But yeah if you're ever stuck in stop-and-go traffic you could end up with a very sore left calf. (Says the girl who would never give up her stick no matter what)

I've gotta learn.

I had a former co-worker who was a former driving instructor and he promised to teach me properly and then left the company. Harumph. As if the world isn't supposed to be arranged purely for my convenience.

I learned how to drive on a stick. Dad wouldn't let us learn any other way. My first automatic I bought five years ago and I will love it forever. Manual transmissions may seem sporty and cool, but after driving them for almost 20 years I can tell you they are not worth it. Especially in Seattle. I was terrified driving and stopping on those hills with some idiot in an automatic on my ass.

Umm. Yeah. I guess I feel strongly about this.

I learned how to drive on a stick. Dad wouldn't let us learn any other way. My first automatic I bought five years ago and I will love it forever. Manual transmissions may seem sporty and cool, but after driving them for almost 20 years I can tell you they are not worth it. Especially in Seattle. I was terrified driving and stopping on those hills with some idiot in an automatic on my ass.

Hey! I still drive in Seattle on a stick! Until we replace it. With a non-stick.

I only have occasional moments of rollback fear. Usually on Bell as you head up the hill.

(And did we have the same Dad? I also was made to learn on a stick. Of course, my folks went automatic a few years ago, as did my sister, so I'm the last holdout in the bunch.)

I still get pissed when someone stops right on my ass on a hill. I want to yell out the window, "can't you see I'm driving a five speed?!!" even though at this point I don't have to roll back at all. When I was learning some guy got right behind me and my sister pulled on the emergency break, got out of the car and told him he better back the hell up up.

I learned how to drive on a stick. Dad wouldn't let us learn any other way.

Yeah, I learned how to drive in rush hour traffic on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Had they made us learn on a stick, I think it would've taken more than two tries to pass my road test.

ETA: So I can't drive a stick. But, you can bet your ass, I could drive a taxi.

So I can't drive a stick. But you can bet your ass I could drive a taxi.

I learned on a stick too. But there weren't really a lot of other cars to hit where I learned. Fire hydrants, yes. I think I got bonus points (and my license suspended before I actually had a license) for that one.

Maybe "taxi driver" should be my backup plan. In a non Travis Bickle way.

Kristen, I can also show you how to drive stick.

I learned when my BATT taught me which was miserable. It was an explanation + 1 30 minute session of driving. I never drove stick again but I used to dream about how to do it. Then one day, due to street cleaning, I had to move a car that was stick and voila! I could do it after years of dreaming it.

Then I went to Ohio, picked up the miata, which is a standard transmission, and drove it back.

I love driving standards. More control. I don't mind the traffic or the rest of it. It's just that driving stick puts you closer to the machine. And I drove a standard transmission all through my time in the Bay Area (Divis. with a stick is feat of confidence) and I wouldn't have changed it there.

Even on the hill outside of your place, it's not a problem. In fact, the hillier it is, the better to have a standard transmission because it will last longer.

I only have occasional moments of rollback fear. Usually on Bell as you head up the hill.

This gives me a panic attack. Seriously.

But, you can bet your ass, I could drive a taxi.

HEE!

In fact, the hillier it is, the better to have a standard transmission because it will last longer.

This is true. The same can't be said for your sanity.