Manual vs Automatic (Split from Driving a BTR)

[kato13]

Sounds like the rule of thumb will likely be along the lines of:

American = automatic only (95% of the time)
Anyone else - high chance of manual proficiency

95% seems way too high. I live in an urban area of the US and about 25% of the drivers I know have driven stick at one point in their life. It would of course decrease as you skew younger and increase as you skew rural.

If you put me behind a stick in a crisis the car would die on me a few times, but after an hour of driving I am sure it would seem like second nature again.

Currently car manufacturers make between 2-10% of their cars with a manual transmission. During the T2k time line it would have been a bit higher.

[jester]

I would think the following catagories would automativcaly know how to drive a stick:

Gear heads and mechanics

People who are crazy about cars or a specific model. The Volkswagen bugs for example have a following as do VW vans and most are stick.

Guys who spent alot of time in auto shop in school

Rural people most know.

Motorcyclists, most you shift.

Speed freaks,

Folks who worked construction or on or around heavy vehicles and equipment like construction.

I would say that if your characters had those backgrounds then they would most than likely have the ability to drive a manual.

However, the familairity with that type of stick shift is another storey, even I ONCE only ONCE had problems with a manual I was unfamilair with, it was backwards, reverse was where 1st is normaly at.

I today have two stick sifts and the reverse is in yet another different place, it is where 5th is on my other truck, to the right more than normal and up, whereas it is oposite on my other truck, the thing is both are dodges, although one is japanese made. And then the FIAT is normal lol well when it runs that is

[Legbreaker]

Hmm, seems like a little research needs to be done then to ascertain the percentages. I'm sure one of the various automotive groups in the US have done something like that.

Anyone over in that part of the world able to check into it

[Targan]

So Kato, Raellus' original thread topic is cool and deserves attention of its own. Could we please perhaps have a new "Stick vs Automatic" thread

[Rupert Willies]

My brother used to drive and roll cigarettes. That was both awesome and scary at the same time. Adding to the fact that this was "special cigarettes" that needed extra preparations, including lighter-drying the tobacco and baking the hash, the whole picture is retrospectively quite insane. Glad those days are in the past.

I learned to drive on a stick but have probably only driven like 10 hours on one since then. If you live in a city with lots of stop and go traffic it is annoying.

Also we need that second hand to hold our coffee, burger or phone though I have seen people holding the phone and shifting. Yes that means ZERO hands on the wheel.

[rabbakahn]

I don't know about the 95% for americans. 20 some years ago it was common place to find someone driving a manual here in the central valley of California. Not just manly men either... You could find women, kids, men, old folks, most any kind of driver. Granted that was 20+ years ago, so I have no idea what it is like now. I blew my left knee out some time back and quit driving manual cars; quit driving at all actually.

[Mohoender]

LOL

From what I read about manual gear, I know how to stop the US Army. You don't even need a gun.

[Mohoender]

I would think the following catagories would automativcaly know how to drive a stick:

Anyone who is not american. Except for the oldest of you guys.

[Mohoender]

I started that day with a bad mood. Now, I'll be laughing my ass off for the entire night. Thanks. LOL, LOL, LOL (no offense). Now I understand why you always find a Russian among a US unit in T2K. Either they find one or they simply walk.

[Trooper]

Well here in Finland they dont sell cars with automatic gear. Don't ask why. Use manual or walk. It's not illegal to own car with automatic gear, but for some reason everybody is using stick

[kato13]

Trooper glad you posted. Thanks for that piece of information.

[Legbreaker]

I think this all reinforces my thoughts....

Americans are lazy!

[pmulcahy11b]

I think this all reinforces my thoughts....

Americans are lazy!

I'd answer that charge, but I don't have the motivation...

[pmulcahy11b]

LOL

From what I read about manual gear, I know how to stop the US Army. You don't even need a gun.

That's more true than you think -- when I left the Army, they had just about all stick vehicles replaced with ones using automatic transmissions. The only stick vehicles you saw regularly were older 5-ton and 2.5-ton trucks -- even the old jeeps were gone soon after I went on active duty.

[jester]

Very well, lets see if the gear set up is the same

In the U.S, the set up of a most manual transmissions is set up as follows:


1st Gear is left and forward

2nd Gear left and to the rear

3rd Center and forward

4th Center and to the rear

5th <not all manuals have a 5th gear> to the right and forward <1 vehicle is was right and rear>

Reverse on most is to the right and rear,

How are they set up for you guys in Europe, Oz and Asia


That would be funny if the PC is used to a manual transmission and jumps into one thinking "no problem" and when they put it in 1st it turns out to be reverse. Sorry it's just the evil GM with a bit of prankster in me