I moved from the UK to Canada and was surprised to see some Canadians had “I’m able to drive a stick shift” on their dating profile as a unique talent or skill that they had. It’s somehow a badge of honour here, but I still see it just as “driving a car”. On the plus side my manual car is less likely to get stolen by young thieves.
Yeah this was the height of the era of group B Rally Cars. Cars with turbo engines, four wheel drive, lots of power and hard to control. Walter Röhrl himself said, he had to react faster than he could think, to keep the car on the track and at the limit. There were some terrible accidents that ended the era of group B Cars. Some involved bystanders and viewers.
dude should really do some engine breaking. if something happens when youre coming to a stop and you have to react, you need to be in 2md or 3rd to take off again
I drove my parents' automatic when we were on holiday in Ireland. Once or twice I tried to use the phantom clutch pedal and inadvertently administered a brake test.
It's a little more common for them to offer automatic learning these days but when I did mine I had the choice and chose manual purely because if you learn manual you can drive both but if you learn automatic you can only drive automatic.
2019 was the last time where more than 50% of new cars in the UK were manual and now it's barely more than 1/4. So trends do seem to be shifting. I am used to driving a manual but after driving an automatic on narrow windy country roads and also through city traffic it's pretty clear that it's usually the better option
I drove an automatic for the first time a couple of weeks ago. I spent the entire time with the left foot pressing the phantom clutch and waving my hand in the space where the gear stick would normally be
When there's only two pedals I automatically switch to left foot braking like in a race car. It's super awkward because the pedals are so close together.
I drive an EV and I LOVE IT, but it saddens me that theres no transmission. It even has a "regen mode" that automatically charges the battery when there is no accelerator applied, like driving with your foot on the brake. So its basically a one pedal bumper car in that mode. I would love to convert my old 1985 Mazda RX7 to electric and drive it with a clutch.
AT LEAST YOU DIDNT TRY TO CLUTCH IN AND STOMPED THE BRAKE LIKE ME, i felt like such an idiot at the dealership, was a loaner because my car was being serviced.
Better to do it at a parking lot than in traffic, since most drivers don't leave sufficient safety distance. I've done it a couple of times when leaving a parking lot after switching between my own manual and parent's automatic car. Luckily never in traffic so far...
In the UK manual transmission is the norm. It's actually kind of a pain in the ass shopping for an automatic, as my dad found out when he needed to get one due to not being able to operate a clutch well with his prosthetic leg.
Old automatics were very inefficient, ate up as much as 15hp from the engine. Not a porblem in America where 6 cylinder is the small engine, big problem in Europe, I think my first car was 1.3l with 42 hp, putting the old style automatic on it would've been a disaster.
They are marginally more efficient, manual will cost the average driver extra $25 on a civic, or maybe $50 on a mustang per year. I'd just pick whichever one you like more. One thing to note is manuals are usually also slower marginally, this is a compromise to bring them closer in efficiency to automatics for legal reasons, but either way, not really to a noticeable degree just driving on public roads.
As an American who isn't used to driving FF cars I'm mostly confused by how spacious that footwell is. I think I can fit 2-3 fingers between my pedals and this dude could rest his feet between his. A transmission tunnel(or in my current case torque tube) takes up a lot of that space.
As an american who has driven a stick his entire life I want to argue, but at the same time. The best theft deterrent I have for my vehicle is that it is a manual lol.
My prius is actually quite good in ice, snow, and standing water. The battery is heavy enough that it actually gets traction with those. This is also a very hily area with significant stop and go traffic, and it's made for such issues
Yeah my dad has a Prius and it does well because of all the added weight over the drive wheels. The only downfall is the low ground clearance, but if the roads are plowed not a huge concern.
The last thing you want in icy conditions is MORE torque to the wheels. And every automatic I've ever driven will let you start/stay in either 1st or second gear or use clutchless manual shifting. My Volvo been has a convenient little "W" button, which just isolates the transmission to start in 3rd gear, instead of 1st
You don't engage all the torque at once, but if you need to break out of a parking spot when your wheels are frozen in it's helpful. Also with traction control it pulls the torque from a slipping wheel automatically: just make sure the car has a manual override button for ESP though or else it's impossible to get it unstuck. And that's cool I've never seen a "W" button but Volvos are a nicer class of car than I drive with any regularity :D
Don't be that guy...... Why wait for green a neutral? And then slowing down traffic flow, because you spend 2-3 seconds on clutching out, putting it in first and them clutching in again.....
At least keep track of the opposing lights then, and get ready to by getting it into gear, so you ONLY have to clutch in to get going, when your light turns green... and if you're an "uncertain clutch-point" person, feel it out a bit to be ready. You can always release a bit again, so you don't drive early.
Actually.... Also forgot engine breaking... When stopping for the light, don't clutch out and break... shift down all they way through the gears, while breaking... In this case shift to second, release the clutch and let the resistance from the engine do some of you breaking... and then down to first and release the clutch again... them clutch out right before full stop, to avoid stalling. Saves you wear on your brakepads...
I was always taught to keep the car is gear with the clutch pressed in...just in case some one crashes into the car... the car will jerk into gear if you become incapacitated. then the car will more or less be in a parked position as opposed to free wheeling if the car was in neutral.
The vehicle can lurch forward as it stalls. Correct procedure when stationary is to neutralise and apply the handbrake. In my experience very few people do this.
Really bothered that they equate the gear with a speed... the gear just determines potential power out put to the wheels. There is relation between gear and speed, but it's not absolute. When overtaking uphill, sometimes I drop from 5th directly into 3rd, because I need the power. But in the long run, you need to shift up again, as revving that high isn't sustainable for the eninge
I watchted that live. As I'm from austria and he's like two towns over... I completely forgot. https://www.omnicalculator.com/physics/terminal-velocity but assuming him to be a streamlined body with 90kg and 0,3m² area. The "unverified" stratos speed of 1,357.64 km/h seems possible. I must've confused that. I think in physics we had something with like tennis ball or sth.
Oh, funny coincidence that I brought up that example then. Seems like it depends a lot, a dense object like a metal ball can probably achieve higher speeds. If the car would be rotating or what end is pointing down etc. Asked ChatGPT, although often wrong it claims Nibbler's poop from Futurama would be 2000km/h
It's a good enough rule of thumb. That's how they taught us in driving school as well. After you've been driving for a while, you can start to feel how your own car likes to shift.
Only driven standard, too. Just got a hybrid SUV automatic. I miss actual driving. Also my previous ride was a 2006 so this 2016 has all the electronic bells and whistles and I feel I’m cruising around in a space ship it’s so fancy.
In the UK, if you pass your driving test in an automatic, you are not qualified to drive a manual (except as a learner) but if you pass your driving test in a manual, you are qualified for both types.
Same here. My next car will 100% be electric, but man I'm going to miss the control. Whenever I use my friend's van I feel like I'm driving a big golf cart.
Similar case here. I haven't personally owned an automatic transmission car since the mid-80s. My commute and general use would be perfect for an EV. If the economy doesn't totally tank in the next few years, that's what direction I'll go.
EVs do have transmission, they're called DC to DC brushless motor controller and do all the torque conversion in a few chunky semiconductors. Putting a gearbox in the car would just have two components doing the same task.
EVs have 3 phase AC induction motors. Speed is controlled by pulse width modulation of the 3 phases of the inverter. They also have a mechanical one speed gear to bring down the high RPMs of the electric motor.
You never grew bored of it? I changed to automatic with the current car last year due to just being annoyed at manual transmission in heavy traffic. Having to switch around every few second was no longer fun to me after nearly 30 years
To me, it depends on the manual. A sports car is fun. A truck sucks. A jeep is even worse. But on high mileage vehicles, I still prefer manual because they are easier to fix if you have a problem. But if I had a high horsepower modern car, I think automatic would be the way to go anymore. You have so many programming options with the autos that it can be worth it.
I have one, too. Still not a bad vehicle. You just have to take a couple of breaths between gears. Also, rock climbing does become a bit more challenging. Only one rock face, my cousin Rubicon, made it up. I didn't. But it was because of the manual. I killed it. Starting back up while feeling like I was laying in the seat was a bit much.
Perhaps I am a masochist, I love changing gears in traffic. It feels like a relaxing background puzzle for me. Akin to fidgeting with a pen. Or running a coin across your fingers. Not taxing. Soothing. Gives me something to do instead of drifing off into existential dread :p
I mostly drive the same handful of routes. My driving mini game is keeping track of fuel consumption and try to beat the "target scores" I set when I start driving. A bit silly certainly, but I like it.
Once I spent a couple of hours learning it, I quickly forget it exists at all. It's just muscle memory. I never consciously think about it. It took me a while to adjust to auto gearbox or EVs because something is missing both at my feet or at my right hand. I still try to pick the stick when I slow down with the EV. Delicate manoeuvres are hard with even modern auto gearboxes, like parallel parking facing downward in a steep slope. It does happen where I used to live.
As long as manual is cheaper and more fuel efficient (DSG gearboxes are okay, but torque converters still waste some energy). But maybe when I'm really old... I will get an electric. If I can afford one.
I honestly prefer manual even in traffic. The extra little bit of control just feels more natural to me. Having said that, manuals are way more common than automatics here anyway. If you pass your license with automatic, you're not even allowed to drive manual. Having said all that, I get why a lot of people strongly prefer automatic.
Nope. Loved driving it, the shifts became part of me, like walking. But it had to go. My main complaint is that the mini got bigger. It's cute and sporty but not as cute as before
I got an automatic a few years ago as my work at the time involved a lot of traffic. Last year I stopped working in a built up area and went back to manual as the CVT annoyed the absolute fuck out 9f me on country roads. CVTs are only good for city and motorway, they shit in every other scenario. Constantly hunting for gears and never changing at the right times and sometimes not even in the right direction
Sorry for late response. It was hunting for the appropriate gear a lot on windy roads. Didn't shift down early enough a lot of times to point where the revs dropped to the point of a stall. Opposite when shifting up a gear at times as well. It didn't really bother me at the start but as time went on it bugged me more and more. I understand it is programmed to keep the revs low for emissions but I just enjoyed driving it less with every drive.
The only slight issue I have is if you go downhill and you apply the break gently, it seems like it's speeding up instead of slowing down. Probably at a cut of point between regen and breaking. But I've never had any issues. I've been driving through Cork mainly, so plenty of hills.
We had to skip the electric Mini since there was no way to put charging in the condo garage. Which is one of the bigger reasons for the somewhat low adoption of pure EVs in Japan.
Some hydrogen is available but most cars on the road are traditional gas and diesel. Smaller cars are very common and quite a few city and suburban households don’t own a car at all.
Yeah also always had stickshifts, but I'm not jumping for an EV yet due to lack of charging infrastructure in my area as well as I just can't stand touchscreens. Maybe someday someone will make an EV that I don't despise. Also waiting to see how well EVs hold up long-term since they're built like phones: let's see how many EVs today are still on the road in 10 years.
Whether they'll hold up in 10 years is a general car problem, not an EV specific one. Not all cars are built to last, but they weren't all in the past either. The charging thing is a real deal breaker though; you need to be able to charge at home for cheap to make it worthwhile.
Very true. It's a shame that it costs a lot of money to set all that up and many workplaces don't want to do that for free. My work struggles for power at the moment (it's a manufacturing plant). They're looking at putting EV charging in, but it won't be solar and it'll be more expensive than charging at home.
They are absolutely not built like phones. The battery chemistry is very different. New long term studies show that the batteries make well over 200'000 km with very little degradation. There are some EV producers who already give 10 years warranty or 250'000 km for the battery.
And what about all the software that goes into the car? That will require updates, especially for security. What about all the zillion sensors and the like for driver assistance features that need calibration and cleaning? I can't imagine it's profitable for a company to maintain the code long-term when they have incentives to sell you new. We already lack "right to repair" laws and that doesn't extend to closed source software.
Oh I'm talking about the self driving features and driver assist stuff. Combustion sensors etc. are pretty proven tech and also if they fail it might give you a "check engine" light but the machine still runs. EVs will lock you out if something doesn't pass POST. I'm just saying I don't trust Tesla's business practices compared to my 21 year old fossil fuel vehicle that still runs and I can fix it myself.
I often am tapping my left foot to the music while I drive. Sometimes playing finger drums on the steering wheel too. Driving stick seems annoying. Let me dance - I don't want to be doing all that extra work just to drive.
true. l don’t like driving that much. only thing good about manual is that is takes skill to learn it and you can drive any car in the world. apart from that whatever man
The thing is people need to practice a lot more on handling unexpected situations (near accidents or sudden merge or braking) or they can easily have a brain fart and miss-press on brake or accelerator.
When I took Drivers Ed I kept trying to use my left foot. The instructor asked why and I said I learned on a 79 Camaro with a stick. He had never heard of a student that could drive manual but had issues driving an automatic.
I switch between my Prius (automatic with one gear), Volvo (5 speed automatic) and Dacia (5 speed manual) all the time. I regularly forget to push the clutch until the car starts to shake in high gear at near standstill or try to push the clutch when it's not there... But hey, I also got in the RV in Australia after being there 2 weeks and only realised the steeringwheel was on the other side when I was almost sitting down... So maybe it's just me.
First time I drove an automatic Mercedes with that oversized brake pedal I almost had someone at a parking lot rear-ending me because I wanted to press the clutch and instead my foot hit the brake pedal with the force needed for a stiff racing clutch. Slightly kissed the steering wheel too.
I panic braked in my parent's automatic because I absent mindedly tried to use the clutch when slowing down & didn't know what to do when it wasn't there. So I just slammed on the brake until I regained my situational awareness
I don't drive, never bothered to learn how (scared of how dangerous i'd be on the roads with intrusive thoughts and panicking, know my limits and to not put others at risk that way) everyone I knew growing up had manual only better to sit licence with or something I was told, this doesn't help it seem any less complex and makes me glad I never learnt yet I don't get how some of them can understand it...we're not the brightest of people.
If it makes you feel any better, I got my license at 28 because I never needed on before, and I have yet to give in to the urge to just swerve into incoming or just not turn and kiss the tree at the apex of the curve. And driving is super easy and very fun. I ended up building a simulator this year. Now I spend hours driving Rallye or enjoying cars I can never own. Can drink and drive in that thing, too!
It's like the most dangerous activity the average person engages in, and our education on it is parent-taught with one crappy test.
I'll never understand why people enjoy it. It's nothing at best, just a bunch of staying in the lines. I understand that you might enjoy the freedom to go somewhere if you need to, but not enjoying the act of driving itself.
It's not that bad if traffic is whatever, but I'd rather be a passenger princess any day. I don't get to be, but I'd rather.
I live in rural America and have been driving for 2 decades. I loved driving for the first five years, then I moved to a city and did not love it any more but kept doing it. After moving out of the city I found driving more enjoyable again but def don't love it anymore and wish for an alternative. What you're saying about how dangerous of an activity driving is needs to be said more. People have serious denial about how destructive (not to mention expensive) of a transportation policy this is.
Not to mention that if for some reason you can't drive, many Americans are immediately pretty screwed. Public transportation is crap just about everywhere except for major cities. (Even there, I've heard it's lackluster compared to other countries?)
Say goodbye to a decent chunk of your paycheck for your uber. Even public transportation is a business opportunity, wow!
Yup. "Anyone who needs transportation should procure and maintain and insure their own automobile, and let's subsidize auto producers so there's always lots of cars being produced" is a shitty policy for so many reasons. I can see how it persists though: there's a lot of people who (unlike you and me) are primally attracted a powerful engine at their fingertips. Car culture is more than just the "freedom" of autonomous transportation, it's an also an enormous power trip. Vroom-Vroom is addictive
If you leave the car in gears at a stop, you're keeping pressure on the throwout bearing and the fingers of the pressure plate, so you're wearing down those two things for no reason. And if your foot slips because the light take forever, you'll either stall or move... a bit of a problem if there's a car in front...
Pretty sure that's only Germany and Austria? Definitely not everywhere. There's a few lights here with a 3 second countdown on it, but most lights go from red to green with no warning.
Everywhere else you can look at the lights in the perpendicular/moving lane. They'll go from green to yellow to red and about 2 seconds later your lane will go green (barring any protected turning lanes and such).
That assumes that the lights are positioned in a way that makes them visible (like the US where they are across the intersection instead of the near side of the intersection), and honestly, most drivers definitely don't have anywhere near the amount of awareness to make use of it even if they could see the other lights.
The UK. And I think in some other European countries, but I can't 100% remember. I have drive (manual transmission) cars in France, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Greece and I don't remember noticing that their traffic lights were any different from ours.
jimfalconer611
StTriniansHeadBoy
Or, as we’d say here in the UK, “how to drive a car”
iMcFly
I moved from the UK to Canada and was surprised to see some Canadians had “I’m able to drive a stick shift” on their dating profile as a unique talent or skill that they had. It’s somehow a badge of honour here, but I still see it just as “driving a car”. On the plus side my manual car is less likely to get stolen by young thieves.
dyerzeve
No ‘shakey, shakey’ of the gear shift stick when stopped??
How does the car not explode?
thecollective01
Gotta grind it to find it
DonL9
I know right? It's like giving a set of tongs a couple of test clicks before you pick anything up with them.
ProfessorFalkensDream
You gotta wiggle that stick.
jaydude22
I was looking for this comment.
ImAghast
So, you finally got your GoPro strapped to your ween, and THIS is what you decided to film?
Kyen155
Well, in his defense, the line at your moms house was rather long!
ImAghast
Of course it was, Thanksgiving is the most likely day of the year for toilet problems.
HedonistBeard
It's actually a head mounted go-pro. His camera man is very... flexible.
Monkeyfighter
Oh, memories...
DonL9
Hey c'mon, I thought this was a kink shame-free zone here.
stonecoldstevebuschemi
That's the new model: The GoPro Peener™
ironymus
No, this is how you drive stick shift
InHarmsWay
That's a lot of people staying on the track until the last split second.
ironymus
Yeah this was the height of the era of group B Rally Cars. Cars with turbo engines, four wheel drive, lots of power and hard to control. Walter Röhrl himself said, he had to react faster than he could think, to keep the car on the track and at the limit.
There were some terrible accidents that ended the era of group B Cars. Some involved bystanders and viewers.
GordonFreeman59
Rally sticks are much easier, they only go in 2 directions !
ironymus
The Audi didn't had a sequential gearbox. It looks like it because the handle is so long
GordonFreeman59
Then this gentleman is indeed a beast :p
ironymus
He was the first who broke the time of 11 minutes at the pikes peak hill climb race. At this time the road was still completely gravelled!
kirmes
Walter Röhrl - he's a total badass
michealangleo
dude should really do some engine breaking. if something happens when youre coming to a stop and you have to react, you need to be in 2md or 3rd to take off again
michealangleo
its for that same reason you dont let the car coast in neutral
VeinyFleshTrumpet
This makes me realize I’ve now been driving stick long enough to have no idea what my feet are doing anymore lol
waynelaws
I, although I live in the uk, have only driven an automatic once. It is not too frequent that you’re taught just automatic. But it is possible
Wuz314159
Everything is backwards in the UK.
mikeymikec
I drove my parents' automatic when we were on holiday in Ireland. Once or twice I tried to use the phantom clutch pedal and inadvertently administered a brake test.
ChloeRed
I've covered over 700,000 miles in my life so far, and 148.2 have been in an auto, and 2 people almost got whiplash due to my left foot 1/
ChloeRed
catching the stupidly wide brake pedal in the auto... 2/2
KaiArgentium
It's a little more common for them to offer automatic learning these days but when I did mine I had the choice and chose manual purely because if you learn manual you can drive both but if you learn automatic you can only drive automatic.
gablestout
In the States it is. Less than 2% of cars sold in the US come with a manual transmission now
DidaChikDumaChum
In Finland your driver's license has a mark if you were only taught using automatic transmission, and you're then only allowed to drive automatic
Felimelinesk
Same in France. You get a BA driver licence instead of standard B driving licence.
Type17
This is true in many countries, and for good reason.
ChloeRed
In the UK, the car is a B1 license, the B1A is the Automatic *nods*
Youhavinagiraffe
2019 was the last time where more than 50% of new cars in the UK were manual and now it's barely more than 1/4. So trends do seem to be shifting. I am used to driving a manual but after driving an automatic on narrow windy country roads and also through city traffic it's pretty clear that it's usually the better option
ChloeRed
Most new cars don't have an automatic. Almost all EVs are fixed single gear, there's not even a reverse.
Youhavinagiraffe
Fair point. I think of EVs as counting as automatic since you don't have to change gears but they're doing their own seperate thing
ChloeRed
Yeap, it's a 2 pedal driving system, but you can't class it as that as you can actually have a 2 pedal manual.. (buses often used that)
AgamemnonsMemes
No thanks
DrSharkbite
diezl97
Oopsies somebody snapped a shifter cable linkage :O
MapleSyrupMafia
They need to drop a gas station boner pill in the transmission.
necessity
Can't drink and drive, mate. You get whiskey linkage.
Lowland
You skipped the part where you put it in R for racing
fruust
the norwegian way of driving
WwwhyYouNoLikeMe
but only at 180km/h
Mynamedoesntmatteronlylifematters
Quixus
I thought it was R for Rallye
HedonistBeard
I mean, if you're going for accuracy, sure. At least it will work well for that part in Rally where your car suddenly rolls over 47 times.
Bytencoder
Rocket mode.
TheDudeanator
It does make rocketship noises
EchoDelta141
Challenger rocketship noises
coombez1978
Tiff nedell the bracing driver did that with a prototype jaguar while filming for a TV show. He broke it.
ApplesdaKitty
oooh, that money shift!
Wubbalubbadubdubb101
That's why they sometimes call it "the money shift" because of what it does!
AbelardSnazz
I knew someone who actually did put it into R ... unfortunately, he was going uphill during his driving test.
ztygs
I guess the test went downhill fast after that.
AbelardSnazz
More of a grinding crunch and a sudden stop ... and a fail
NotTinyPancakes
and you painted it red too for that extra boost
BukkakeRider3000
This gives you six neutral gears.
N0S4A2
Nathanyel
This kills the car.
kusuriya
Car manufacturers don't want you to know this neat secret
WhyDontYouMakeMe
Don't forget to double clutch, a lot of cars are intentionally missing synchros for the racing gear
10Upvotes
Youhavinagiraffe
I drove an automatic for the first time a couple of weeks ago. I spent the entire time with the left foot pressing the phantom clutch and waving my hand in the space where the gear stick would normally be
Wolfos
When there's only two pedals I automatically switch to left foot braking like in a race car. It's super awkward because the pedals are so close together.
Wmcmwa
Driving a rhs manual for the first time I went to change gear with my left hand as usually, found the door handle and opened the door
METROlD
I drive an EV and I LOVE IT, but it saddens me that theres no transmission. It even has a "regen mode" that automatically charges the battery when there is no accelerator applied, like driving with your foot on the brake. So its basically a one pedal bumper car in that mode. I would love to convert my old 1985 Mazda RX7 to electric and drive it with a clutch.
Zyxs975
AT LEAST YOU DIDNT TRY TO CLUTCH IN AND STOMPED THE BRAKE LIKE ME, i felt like such an idiot at the dealership, was a loaner because my car was being serviced.
LessStupidThanYesterday
Better to do it at a parking lot than in traffic, since most drivers don't leave sufficient safety distance. I've done it a couple of times when leaving a parking lot after switching between my own manual and parent's automatic car. Luckily never in traffic so far...
DonL9
You're not the only one that's ever done that. 😆
Quixus
There's dozens of us. I did not do it right at the dealership though but strangely like 20 mins into the test drive.
ChloeRed
I have size 12 feet, if I drive 2 pedal car, passengers get whiplash.
Zyxs975
i have the opposite problem, my whole foot fits between the accelerator and the brake pedal
SilentScreamsX
In the UK manual transmission is the norm. It's actually kind of a pain in the ass shopping for an automatic, as my dad found out when he needed to get one due to not being able to operate a clutch well with his prosthetic leg.
Relayu
Electric are all automatic and second hand market should be expanding - I take it he wasn't able to get support through motability etc?
gablestout
The vast majority of electric vehicles don't even have multi-gear transmissions
marsgoose
Old automatics were very inefficient, ate up as much as 15hp from the engine. Not a porblem in America where 6 cylinder is the small engine, big problem in Europe, I think my first car was 1.3l with 42 hp, putting the old style automatic on it would've been a disaster.
KT8819
Yeah, but modern day automatics are much more fuel efficient than manuals now
marsgoose
They are marginally more efficient, manual will cost the average driver extra $25 on a civic, or maybe $50 on a mustang per year. I'd just pick whichever one you like more.
One thing to note is manuals are usually also slower marginally, this is a compromise to bring them closer in efficiency to automatics for legal reasons, but either way, not really to a noticeable degree just driving on public roads.
wutgn73
This must be so confusing to Americans
chefvalli
Indeed. Particularly the point where he let's the stick shift just float between the gears for a minute... what is that?! Neutral?
SlyeFox
Yes.
Scar1203
As an American who isn't used to driving FF cars I'm mostly confused by how spacious that footwell is. I think I can fit 2-3 fingers between my pedals and this dude could rest his feet between his. A transmission tunnel(or in my current case torque tube) takes up a lot of that space.
AllMyOpinionSuck
As an american who has driven a stick his entire life I want to argue, but at the same time. The best theft deterrent I have for my vehicle is that it is a manual lol.
deetatron
Mynamedoesntmatteronlylifematters
Manual cars are great for long drives in the country, but shit in stop and go traffic and especially shit when driving up a steep hill with ice.
diezl97
Oh I'd much rather have a manual in the snow and ice: easier speed control, more torque to the wheels, and if you get stuck you can rock the vehicle.
Kehy
My prius is actually quite good in ice, snow, and standing water. The battery is heavy enough that it actually gets traction with those. This is also a very hily area with significant stop and go traffic, and it's made for such issues
diezl97
Yeah my dad has a Prius and it does well because of all the added weight over the drive wheels. The only downfall is the low ground clearance, but if the roads are plowed not a huge concern.
gablestout
The last thing you want in icy conditions is MORE torque to the wheels. And every automatic I've ever driven will let you start/stay in either 1st or second gear or use clutchless manual shifting. My Volvo been has a convenient little "W" button, which just isolates the transmission to start in 3rd gear, instead of 1st
diezl97
You don't engage all the torque at once, but if you need to break out of a parking spot when your wheels are frozen in it's helpful. Also with traction control it pulls the torque from a slipping wheel automatically: just make sure the car has a manual override button for ESP though or else it's impossible to get it unstuck. And that's cool I've never seen a "W" button but Volvos are a nicer class of car than I drive with any regularity :D
m0nk3y80y
If only someone would invent a better way!
AnUnfortunateFreezeFrame
I rev match on the downshift
v
NegativelyPositive
Over there granny shift, not double clutching like you should.
Joad111
Need to downshift into 2nd then break.
YesPleaseSomeMore
You can do both at the same time
MrWobblyHead
*brake
phlowsnake
Broonstar
he rode that clutch far too long
FrankJustice1
No need to use the clutch to stop, you'll just wear it out. Downshift, then pop it into neutral.
gablestout
That bugged me, too. If you're worried you might need a gear quickly, downshift to 2nd...but don't ride thr clutch until you stop
LordCrisp
Don't be that guy......
Why wait for green a neutral? And then slowing down traffic flow, because you spend 2-3 seconds on clutching out, putting it in first and them clutching in again.....
At least keep track of the opposing lights then, and get ready to by getting it into gear, so you ONLY have to clutch in to get going, when your light turns green... and if you're an "uncertain clutch-point" person, feel it out a bit to be ready. You can always release a bit again, so you don't drive early.
LordCrisp
Actually....
Also forgot engine breaking...
When stopping for the light, don't clutch out and break... shift down all they way through the gears, while breaking...
In this case shift to second, release the clutch and let the resistance from the engine do some of you breaking... and then down to first and release the clutch again... them clutch out right before full stop, to avoid stalling.
Saves you wear on your brakepads...
Snipsuper
I was always taught to keep the car is gear with the clutch pressed in...just in case some one crashes into the car... the car will jerk into gear if you become incapacitated. then the car will more or less be in a parked position as opposed to free wheeling if the car was in neutral.
TwoBitGreaser
The vehicle can lurch forward as it stalls. Correct procedure when stationary is to neutralise and apply the handbrake. In my experience very few people do this.
JacktheKind
Really bothered that they equate the gear with a speed... the gear just determines potential power out put to the wheels.
There is relation between gear and speed, but it's not absolute. When overtaking uphill, sometimes I drop from 5th directly into 3rd, because I need the power. But in the long run, you need to shift up again, as revving that high isn't sustainable for the eninge
madelinewuntch
Gear 1, 0-500km/h considering terminal velocity
JacktheKind
terminal velocity in earth athmosphere is below 500km/z
madelinewuntch
Felix Baumgartner would like a word
JacktheKind
I watchted that live. As I'm from austria and he's like two towns over... I completely forgot. https://www.omnicalculator.com/physics/terminal-velocity but assuming him to be a streamlined body with 90kg and 0,3m² area. The "unverified" stratos speed of 1,357.64 km/h seems possible.
I must've confused that. I think in physics we had something with like tennis ball or sth.
madelinewuntch
Oh, funny coincidence that I brought up that example then. Seems like it depends a lot, a dense object like a metal ball can probably achieve higher speeds. If the car would be rotating or what end is pointing down etc. Asked ChatGPT, although often wrong it claims Nibbler's poop from Futurama would be 2000km/h
Hendlton
It's a good enough rule of thumb. That's how they taught us in driving school as well. After you've been driving for a while, you can start to feel how your own car likes to shift.
pm1001
I always owned manual cars. Since 1980. I just traded in my stick shift mini for mini electric. Sad to see it go but EV seemed inevitable
SacrificialClam
Do you still use a typewriter too? Or an abacus?
kaarbaakimgr
I have one manual and one auto. I also own a typewriter and a laptop. What’s your point?
thinkybrainpains
Only driven standard, too. Just got a hybrid SUV automatic. I miss actual driving. Also my previous ride was a 2006 so this 2016 has all the electronic bells and whistles and I feel I’m cruising around in a space ship it’s so fancy.
IMustGrowUpReally
In the UK, if you pass your driving test in an automatic, you are not qualified to drive a manual (except as a learner) but if you pass your driving test in a manual, you are qualified for both types.
SavageDrums
Same (though different EV) I thought I'd miss it more than I have.
TheDisembodiedFloatingHeadOfEdwardGRobinson
Same here. My next car will 100% be electric, but man I'm going to miss the control. Whenever I use my friend's van I feel like I'm driving a big golf cart.
DonL9
Similar case here. I haven't personally owned an automatic transmission car since the mid-80s. My commute and general use would be perfect for an EV. If the economy doesn't totally tank in the next few years, that's what direction I'll go.
dedpan
It's something I'll miss when I eventually go electric. Manual is so much more engaging and enjoyable to drive.
laserfrog
There was some stuff suggesting EVs would eventually get transmissions.
Gannon3d
Pretty sure it's already happening.
GenesisMachines
EVs do have transmission, they're called DC to DC brushless motor controller and do all the torque conversion in a few chunky semiconductors. Putting a gearbox in the car would just have two components doing the same task.
ap91484
EVs have 3 phase AC induction motors. Speed is controlled by pulse width modulation of the 3 phases of the inverter. They also have a mechanical one speed gear to bring down the high RPMs of the electric motor.
Mohareb
You never grew bored of it? I changed to automatic with the current car last year due to just being annoyed at manual transmission in heavy traffic. Having to switch around every few second was no longer fun to me after nearly 30 years
Isthe4thtimethecharm
To me, it depends on the manual. A sports car is fun. A truck sucks. A jeep is even worse. But on high mileage vehicles, I still prefer manual because they are easier to fix if you have a problem. But if I had a high horsepower modern car, I think automatic would be the way to go anymore. You have so many programming options with the autos that it can be worth it.
MaybeTechishPerson
As a manual transmission jeep driver, you wound me sir
Isthe4thtimethecharm
I have one, too. Still not a bad vehicle. You just have to take a couple of breaths between gears. Also, rock climbing does become a bit more challenging. Only one rock face, my cousin Rubicon, made it up. I didn't. But it was because of the manual. I killed it. Starting back up while feeling like I was laying in the seat was a bit much.
TheNihilistsParadoxicalWashingMachine
Perhaps I am a masochist, I love changing gears in traffic. It feels like a relaxing background puzzle for me. Akin to fidgeting with a pen. Or running a coin across your fingers. Not taxing. Soothing. Gives me something to do instead of drifing off into existential dread :p
Z0op
Yeah and getting that perfect rpm clutch where there is zero engine whine feels like scoring an excellent on some dance dance revolution game
ElusiveThing
I mostly drive the same handful of routes. My driving mini game is keeping track of fuel consumption and try to beat the "target scores" I set when I start driving. A bit silly certainly, but I like it.
Nykau
Once I spent a couple of hours learning it, I quickly forget it exists at all. It's just muscle memory. I never consciously think about it. It took me a while to adjust to auto gearbox or EVs because something is missing both at my feet or at my right hand. I still try to pick the stick when I slow down with the EV. Delicate manoeuvres are hard with even modern auto gearboxes, like parallel parking facing downward in a steep slope. It does happen where I used to live.
mukenukem
As long as manual is cheaper and more fuel efficient (DSG gearboxes are okay, but torque converters still waste some energy). But maybe when I'm really old... I will get an electric. If I can afford one.
HedonistBeard
Manual is _theoretically_ more fuel efficient than a bad automatic, but the average driver does not beat even an average auto these days.
ManByTechnicality
If fuel efficiency is what you are really after, then it doesn't matter what you drive, driving slower will always be more fuel efficient.
HedonistBeard
Common misconception. The best fuel efficiency varies by car but is typically somewhere between 35-50mph (56-80kph)
ElusiveThing
I honestly prefer manual even in traffic. The extra little bit of control just feels more natural to me. Having said that, manuals are way more common than automatics here anyway. If you pass your license with automatic, you're not even allowed to drive manual. Having said all that, I get why a lot of people strongly prefer automatic.
pm1001
Nope. Loved driving it, the shifts became part of me, like walking. But it had to go. My main complaint is that the mini got bigger. It's cute and sporty but not as cute as before
badaltarboy
MINI no longer produces a manual transmission car.
pm1001
I knew this, so sad to have a really nippy turbo car that can't be driven right. But I had already decided on ev
sensibiledrunkmageapprentice
I got an automatic a few years ago as my work at the time involved a lot of traffic. Last year I stopped working in a built up area and went back to manual as the CVT annoyed the absolute fuck out 9f me on country roads. CVTs are only good for city and motorway, they shit in every other scenario. Constantly hunting for gears and never changing at the right times and sometimes not even in the right direction
nilkimas
Mine is a CVT, no issues regardless of roadtype.
Hills, country roads, city traffic, all great.
In what way was it annoying you?
sensibiledrunkmageapprentice
Sorry for late response. It was hunting for the appropriate gear a lot on windy roads. Didn't shift down early enough a lot of times to point where the revs dropped to the point of a stall. Opposite when shifting up a gear at times as well. It didn't really bother me at the start but as time went on it bugged me more and more. I understand it is programmed to keep the revs low for emissions but I just enjoyed driving it less with every drive.
sensibiledrunkmageapprentice
I have a 1997 3 speed with a "traditional" auto, and that changes gear much better but is likely way less efficient
Paradox1111
Engine braking going downhill is super annoying
L1ttl3J1m
Engine braking is best braking. Peter Brock taught me that.
nilkimas
The only slight issue I have is if you go downhill and you apply the break gently, it seems like it's speeding up instead of slowing down. Probably at a cut of point between regen and breaking.
But I've never had any issues. I've been driving through Cork mainly, so plenty of hills.
dudeinjapan
We had to skip the electric Mini since there was no way to put charging in the condo garage. Which is one of the bigger reasons for the somewhat low adoption of pure EVs in Japan.
colderfish
I got one of those electric minis. It's a blast to drive.
InvalidUsername8
Are there alternatives over there like hydrogen vehicles? Or is everyone pretty much still on petrol or diesel?
dudeinjapan
Some hydrogen is available but most cars on the road are traditional gas and diesel. Smaller cars are very common and quite a few city and suburban households don’t own a car at all.
diezl97
Yeah also always had stickshifts, but I'm not jumping for an EV yet due to lack of charging infrastructure in my area as well as I just can't stand touchscreens. Maybe someday someone will make an EV that I don't despise. Also waiting to see how well EVs hold up long-term since they're built like phones: let's see how many EVs today are still on the road in 10 years.
C0baltBlue
Whether they'll hold up in 10 years is a general car problem, not an EV specific one. Not all cars are built to last, but they weren't all in the past either. The charging thing is a real deal breaker though; you need to be able to charge at home for cheap to make it worthwhile.
zagibu
Would be better to be able to charge where you work, because the car stands there when the sun is shining.
C0baltBlue
Very true. It's a shame that it costs a lot of money to set all that up and many workplaces don't want to do that for free. My work struggles for power at the moment (it's a manufacturing plant). They're looking at putting EV charging in, but it won't be solar and it'll be more expensive than charging at home.
pm1001
Mini ev has real knobs
zagibu
They are absolutely not built like phones. The battery chemistry is very different. New long term studies show that the batteries make well over 200'000 km with very little degradation. There are some EV producers who already give 10 years warranty or 250'000 km for the battery.
diezl97
And what about all the software that goes into the car? That will require updates, especially for security. What about all the zillion sensors and the like for driver assistance features that need calibration and cleaning? I can't imagine it's profitable for a company to maintain the code long-term when they have incentives to sell you new. We already lack "right to repair" laws and that doesn't extend to closed source software.
zagibu
Modern combustion engine cars have more sensors and more complex electronics than EV cars.
diezl97
Oh I'm talking about the self driving features and driver assist stuff. Combustion sensors etc. are pretty proven tech and also if they fail it might give you a "check engine" light but the machine still runs. EVs will lock you out if something doesn't pass POST. I'm just saying I don't trust Tesla's business practices compared to my 21 year old fossil fuel vehicle that still runs and I can fix it myself.
lmnotgonnatellyouwhatmyusernameis
l tried an automatic and my right hand and left foot were panicking, lost and without a job
ChloeRed
Due to the size of my feet, my left foot catches the edge of the over wide brake pedal and people get whiplash...
Solusek
I often am tapping my left foot to the music while I drive. Sometimes playing finger drums on the steering wheel too. Driving stick seems annoying. Let me dance - I don't want to be doing all that extra work just to drive.
lmnotgonnatellyouwhatmyusernameis
true. l don’t like driving that much. only thing good about manual is that is takes skill to learn it and you can drive any car in the world. apart from that whatever man
t9dawg
The thing is people need to practice a lot more on handling unexpected situations (near accidents or sudden merge or braking) or they can easily have a brain fart and miss-press on brake or accelerator.
tocfanke4
When I took Drivers Ed I kept trying to use my left foot. The instructor asked why and I said I learned on a 79 Camaro with a stick. He had never heard of a student that could drive manual but had issues driving an automatic.
ricpaul
I switch between my Prius (automatic with one gear), Volvo (5 speed automatic) and Dacia (5 speed manual) all the time. I regularly forget to push the clutch until the car starts to shake in high gear at near standstill or try to push the clutch when it's not there... But hey, I also got in the RV in Australia after being there 2 weeks and only realised the steeringwheel was on the other side when I was almost sitting down... So maybe it's just me.
marsgoose
First time driving an automatic I went in for a big decisive full push of the clutch, which was just a big fat brake pedal in this case.
ImmoderateQuaffing
you're not the only one.
squishybaker
That's me, I test drove a few EVs, I kept going for the clutch, and left foot braking a lot as my left foot needs something to do.
MMX2019
First time I drove an automatic Mercedes with that oversized brake pedal I almost had someone at a parking lot rear-ending me because I wanted to press the clutch and instead my foot hit the brake pedal with the force needed for a stiff racing clutch. Slightly kissed the steering wheel too.
Drives11
I panic braked in my parent's automatic because I absent mindedly tried to use the clutch when slowing down & didn't know what to do when it wasn't there. So I just slammed on the brake until I regained my situational awareness
Grey406
one pedal driving is going to blow your mind
squishybaker
The EX30 I drove had it and it was perfect, I love it as I engine brake a lot, it felt like my current car decelerating from 70mph in 4th.
Nomestoo
Took my ute in for a service at the beginning of the month and the young apprentice didn't know how to drive a manual.
MickTaylorVRussellCoight
oi oi oi
Nomestoo
Coooooeeee
DonL9
I once had a valet ask me to park my own car for the same reason.
NotTinyPancakes
I don't drive, never bothered to learn how (scared of how dangerous i'd be on the roads with intrusive thoughts and panicking, know my limits and to not put others at risk that way) everyone I knew growing up had manual only better to sit licence with or something I was told, this doesn't help it seem any less complex and makes me glad I never learnt yet I don't get how some of them can understand it...we're not the brightest of people.
lappelduvideonfullblast
If it makes you feel any better, I got my license at 28 because I never needed on before, and I have yet to give in to the urge to just swerve into incoming or just not turn and kiss the tree at the apex of the curve. And driving is super easy and very fun. I ended up building a simulator this year. Now I spend hours driving Rallye or enjoying cars I can never own. Can drink and drive in that thing, too!
NotTinyPancakes
31 here and have sadly had to consider it due to others in my household being sick and having no one else who can but it's a last resort option
NotTinyPancakes
thing is when I was 16 my brother let me drive on a roundabout and I did try to swerve into traffic knew after that 100% I was a risk
KumquatKoppa
It's like the most dangerous activity the average person engages in, and our education on it is parent-taught with one crappy test.
I'll never understand why people enjoy it. It's nothing at best, just a bunch of staying in the lines. I understand that you might enjoy the freedom to go somewhere if you need to, but not enjoying the act of driving itself.
It's not that bad if traffic is whatever, but I'd rather be a passenger princess any day. I don't get to be, but I'd rather.
TheGreatestMango
I live in rural America and have been driving for 2 decades. I loved driving for the first five years, then I moved to a city and did not love it any more but kept doing it. After moving out of the city I found driving more enjoyable again but def don't love it anymore and wish for an alternative. What you're saying about how dangerous of an activity driving is needs to be said more. People have serious denial about how destructive (not to mention expensive) of a transportation policy this is.
KumquatKoppa
Not to mention that if for some reason you can't drive, many Americans are immediately pretty screwed. Public transportation is crap just about everywhere except for major cities. (Even there, I've heard it's lackluster compared to other countries?)
Say goodbye to a decent chunk of your paycheck for your uber. Even public transportation is a business opportunity, wow!
TheGreatestMango
Yup. "Anyone who needs transportation should procure and maintain and insure their own automobile, and let's subsidize auto producers so there's always lots of cars being produced" is a shitty policy for so many reasons. I can see how it persists though: there's a lot of people who (unlike you and me) are primally attracted a powerful engine at their fingertips. Car culture is more than just the "freedom" of autonomous transportation, it's an also an enormous power trip. Vroom-Vroom is addictive
alexburgers
C'mon, If you're first in line don't go sitting in Neutral like that, you're holding up traffic by taking multiple seconds to respond to green.
MapleSyrupMafia
If you leave the car in gears at a stop, you're keeping pressure on the throwout bearing and the fingers of the pressure plate, so you're wearing down those two things for no reason. And if your foot slips because the light take forever, you'll either stall or move... a bit of a problem if there's a car in front...
Hendlton
It's totally fine to sit in neutral, but you should shift when the light turns yellow.
alexburgers
Pretty sure that's only Germany and Austria? Definitely not everywhere. There's a few lights here with a 3 second countdown on it, but most lights go from red to green with no warning.
Hendlton
Oh yeah, I forgot that's a thing in some countries.
kwyjjibo
Everywhere else you can look at the lights in the perpendicular/moving lane. They'll go from green to yellow to red and about 2 seconds later your lane will go green (barring any protected turning lanes and such).
alexburgers
That assumes that the lights are positioned in a way that makes them visible (like the US where they are across the intersection instead of the near side of the intersection), and honestly, most drivers definitely don't have anywhere near the amount of awareness to make use of it even if they could see the other lights.
SlyeFox
Amber is used in the UK too. It's used as an alert to let drivers know the light is about to change colour(either red to green or vice versa).
Hengabecka
That's why we have red-and-amber in between red and green - to get into gear, release the brake and be ready to move off.
OliverKlozoff1269
What place does this? I've never seent that
Hengabecka
The UK. And I think in some other European countries, but I can't 100% remember. I have drive (manual transmission) cars in France, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Greece and I don't remember noticing that their traffic lights were any different from ours.