Am I totally lame

College Confidential Community
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<p>...for not knowing how to drive stick yet? I'm learning, but it's a slow process (mostly because I have very limited access to manual cars on which to learn). Driving stick is so much more difficult than I thought before--it's almost like learning to drive all over again. I'm always stalling, or in the wrong gear, or the kind owner of the car in question begins yelling at me for somehow messing up his engine by doing something I don't even realize I did. </p>

<p>However, it seems like EVERYONE knows how to drive manual. I work at Jiffy Lube, and I'm the only employee who can't drive stick in traffic (I can drive in and out of the bays). How many people really know how to drive manual in the real world, and how hard is it for most people to catch on? Am I just a total idiot? Where does everyone learn, unless they own a manual themselves? I'm sorry, but my ego is hurting!</p>

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<p>I'm 14 and my aunt said she is going to show me next time I'm over her house. Sweet.........</p>

<p>Uhhh.....I don't think your lame, man.....or girl.</p>

<p>I wanna be brown is right though.</p>

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<p>you are pretty lame for posting on collegeconfidential if you are lame because you don't drive stick.</p>

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<p>I've decided that happypoo is a girl</p>

<p>I did not come to that conclusion because she cannot drive stick</p>

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<p>Could have fooled me.</p>

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<p>I'm an 18 year old guy and I can't drive stick. So sue me.</p>

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<p>Okay I'll send you the papers,brand.</p>

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<p>No, no, I'm serious! I want to get opinions here-- can most people drive stick?</p>

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<p>lol I won't check my mail. And I'm going to hire a PI to dig up some really nasty stuff a/b your past...turn this s*** around on you. Get ready. It's on.</p>

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<p>Alright *****!</p>

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<p>happypoo - your question has already been answered by i wanna brown...she said you're lame.</p>

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<p>Ugh.......</p>

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<p>lol i'd suggest going to bed and waking up to about 10 replies in the morning. then you can determine whether you are truly lame or not. Until then, you'll have to fight the nightmares and get a good night sleep. I doubt you're lame, but only time will tell.</p>

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<p>Umm, from what I know most people either aren't good at driving stick or just aren't motivated enough to learn [and people are like oh it's easy, okay then, please don't create such an incredible shift in movement when switching gears and then i'll get back to ya ;)] but yeah, i'll just stick to automatic myself :D</p>

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<p>ah, driving a stick...goodtimes. Dont worry about it, the only way to really learn to drive a stick is to have a manual transmission car that you drive everyday...pretty much forcing you to drive the stick...it takes a while to get fluent at it...but once you learn you're better than most because no one around here can drive a stick</p>

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<p>I dont understnad why people would even want to learn to drive a manual car (unless they own one)
and unless they're car racers or whatever..
My parent's car is auto/manual interchangeable and I've driven manual-ly couple of times and it was just pointless.. why would you want to drive difficultly when you can drive an auto with ease?</p>

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<p>i'm gonna be 18 in november and i cant drive at all. so you're OK :)
NoFX, there's more to it than you think. Manuals have slightly better gas mileage, driver has significantly better control of the car, they can accelerate faster, engine braking is also a useful thing.</p>

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<p>brand 182, i'm a guy</p>

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<p>my first car was stick - i learned how to drive on stick - i took my drivers test with a stick - and every car my family has ever had has been stick</p>

<p>no you're not lame, and unless you actually have any interest in cars i wouldn't really recommend it. stick has its advantages and disadvantages.</p>

<p>advantages -
-if you go to europe almost any car you rent will be stick
-"slightly better gas mileage"
-stick car has more power than the equivalent automatic (less friction loss) - great when driving a p.o.s. slow honda civic - gives you a little extra umph
-keeps you "paying attention" when you drive
-sportier ride (generally a car with a stick shift will have some sort of sporty suspension, although really economy cars won't have this)
-real sports cars are sticks.
-generally cheaper retail (automatics are usually options)
-cheaper to maintain, cheaper to fix than an automatic
-an excuse to not let people borrow your car</p>

<p>disadvantages
-definately worse gas mileage, anyone who tells you differently is unrealistic. yes you theoretically can get better mileage if you shift at 2500 rpms and go nice and easy - but most people who drive rev the engine a little higher, drive a little sportier etc. which will generally even it out or make you have worse mileage.
-can be annoying in traffic (although it does become 2nd nature after a while)
-if you suck at it, you can wear the clutch down fast, and it will be expensive to fix over and over.</p>

<p>in short, i wouldn't really recommend it unless you're looking for a super economy car, or you're a car enthusiast, or unless you just really like driving. the best sports cars in the world use tiptronic (pedaless clutch) and can shift faster than the best human drivers can.</p>

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<p>So are racecars manual? Do they have clutches and everything?</p>