And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
Sunday, July 13, 2025
Who isn't familiar with this? I can literally feel that in the ball of my right hand. Shift!
This Friday I was waiting at a light on the way home from work. The light changed to green, but the car two spaces ahead lurched forward and stalled, then did it again. The light turned red, no one made it through. The guy in the car between us got out, walked back to my window, apologized and informed me it was his kid learning to shift a manual. I've heard only 12 percent of Americans can drive using a manual transmission nowadays. Might be true, might be even less.
My Dad left me at the dealership with a 4 speed manual which I had never driven before. I had to navigate through a six-way stop sign intersection, only way to get home. Needless to say I was called every name in the book before I got through there… necessity forced learning, guessing my Dad is still laughing about that one…
My first car, in 1969, was a four-speed manual shift Chevy Corvair. I have owned manual shift cars up until the present day. My current vehicle is a six-speed manual shift Toyota Tacoma. I have not looked for a replacement vehicle yet, but I understand that it is fairly difficult to find a new one with a manual shirt
My first car, in 1971, was a 1962 Chevy Corvair with a 4 speed on the floor. I've driven over a million miles and 90% of them were with manual transmissions.
I believe you are a safer and better driver with a manual transmission because you have to continuously pay attention to how your vehicle is performing and how you interact with other vehicles on the road.
I had the six-speed variation in my 2006 Rubicon LJ (the chicken's tooth model) until the arthritis in finger/palm area of my hand became inflammed. I swapped it out with a Hurst T-handle and it eliminated the pain.
I was selling a work truck. Clean, very low miles. Lots of response. Every guy that came out said either of two things; 'I didn't know it was a manual transmission', or, 'my wife doesn't know how to drive a stick',
My ad clearly said it was a stick. And why are you buying a work truck for your wife? A bunch of lying losers.
There is a guy that is starting a school to teach people how to drive a manual shift vehicle. It is called The Manual Driving Academy. How embarrassing to have to pay someone to teach you what your hot rod budby would do for a couple of Beers! Hopefully you would pay him after the lessons.
Maybe. A friend had a 20-something daughter who wanted to learn to drive manual, when I owned a VW diesel. I demurred, cause she was, politely, a bit stubborn and not a bit arrogant. I suggested a driving school, as she was already licensed. He told me much later, she did go to a school, dumped the clutch a little too abruptly, and rendered the car, ahem, stationary. I'm guessing she twisted off the tranny input shaft.
I was born in the late 50s in California. My school taught us to drive but only on large sedans with automatics. My folks took me out and taught me to drive a stick as my Dad's old car had one. My Sis and Bro were much older than me but my parents taught them how to drive a stick also.
Later in life when I had kids I taught them to drive a stick on my old Toyota Truck. My wife had learn to drive a stick in her VW bug early. Today it is rare to see cars with sticks and even today's vehicle's with sticks in some high priced vehicles drive as automatics if the driver makes the setting so the use of the clutch is not needed.
I taught several "youngsters" how to drive a stick shift by putting them in my old Jeep with it set up in low 4 wheel drive and turning them loose in the desert. No lurching and they got smooth pretty quickly.
car I learned to drive on was a 62 Mercury Meteor (Longer wheelbase Mercury version of the Ford Fairlane) with the 221 V-8 and three on the tree, and a 67 Beetle,
my wifes parents made their girls learn to drive a manual, change a tire and jump start a car, before they allowed them to drive, and made em take their DMV road test in here dads Jeep J-10 pickup. met her on a blind date, she was cute, smart (masters degree in mathamatics) same socio economic , and religious background as me, same goals in life, no crazy, no drama, AND she drove a manual trans car, and 31 years later, she still drives a manual car.
I understand that these have become very effective anti-theft devices! Steve_in_Ottawa
ReplyDeleteMine has "R" on the upper left though.
ReplyDeleteThis Friday I was waiting at a light on the way home from work. The light changed to green, but the car two spaces ahead lurched forward and stalled, then did it again. The light turned red, no one made it through. The guy in the car between us got out, walked back to my window, apologized and informed me it was his kid learning to shift a manual. I've heard only 12 percent of Americans can drive using a manual transmission nowadays. Might be true, might be even less.
ReplyDeleteMy Dad left me at the dealership with a 4 speed manual which I had never driven before. I had to navigate through a six-way stop sign intersection, only way to get home. Needless to say I was called every name in the book before I got through there… necessity forced learning, guessing my Dad is still laughing about that one…
DeleteMy first car, in 1969, was a four-speed manual shift Chevy Corvair. I have owned manual shift cars up until the present day. My current vehicle is a six-speed manual shift Toyota Tacoma. I have not looked for a replacement vehicle yet, but I understand that it is fairly difficult to find a new one with a manual shirt
ReplyDeleteMy first car, in 1971, was a 1962 Chevy Corvair with a 4 speed on the floor. I've driven over a million miles and 90% of them were with manual transmissions.
DeleteI believe you are a safer and better driver with a manual transmission because you have to continuously pay attention to how your vehicle is performing and how you interact with other vehicles on the road.
I told my daughter the same thing as I was teaching her to drive a stick.
DeleteAt 24, she probably operates it better than the old guy who taught her.
You should consider doing it SOON. Rumor is, Toyota is dropping the V6 in favor of a highly stressed turbo 4. You may be too late for another manual.
DeleteI had the six-speed variation in my 2006 Rubicon LJ (the chicken's tooth model) until the arthritis in finger/palm area of my hand became inflammed. I swapped it out with a Hurst T-handle and it eliminated the pain.
ReplyDeleteBayouwulf
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI was selling a work truck. Clean, very low miles. Lots of response. Every guy that came out said either of two things;
ReplyDelete'I didn't know it was a manual transmission', or, 'my wife doesn't know how to drive a stick',
My ad clearly said it was a stick. And why are you buying a work truck for your wife?
A bunch of lying losers.
The vast majority of the American public does not read well. They skim and do not care about details. They saw a truck for sale. They are idiots.
Delete'57 VW Bus in 1968 w/1100 cc. Geez, what a slug.
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't much better in '59 with the 1200 36 horse power!
DeleteIn answer to the title, valet services, apparently. Many of them are putting up signs that they won’t take stick shifts.
ReplyDeleteMy vw bus has a different pattern on it...
ReplyDeleteThere is a guy that is starting a school to teach people how to drive a manual shift vehicle. It is called The Manual Driving Academy. How embarrassing to have to pay someone to teach you what your hot rod budby would do for a couple of Beers! Hopefully you would pay him after the lessons.
ReplyDeleteMaybe. A friend had a 20-something daughter who wanted to learn to drive manual, when I owned a VW diesel. I demurred, cause she was, politely, a bit stubborn and not a bit arrogant. I suggested a driving school, as she was already licensed. He told me much later, she did go to a school, dumped the clutch a little too abruptly, and rendered the car, ahem, stationary. I'm guessing she twisted off the tranny input shaft.
DeleteBullet dodged.
Looks to be out of a Ford pickup. Still have an 89 F150 inline 300 with that shift pattern and no it's not for sale.
ReplyDeleteAlso have a 73 chevy with same pattern. Truck nonetheless, bench seat and long shift stick
DeleteIf "literally" means "figuratively", what does figuratively mean?
ReplyDeletePedantic Man has arrived.
DeleteTook me a while to find a clean, low miles manual as my daily driver. So much more fun to drive than the brainlessmatics
ReplyDeleteMine is white, letters almost worn out. Sweet.
ReplyDeleteI have a knob like that in the 74 Stingray. It is not marked but there is a 5th gear above the reverse.
ReplyDeleteI had a '69 Mustang.
ReplyDeleteI have no idea what that "4" is for.
And in fairness, by actual experience, it would only do about 130+ at the top end of "3", so I really don't know why anyone would need a "4".
DeleteRarely drive an auto, a stick shift is way more fun.
ReplyDeleteI was born in the late 50s in California. My school taught us to drive but only on large sedans with automatics. My folks took me out and taught me to drive a stick as my Dad's old car had one. My Sis and Bro were much older than me but my parents taught them how to drive a stick also.
ReplyDeleteLater in life when I had kids I taught them to drive a stick on my old Toyota Truck. My wife had learn to drive a stick in her VW bug early. Today it is rare to see cars with sticks and even today's vehicle's with sticks in some high priced vehicles drive as automatics if the driver makes the setting so the use of the clutch is not needed.
Millennial anti-theft device.
ReplyDeleteI taught several "youngsters" how to drive a stick shift by putting them in my old Jeep with it set up in low 4 wheel drive and turning them loose in the desert. No lurching and they got smooth pretty quickly.
ReplyDeletecar I learned to drive on was a 62 Mercury Meteor (Longer wheelbase Mercury version of the Ford Fairlane) with the 221 V-8 and three on the tree, and a 67 Beetle,
ReplyDeletemy wifes parents made their girls learn to drive a manual, change a tire and jump start a car, before they allowed them to drive, and made em take their DMV road test in here dads Jeep J-10 pickup.
met her on a blind date, she was cute, smart (masters degree in mathamatics) same socio economic , and religious background as me, same goals in life, no crazy, no drama, AND she drove a manual trans car, and 31 years later, she still drives a manual car.