMW. This was before yuppies discovered them and turned them into a status symbol. They used to be a car enthusiasts car. Anyway, I was talking to another BMW owner and asked him how he liked his car. He told me he didn't like it because it had no power. The car was plenty powerful so I asked him to explain. He said it took forever to pass someone on the freeway. I asked him what gear he downshifted to. He gave me a blank stare. Turns out this was his first manual transmission car and he knew nothing about downshifting. He proceeded to tell me of another instance where it was slow climbing a steep grade. I found out that he had 5 people in the car, had the air conditioning going and climbed the grade in 5th gear. He couldn't understand why the car climbed the grade so slowly.

 

[~mr mixx~]

I found out that he had 5 people in the car, had the air conditioning going and climbed the grade in 5th gear. He couldn't understand why the car climbed the grade so slowly.

Wow, I'm suprized that car moved at all trying to climb a hill in 5th gear..