Manual transmission. Need to learn ASAP

[Kornbread01]

Go somewhere like a big old deserted parking lot for one of those many abandoned shopping malls to practice. Stopping & starting in a vacant lot is the key to getting your pattern down for doing it in traffic. Kinda like target practice with your handgun. Then go to a part of the lot with slopes or hills. Practice stopping on a hill, then starting off WITHOUT rolling backwards. Do it several times. Too many folks, today tailgate & then park on yer back bumper when at a traffic light. If yer stopped facing uphill & some assrag is parked on yer back bumper, it'll make you nervous if'n you don't have enough experience. I taught my daughter how to drive my old F-250 4 x4 , 4 speed in the floor this way when she was 9 years old.

 

[Bogboy]

Stick shift all day, thats the way pops made all of us learn. "now son, what if you need to steal a car and you bust in and you cant even drive it? You'll look like a d*** fool."
Also, if my sister can do it so can you!

 

[GAGunguy]

Never met anyone who couldnt drive a manual transmission.DJD

really not that many manual tranmissions being offered on cars now, so it doesnt surprise me in the least the the OP cant drive a stick.

Even the high end sports cars are all going to the flappy paddle steering wheel shifter.


That reminds me, time to get the MGB out of storage and drag it down to ATL.

 

[Hayata]

I learned to drive on a 1976 Pinto 4-speed. My dad bought it new back in the day.

He redeemed himself and later bought a Fiat X-1/9. I replaced the clutch on it. Put the pressure plate in backwards and had to drop the transaxle a second time. Won't ever do THAT again!

I had a '98 Ford Ranger 5-speed that I LOVED but had to give it up after I had to start doing the daily commute in it. My left leg was twice the size of my right.

I doubt my kids will know how to drive a manual transmission...

 

[GeauxLSU]

I learned to drive on a 1976 Pinto 4-speed. My dad bought it new back in the day.

Ha! So did I. A '76 but it was a three speed and well used. You lucky bastige! It was "beer bottle brown" with white rally stripes. It cost $500 and I immediately doubled the value by.... put a $500 stereo system in it. I even recessed the Jensen Tri-ax's in the back in some green/gold shag carpeting I covered the back dash with. I'm talking, suh-weeeeeeeeeeeeet! yes... it's true

 

[barnfly]

Go somewhere like a big old deserted parking lot for one of those many abandoned shopping malls to practice. Stopping & starting in a vacant lot is the key to getting your pattern down for doing it in traffic. Kinda like target practice with your handgun. Then go to a part of the lot with slopes or hills. Practice stopping on a hill, then starting off WITHOUT rolling backwards. Do it several times. Too many folks, today tailgate & then park on yer back bumper when at a traffic light. If yer stopped facing uphill & some assrag is parked on yer back bumper, it'll make you nervous if'n you don't have enough experience. I taught my daughter how to drive my old F-250 4 x4 , 4 speed in the floor this way when she was 9 years old.

Excellent advise. Definitely work on the hills when no one is around. My dad taught me to drive a clutch and on one of my first outings there was a stop sign facing up a hill with traffic behind me. He taught me to simultaneously release the parking brake while letting off of the clutch to keep from rolling back. It took no time to pick up on it after that. I have had an equal number of cars with automatics and manuals. The manuals can actually be more fun to drive.

 

[SuperMario92]

The handbrake is your friend on hills

 

[Realstudent368]

Ha! So did I. A '76 but it was a three speed and well used. You lucky bastige! It was "beer bottle brown" with white rally stripes. It cost $500 and I immediately doubled the value by.... put a $500 stereo system in it. I even recessed the Jensen Tri-ax's in the back in some green/gold shag carpeting I covered the back dash with. I'm talking, suh-weeeeeeeeeeeeet! yes... it's true

1976 pinto was my first car... I can't believe you guys...

 

[Hayata]

Aww, the PINTO crowd!

Studebaker used to make a "Hill-Holder" clutch. You could be on a hill and it would apply the brake for you until you took off. No need to manually use the parking brake.

Not that I know, but my dad told me.

 

[Hammerhead636]

The handbrake is your friend on hills

Learning proper footwork is even a better friend.