Asklemmy

Early 30s, US. Yes I can drive a manual. They have their moments when they are better than autos.

US, 30s, yep. When I needed a new car decided to get one cause I was driving an hour to work and thought it would help me with driver's trance (cue sad laugh track...). Ended up having to order a new car cause I couldn't find one I wanted that was manual within a reasonable driving distance that wasn't complete junk. Didn't really help my problem, but I do love driving it lol.

Kind of weird because automatics make me uncomfortable to drive now, they accelerate so easy I feel like I have less control (though I'm sure this is just a skill issue on my part).

Sweden, late 40's. Manual since I had my driving license (18). Driven automatic maybe 2-3 times in my life

Yes, California, late 30s. I drove a manual transmission when I was a teenager. I was proud of how practiced I got with it. I don't drive manual anymore, but my dad recently switched back after some decades driving automatic. He found out he's out of practice lol

Does a motorcycle count? USA

Yes, had to learn when I moved to Europe.

Yes Dominic Toretto taught me

My friend taught me for the most part in college when I was 22, and then when I bought my first manual it was 5 hours from my house. If I didn't figure it out I wouldn't have gotten home 🫣

Only killed it a couple times, and only when I was getting on/off the freeway. And once in stop and go traffic, but I don't think anyone noticed

Mid-30s. Yes. I used to daily drive a manual when I was in college, but I haven't touched one in like 10 years so I'd probably be pretty rusty.

My dad made me learn on one and take my test with one. I've had a few over the years, I really like them. Looking for a cheap one now so I can teach my partner how. Mid 30's Canada.

Yes, 35, UK. Drive an automatic now, but drove Manual until last year.

I'm 16 and live in Sweden. I know how to drive bikes with manual transmissions and I can manage driving a car with a manual transmission.

German, just 18, and I drive a manual.

Not learning manual would mean extra courses in order to be allowed to even make the license to drive larger trailers or trucks.

Also, manuals are cheaper, or actually, automatics are probably newer and therefore more expensive.

No. I'm 25 and from Florida.

I'm SE Asian, early 30s, and I was taught to drive using a manual transmission van with a column shift. 3rd gear would just randomly disappear too.

I miss driving manuals, but my knees thank me every day whenever there's traffic.

25 years old, I live in Alberta, Canada. I learned on automatic and then my first car was a manual. I have only owned cars with manual transmissions since. So much more fun to drive imo

I’m 25 in the US and I can

USA, 40, and...it's complicated? Haha. I've never driven a manual car, but I have ridden a motorcycle which generally has a manual transmission.

And because this is as good a place as any--I suspect once self-driving vehicles are common, the number of people who can drive even an automatic will plummet.

Why? Because kids will be born, then grow up with parents driving them places for their entire life experience, and then will go into their teens using driving services (like some futuristic Lyft company) with automated driverless cars that drive for them. And if that works fine to get you everywhere you need to go...why bother to learn how to drive a car? Do you really NEED it?

I think there'll be a generational divide, with older generations boggling that the damn kids on their lawns are "so lazy" they never even learned to drive, and I think there'll be an urban/rural divide where rural kids might not have access to AI cars that can drive for them so are forced to learn in order to be able to get anywhere, while city kids can have a car summoned to them by their phone at a drop of a hat to get wherever they want to go.

But I think the younger generations, once one is born where self-driving vehicles are ubiquitous and being able to summon such a vehicle to you using your phone is commonplace (I think it'll be a generation or two after the Zoomers...we're on the horizon but not there yet), will not see why THEY have to drive when they can instead be driven. Driving is a waste of your time that you could use to be doing work, schoolwork, or something fun like a game. I know I would ditch it if I could go exactly where I need to go anytime I wanted while reading a book or something.

Edit: Self-driving cars would also be a HUGE boon to the elderly, giving them some sort of independence even once their reaction times dull. "No, grandpa, I can't let you drive yourself, but the car will totally take you wherever you need to go. Just put in your destination." There'll be a lot of bitching at first from some of the older people, then they'd figure out how easy it is to go places without worrying about their eyesight or something, and give in.

I suspect my generation might be the first in this position, of giving up keys and instead just ordering a car to take me somewhere without me being a danger of running someone over because my reaction times have degraded. I think it's reasonable to suspect in 40 years, when I'll be 80, cars will drive themselves.

I can, older than you.

Yes. German. When I learned to drive, it was mandatory to do so on a stick.

I drive an automatic but I learned with a manual and used it for years. I find manual impractical for daily use but I can use it if I need to.

32 years old, Italy

Yes, early 20s USA. Learned at 18 and drove manual every day until I sold my last car in November

I had to put in extra effort to find a manual (USA), but I was successful. I'm going to hold onto this thing in perpetuity until the wheels fall off or (reliable) fully autonomous vehicles are "standard".

I don't really drive at all, but I can and mostly because of hardcore racing sims that have a clutch lol

42 Aus and this is a great way to get age and location details on accounts

I can drive manual, but I hate it. I don't want to worry about releasing the clutch just right to avoid jerk, so I bought an electric car. Certainly was expensive, but it's infinitely more smooth than a manual transmission could ever be. 23 year old, living in Germany.

37, California. I've never owned an automatic. More control, easier to repair, and a lot more fun if you live in the mountains like I do. Not so much fun when I have to drive in city traffic though.

Yes. Mid thirties UK. I've actually never driven an automatic.

Yes (US, 35), and it’s something I can do autonomically in appropriate situations. I also enjoy being an integral part of my car’s operation.

And when you’re flogging it on a nice mountain road or a track, there’s nothing quite like nailing that heel-and-toe downshift as you’re clipping the apex.

US, 35 - yes can and do drive manual.

My first 4 cars were standard. As is every motorcycle I have owned.

Learned on a farm truck when I was 13.

US, 36, and I've only ever owned manual vehicles. I think I've drove automatic maybe 5 times in the past 20 years I've had my license.

There are very few manuals still sold in the US. The holdouts are ultra-budget models or pretentious sports cars. I can count on one hand the number of people I know who can drive manual.

I can drive one because my dad had an ultra-budget hatchback that I learned on, and later I had one of those pretentious sports cars, which I swapped for something more practical when I had kids. Age: old enough to have kids.

36 & US Midwest based, have only bought stick shifts my whole life. My wife also had only ever driven stick.

Yes, Midwestern USA. 46

I haven't driven one in years, but I can and will.

In my 40s, from MI. Funny enough, I learned how I drive a stick in the arcades playing Hard Drivin.

Switzerland, 34. I learned how to drive with manual and had a couple of cars with man transmission. Now I drive an automatic one. What‘s funny is that now younger people can do their drivings license with an automatic, but then still are allowed to drive manual without sny experience.

Middle aged, Central Europe. Yes, manual is the default here and I learned it. But I drive so rarely that it's not completely in my patterns and every so often I forget to switch at intersections.

Yes. Mid 40s UK. I have never owned an automatic vehicle, and it looks like there's not much in the way options when it comes to electric cars with manual transmissions.