What's so special about manual driving?

[AgentSword]

My dad got a new car yesterday, an acura, and for the first time in a few years it's a Standard automobile. Now I have to take lessons to learn how to drive the damned thing.

I've heard tell that it's hard. Why is this so? What pointers and tips can you guys give me so I don't burn the clutch of the poor sap who's going to be teaching me?

My dad says it's also more exhilirating to drive standard... I don't believe that.

 

[Zilberfrid]

clutch was, until very recently:
Faster, more fuel efficient end cheaper

 

[mrcrotch]

Dunno...I was just taught on manual. It's the norm here so I'm not going to argue.

 

[bugman]

I'm learning on a manual. Clutch is the easiest bit I think. Makes me feel manly when I slam it in for a gear change.

 

[Pavlov]

Makes me feel manly when I slam it in for a gear change.

That is pretty much the answer.

 

[Pharaoh Llandy]

Dunno...I was just taught on manual. It's the norm here so I'm not going to argue.

What he said. I've only ever been inside 1 automatic-geared car that I know of. Manual's aren't hard to drive, but you might find with a manual that you feel... closer to your car. You get a better feel for it, knowing when to gear up and gear down, you need to be able to use clutch-control to prevent from stalling, so you'll become more 'in tune' with your car and its engine. You'll listen for sounds that it makes and how it feels. It's sort of the same thing as with a bike... I dunno, I don't think I could adapt very easily to an automatic.

 

[Zilberfrid]

I agree with all of you as well, I love finding the exact spot of a gear change without any loss of power, and of course if you know your car better, you know sooner when things are out of sorts.

 

[Buxton]

Automatics usually have 3 gears, they're slower at low speeds, and they're inefficient at high ones.

Plus, with a manual (who the hell calls it standard?) you can make it roar by not changing up.

 

[Cymro]

Using clutch control to do precise movement is good. Also, being able to control when your gears change, rather than jumping at unexpected moments is dead handy (my dad very nearly crashed an automatic in Canada as it decided to change gear right in front of a wall).

 

[Seff]

Apart from what everyone else said, this: Downshifting makes for faster acceleration when you're looking to pass someone quickly, and downshifting without accelerating makes the car slow down without applying breaks.

 

[Redcoat-Mic]

If you learn in a manual, you can drive a manual or an automatic.
If you learn in an automatic, you can only drive an automatic.

 

[Mage246]

That's probably the only really important thing, everything else is just a matter of personal preference.

 

[Gamemako]

Automatics usually have 3 gears, they're slower at low speeds, and they're inefficient at high ones.

Plus, with a manual (who the hell calls it standard?) you can make it roar by not changing up.

No, no, and no. Modern automatic transmissions are actually faster and more efficient than manual ones.

The point of a manual transmission today is to enjoy driving your car. If you're not driving a sports car with at least 300hp, it's not really worth screwing with.

 

[iamahorse]

Eh, I just use manual because it more or less forces me to pay attention to the road. My only accident was with an automatic and I kind of lulled out of paying o much attention because of how boring it was.

Then again some people have also called me a 'bad driver,' so that may be it.

 

[mrcrotch]

 

[Justiciar]

I can't get my head around automatics. I'm constantly grasping at things, and tapping my left foot idly. They might as well take away the sodding steering wheel.

 

[Archonsod]

The point of a manual transmission today is to enjoy driving your car. If you're not driving a sports car with at least 300hp, it's not really worth screwing with.

Unless of course you're looking for the kind of fine control the clutch brings.

Which probably explains why automatic drivers are even worse at parallel parking than women.

 

[Tarrantmw]

When in doubt push the gas pedal.

 

[Pharaoh Llandy]

Which probably explains why automatic drivers are even worse at parallel parking than women.

And why women who drive automatics whilst parallel parking are the bane of everyone's existence.

Right behind old men in hats, of course.

 

[Gamemako]

The point of a manual transmission today is to enjoy driving your car. If you're not driving a sports car with at least 300hp, it's not really worth screwing with.

Unless of course you're looking for the kind of fine control the clutch brings.

Which probably explains why automatic drivers are even worse at parallel parking than women.

I will look for the study about manual transmission and vehicle control; it was at least a year ago that I saw it and I think it wasn't new. Basically, it pointed out that drivers of manual transmission had less control over their preferred vehicle than drivers of automatic, though giving them automatic transmission made them yet worse.