Is this common?

[deuces wild]

1 hour ago, CabDriver said:

I told the kid at the tire shop that my Mustang was ‘in gear’ to make sure he didn’t accidentally crank it and drive it thru their planter at the weekend - he said “oh…it’s a stick?  Cool!!!”

Im sure he’s seen plenty before, but I was surprised it was uncommon enough to be worth mentioning.

I suck at driving my wife’s (auto) Passat - I’m always trying to pump the non-existent third pedal and reaching down instinctively to change gear when the autobox isn’t quite doing what I wanted ?

I bought a'96 F150 with the auto trans and a 5.0L for winter driving... There's been lot's of times I reached for a floor shifter that wasn't there....???

[37 caddy]

If you really wanted to throw them for a loop,show up with a car that has the three on the tree column shift?.A lot of people have never even seen one let alone try and drive one,i learned how to drive on one 50 years ago. harvey

[Rocking Rodney Rat]

My oldest daughter learned on a stick (E36 BMW) which I gave her as her first car. When she went to college, I asked her if she ever let any classmates drive her car. "Dad, no one knows how to drive a stick!" "Perfect!" was my reply.... -RRR

[Big_John]

I taught my first wife how to drive a stick and once she got the hang of it, she actually enjoyed driving them.  One day she got stopped by a town cop for going through a yellow light.  She was driving an '82 Dodge Charger 2.2 we had at the time.  When the cop came up to the car, she fumbled around with the shifter and got him convinced that she was still learning how to drive a stick and pushed the light a bit so she didn't have to stop on the incline.  She said he laughed a little, gave her a warning to be more careful and let her go. 

Both my sons learned to drive with  a stick shift car.  My oldest told me that when his daughter comes of driving age in a couple years, he's going to teach her to drive a stick, jump start the car, and change a tire before she gets a license.  

 

 

 

[Rob Hall]

I've seen that on valet signs.  I've never tried to valet park one of my manual trans cars, though.

I learned to drive in the mid 80s in both automatics and manuals (my Dad's '79 Dodge Power Wagon 4x4 pickup, '85 Lincoln Town Car, and '84 Ford Escort diesel w/ 5spd manual), have owned several manuals (2 Fox body Mustangs, a Bronco II, an E36 BMW M3).   Still have my '87 Mustang GT w/ a manual and drive it occasionally.   My current primary vehicles have modern smooth automatics--my Jeep GC has a ZF 8 speed and my Cadillac a 10 speed. 

[Ace-Garageguy]

Personally, I dislike driving slushboxes.

I think they remove so much of the "driving" from the driving experience, you might as well be sitting on the couch stuffing your face, watching a video of driving.

Which I guess is sorta the point.

Most people seem to want as effort-free and intensity-free a life-experience as possible.

I'm really glad I'm not one of them.  

Edited May 21, 2024 by Ace-Garageguy

[Big_John]

This jogged my memory of something from a few years ago.  

This is an older  Brockway truck, sitting in the valet lane at a local hospital.  My wife had just had surgery and I was headed up to see her and I used free valet parking instead of the $$$ garage.  

So... I asked one of the valets about it and he told me that nobody was even going to try to move it.  Actually, nobody there could drive it anyway, so they said it was fine right there. 

They built Brockway trucks just south of here and every year, there's a truck show.  I didn't get any details, but the show was that day and that would explain the truck.  Why it was parked at the hospital could be for a lot of reasons... 

 

 

Edited May 21, 2024 by Big_John

[StevenGuthmiller]

1 hour ago, Big_John said:

This jogged my memory of something from a few years ago.  

This is an older  Brockway truck, sitting in the valet lane at a local hospital.  My wife had just had surgery and I was headed up to see her and I used free valet parking instead of the $$$ garage.  

So... I asked one of the valets about it and he told me that nobody was even going to try to move it.  Actually, nobody there could drive it anyway, so they said it was fine right there. 

They built Brockway trucks just south of here and every year, there's a truck show.  I didn't get any details, but the show was that day and that would explain the truck.  Why it was parked at the hospital could be for a lot of reasons... 

 

 

We’ve had instances at our facility where someone has asked us to park a truck, such as a semi tractor.

Of course, we are not allowed to park these vehicles for a number of reasons.

Number one, licensing is generally an issue, but also just the incompatibility with our parking facilities.

There are certain instances where we are not allowed to park a vehicle, such as pets, fire arms or ammunition, drugs or drug paraphernalia, and general cleanliness are some of the reasons why we must decline service.

Cleanliness is up to our discretion.

 

 

 

Steve

[Musclecarbuilder]

15 hours ago, CabDriver said:

I told the kid at the tire shop that my Mustang was ‘in gear’ to make sure he didn’t accidentally crank it and drive it thru their planter at the weekend - he said “oh…it’s a stick?  Cool!!!”

Im sure he’s seen plenty before, but I was surprised it was uncommon enough to be worth mentioning.

I suck at driving my wife’s (auto) Passat - I’m always trying to pump the non-existent third pedal and reaching down instinctively to change gear when the autobox isn’t quite doing what I wanted ?

I feel you man! My 94 F150 is a 5-speed and whenever I drive an auto I push my left foot down to the non-existent clutch pedal. ? 

[Musclecarbuilder]

I'm the only one out of my friend group that knows how to drive a stick, I actually taught one of my friends how to drive one and he wants one of his own now. Its crazy that no one knows how to drive one nowadays. ?

[espo]

6 hours ago, Big_John said:

I taught my first wife how to drive a stick and once she got the hang of it, she actually enjoyed driving them.  One day she got stopped by a town cop for going through a yellow light.  She was driving an '82 Dodge Charger 2.2 we had at the time.  When the cop came up to the car, she fumbled around with the shifter and got him convinced that she was still learning how to drive a stick and pushed the light a bit so she didn't have to stop on the incline.  She said he laughed a little, gave her a warning to be more careful and let her go. 

Both my sons learned to drive with  a stick shift car.  My oldest told me that when his daughter comes of driving age in a couple years, he's going to teach her to drive a stick, jump start the car, and change a tire before she gets a license.  

 

 

 

 Dor you think you could have pulled that one?    I'll bet your pretty wife would be the only one to pull off that ruse 

[Big_John]

3 minutes ago, espo said:

 Dor you think you could have pulled that one?    I'll bet your pretty wife would be the only one to pull off that ruse 

Nope...   The best I can do is minimize any damage.  I have gotten out of a couple though, but I think that was usually due to not being a jerk to the cop and a bit of luck.  

My current wife (21 years this summer) had the procedure down...   Unbutton the top button or two and generate a tear or two.  Until she got stopped by a female sheriff.  She got the speeding ticket that time.   

 

[espo]

36 minutes ago, Big_John said:

Nope...   The best I can do is minimize any damage.  I have gotten out of a couple though, but I think that was usually due to not being a jerk to the cop and a bit of luck.  

My current wife (21 years this summer) had the procedure down...   Unbutton the top button or two and generate a tear or two.  Until she got stopped by a female sheriff.  She got the speeding ticket that time.   

 

I have never been able to get out of a ticket. I in fact have gotten tickets when I wasn't even speeding. One of the draw backs to having a Hugger Orange '69 Camaro at the time. 

[StevenGuthmiller]

1 hour ago, espo said:

I have never been able to get out of a ticket. I in fact have gotten tickets when I wasn't even speeding. One of the draw backs to having a Hugger Orange '69 Camaro at the time. 

I actually had a deputy sheriff pull me over once just because he wanted to get a good look at my motorcycle!

He literally told me that! ?

 

 

Steve

Edited May 21, 2024 by StevenGuthmiller

[Big_John]

1 hour ago, espo said:

I have never been able to get out of a ticket. I in fact have gotten tickets when I wasn't even speeding. One of the draw backs to having a Hugger Orange '69 Camaro at the time. 

I had a few '69 Roadrunners other cars like that and quite honestly, the cops left me alone.  I managed to stay under their radar most of the time.  Not that I didn't deserve a ticket or three... LOL!

My youngest son had a beat up Ford truck that was several colors and a lot of primer.  He kept getting stopped because the cops kept figuring he was someone else that they had been looking for.  So, when he was out of  town, his brother and I sprayed his truck with some Rustoleum  red thinned with acetone and surprised him.   That cut the traffic stops way down... 

It looked good from 20'.  The semi truck in the background was my step-sons. 

 

 

[ZTony8]

21 hours ago, CabDriver said:

I told the kid at the tire shop that my Mustang was ‘in gear’ to make sure he didn’t accidentally crank it and drive it thru their planter at the weekend - he said “oh…it’s a stick?  Cool!!!”

Im sure he’s seen plenty before, but I was surprised it was uncommon enough to be worth mentioning.

I suck at driving my wife’s (auto) Passat - I’m always trying to pump the non-existent third pedal and reaching down instinctively to change gear when the autobox isn’t quite doing what I wanted ?

On the rare occasion now that I drive an automatic equipped vehicle I brake with my left foot just to give it something to do.I love my manual trans cars.When I was married to the now ex wife we had an auto trans car(mainly for her usage) but I retained my '84 Z-28 5 speed.She left and I suffered through a '97 Audi A6 wagon until it decided to eat its head gaskets and I got my 2008 HHR stick.

[ZTony8]

22 hours ago, CabDriver said:

I told the kid at the tire shop that my Mustang was ‘in gear’ to make sure he didn’t accidentally crank it and drive it thru their planter at the weekend - he said “oh…it’s a stick?  Cool!!!”

Im sure he’s seen plenty before, but I was surprised it was uncommon enough to be worth mentioning.

I suck at driving my wife’s (auto) Passat - I’m always trying to pump the non-existent third pedal and reaching down instinctively to change gear when the autobox isn’t quite doing what I wanted ?

On the rare occasion now that I drive an automatic equipped vehicle I brake with my left foot just to give it something to do.I love my manual trans cars.When I was married to the now ex wife we had an auto trans car(mainly for her usage) but I retained my '84 Z-28 5 speed.She left and I suffered through a '97 Audi A6 wagon until it decided to eat its head gaskets and I got my 2008 HHR stick.

[Bucky]

At the ripe old age of ten, I learned to drive in my Granddad's '55 Ford F-100 flatbed.  V-8 with three-on-the-tree. He lived out in the country and I got to drive that truck all over the place!

[NOBLNG]

My wife has always driven standards. She currently has a 2014 Jeep JKU  with a six speed. I sure like my 2013 MX5 PRHT with the M6 transmission.?

[von Zipper]

Has any one else thought about this scene while reading this post ? That guy could drive a manual transmission !

" Uhhh..you fellas have 'nuthing to worry about ...Im a professional"

 

[StevenGuthmiller]

47 minutes ago, von Zipper said:

Has any one else thought about this scene while reading this post ? That guy could drive a manual transmission !

" Uhhh..you fellas have 'nuthing to worry about ...Im a professional"

 

I’ve jokingly brought this scene up to many of the patients that we park for at the cancer center where I work.

It’s always good for a laugh, along with offering to call a cab for them when they lose their valet claim ticket. ?

 

 

 

Steve

[mk11]

On 5/20/2024 at 11:58 AM, Can-Con said:

Do you have any idea how hard it is to text when you need one hand to work the steering thingy and one to work that gear thingy? ?

[peteski]

On 5/20/2024 at 6:23 PM, StevenGuthmiller said:

Not to mention the fact that you have to learn how to use your left foot!! ?

Steve

Sometimes I ride behind drivers using both feet in their automatic cars.  They are easy to spot because their left foot must be tired, as they are constantly riding the brakes (they brake lights are on most of the time).   I never understood that.  In emergency braking situation your reflex likely will be to stomp on both pedals!  Plus the automatics aren't designed to comfortable place and keep both feet on the pedals.

[Ace-Garageguy]

2 minutes ago, peteski said:

Sometimes I ride behind drivers using both feet in their automatic cars.  They are easy to spot because their left foot must be tired, as they are constantly riding the brakes (they brake lights are on most of the time).   I never understood that.  In emergency braking situation your reflex likely will be to stomp on both pedals!  Plus the automatics aren't designed to comfortable place and keep both feet on the pedals.

While there's some truth to that, depending on the car and specific pedal placement, I'll often left-foot-brake when driving an automatic...but I never ride the brakes as so many seem to do.

In the hands of a skilled and practiced driver, tests have verified that the reaction time is significantly quicker hitting the brakes with the left foot, as opposed to lifting the right foot from the gas pedal and moving it over to the brake pedal.

A guy who I knew racing slaloms decades ago was amazingly fast in automatics, and one of his tricks was left-foot braking.

Using it to advantage is, of course, rarely the case with the average dozy incompetent behind the wheel.

 

[Bills72sj]

On 5/21/2024 at 1:11 PM, espo said:

I have never been able to get out of a ticket. I in fact have gotten tickets when I wasn't even speeding. One of the draw backs to having a Hugger Orange '69 Camaro at the time. 

Between the age of 20 to 30. I had been pulled over THIRTEEN times. I was let go with a warning EVERY SINGLE TIME. After that time period though , not so much.