this post was submitted on 29 Aug 2023
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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.

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[โ€“] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

US. I can and have. Learned on a crappy stick shift truck where I had to nudge the clutch up with my toe. Launched boats with it.

Drove drunk friend home in his stick shift car. VW because of course he did.

Swapped cars with Mom when she hurt her clutch leg. Drove stick for a summer, a little Echo that shifted nicely.

So I can and will if I need to but I have no desire to. I have never really liked cars, just used them for utility. Now that I drive hybrids I do like them more. CVT, no gears at all!

[โ€“] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

28, Germany. Yes I can and I dont know anybody with a drivers license who cant.

[โ€“] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (3 children)

No, on account of I cannot drive at all. I'm 25 and live in Vermont. The particular part I live in, everything's accessible by bus, so I've just never felt the urgency to learn.

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[โ€“] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

My parents forced me to learn in case I ever needed it.

I'd buy one again in a heartbeat if I could. Love the fact that it was easy AF to rock myself out of snow banks

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[โ€“] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago (6 children)

Germany, 25. Always driven manual, don't even know how to drive automatic.

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[โ€“] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

UK, always driven manual. I just enjoy it more.

[โ€“] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

France, 30s, and I almost always drove manual transmissions. But I rent an automatic, and now I don't understand why manual cars still exist.

[โ€“] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

I can and do drive a manual transmission. I'm 34 and in the US Midwest. It's just more fun to drive. My car isn't even fast, but dropping a couple gears to pass someone never gets old.

[โ€“] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

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.

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[โ€“] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yes I am 25 and in Germany that is the default so nearly anyone can drive with a stick shift.

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[โ€“] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

i dont even know what manual transmission means if that tells you anything about me.

[โ€“] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Yes, it's very common here (Czechia), in fact I don't know a single person who doesn't know how to drive manual.

Until recently I even preferred it, but nowadays I'd like automatic more. Well, my next car is gonna be automatic, that's for sure.

[โ€“] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

i am a manual transmission

[โ€“] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (4 children)

Mid 20s, Poland, very much can, but currently driving automatic.

Fun fact: in Poland you normally take the driving test in a manual gear shift car, but you can optionally take it in an automatic one. The deal is you have to provide the vehicle for the testing center yourself (driving schools lend them) and your driving license will have an annotation that it's only viable for this type of gearbox.

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[โ€“] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Mid 30s, used to drive stick all the time but I wouldn't go out and get one anymore. This seems like one of those things people clutch onto (pun intended) because it was at one time a useful everyday skill not everyone could do but now is completely antiquated.

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[โ€“] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

Yes, 28, Northern europe, dad taught me how to drive when I was 16. In my country you have to do your driving test in a manual, unless you're fine with a limited license that only allows you to drive automatics. Nobody that I know has that kind of license.

[โ€“] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

Late 30s, Canada, and absolutely I can.

[โ€“] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I'm in my 40s and live in Europe (NL), and in my country, if you don't take your driving exam in a manual transmission car, you receive a restriction on your license that prevents you from driving manual transmission vehicles. As a result, both I and nearly everyone I know can drive a manual. Automatics are also a fair bit more expensive, so most people don't opt for them. Tho I expect this will change with the rising popularity of electric and hybrid vehicles.

[โ€“] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Yes, I'm 45 and from the US.

Unfortunately, although my current car (Mazda3) is available in a manual, I was looking to buy a 2018 model in 2019. My options were limited to remaining inventory, which did not include any manuals. Will be looking for a manual next time, but it's becoming almost impossible to find here.

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[โ€“] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

Yes (early 30s) drive a manual VW polo. Iโ€™m from Australia. I have always had a manual car.

[โ€“] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

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.

[โ€“] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

Belgium, 48. I drive a manual transmission. I never had a car with an automatic transmission.

[โ€“] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I'm Danish and I drive a manual transmission car every day. Most cars here are manual transmission and you legally can't take driving lessons in an automatic transmission car here so everybody who knows how to drive knows how to drive manual.

I don't get why so many Americans try to make it seem like some amazing feat of traditional blue-collar masculine excellence to able to do it. It's not that hard, anybody can learn it in an afternoon.

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[โ€“] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

I'm in the US and drive manual.

[โ€“] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yes, I learned to drive in one, got my license with one. I'm 38.

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[โ€“] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

Yes. 44, Australian, drove a manual until very recently actually.

In Australia (Queensland at least) you have to pass a manual driving test in order to be legally allowed to drive a manual vehicle. At the time I was getting my license (1995 - 96) manual vehicles were still extremely common, plus I like driving a manual so it made sense for me.

[โ€“] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

I can drive a manual yeah, I don't feel like I'm in total control when driving an automatic, I'm 20 and live in the Netherlands

[โ€“] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

In Finland synchronization in gearboxes is starting to become a thing nowadays. Double clutching for 20 years now (38).

Just kidding, got my first automatic two years ago, so yes.

[โ€“] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

40 Florida I drive a manual everyday. My mother insisted I learn on a manual. I'm grateful

[โ€“] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (6 children)

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.

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[โ€“] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Nope, manual transmission isn't common in Ontario,, I lived in the US for a bit and everyone seemed to drive stick, but I never figured it out. I don't understand why anyone wants to drive it.

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[โ€“] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

I'm 19-20 and I'm from the eastern part of the US.

In a car, I have about 8 hours of experience and could do it in a pinch, although I'd feel unconfident with it.

On a motorcycle, I have about 20 hours of more recent experience and I feel fairly comfortable with it.

[โ€“] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)
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[โ€“] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (2 children)

23, German, yes I can and I do

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[โ€“] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

Yes. European. It's the norm.

[โ€“] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

41, can and have been driving manuals exclusively for the last decade. I only learned about 15 years ago when I picked up a beater Datsun 720, but once I went manual I was hooked. Every car I've bought since has been a manual. Keeps me awake and engaged while driving.

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