Driving A Manual Car Again.

[icyfroth]

Panelbeater rings me up this morning, asks me if I can drive a manual gear shift.

I says yeah but I haven't driven one in years.

He says well I can't get an auto courtesy car til tomorrow but if you want to take the manual you can bring your car in today.

I say ok.

I managed to drive it out of the yard without bunny-hopping it lol. Stalled it a cpl times at the lights. Paranoid about any hill starts, scared of rolling back.

But I got used to it by the time I drove home. 🙂 Some things you never forget. Like riding a bike.

[azureline**]

I learned in a manual, got my licence in one, drove it for about 5 years and then got an auto................. can't believe I wasted 5 years not having one! Never again, too much else to do when driving to worry about changing gears.

[icyfroth]

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@lloydslights wrote:

I learnt to parallel park with 4 cardboard boxes as guides.  2 lenthwise pretending to be a vehicle and 2 widthwise as the front of another car.   Often been clapped for my prowess at parking.

I would class manual driving as a "skill".  And like a lot of my skills, now obsolete.

DEB

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You're right up there with your namesake Deborra-Lee Furness, then Deb 🙂

Deborra-Lee Furness masters an incredible parallel park while Hugh Jackman cheers on

The acclaimed actress and wife of hunky star Hugh Jackman managed to squeeze the couple’s huge four-wheel drive into a very tight spot in New York City today.

So proud was Jackman of the remarkable effort that he snapped a picture and shared it with his legion of Facebook fans.

They clearly liked it too — after just an hour, the snap had amassed more than 25,000 likes.

“For those of you who live in NYC, you know this effort is epic!” the Wolverine star wrote.

Entire Article Here

I only parallel park if there's no other choice.

[softail-joanie]

383 small block

Chevy v8

5speed manual,

370 rear gear

9" Ford

.. 4wheel

disc brakes,

6 way adjustable

coilovers

4 link or ladder

bar rear

suspention

Kicker DX700

amp w/ single

15" XPL sub-

woofer

Dash unit that

can read music

from SD card

and internet

capable w/

mouse and key-

board access

ports...

[dwilke33]

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@icyfroth wrote:

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@lloydslights wrote:

I learnt to parallel park with 4 cardboard boxes as guides.  2 lenthwise pretending to be a vehicle and 2 widthwise as the front of another car.   Often been clapped for my prowess at parking.

I would class manual driving as a "skill".  And like a lot of my skills, now obsolete.

DEB

---

You're right up there with your namesake Deborra-Lee Furness, then Deb 🙂

Deborra-Lee Furness masters an incredible parallel park while Hugh Jackman cheers on

The acclaimed actress and wife of hunky star Hugh Jackman managed to squeeze the couple’s huge four-wheel drive into a very tight spot in New York City today.

So proud was Jackman of the remarkable effort that he snapped a picture and shared it with his legion of Facebook fans.

They clearly liked it too — after just an hour, the snap had amassed more than 25,000 likes.

“For those of you who live in NYC, you know this effort is epic!” the Wolverine star wrote.

Entire Article Here

I only parallel park if there's no other choice.

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Me too. 🙂

[polksaladallie]

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@dwilke33 wrote:

I learned to drive with a stick shift (manual), but the last one I personally owned was back in the late 80's.  Although during that time and since I worked for a state transportation department and all of our pickups were 4 on the floor or 3 on the column.

My poor kids had to learn how to drive with a stick also...all I had at the time.  They have no regrets.

I love my current Honda Accord which is automatic, but sometimes when stopped on a hill I reminisce about keeping the gas and clutch in that perfect position to hold the car in place.  🙂

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That was my point.  Still do that with an automatic.  Reminisce away.

When I got my driving licence, slipping the clutch on a hill (in a manual car) was part of the test.

[icyfroth]

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@polksaladallie wrote:

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@dwilke33 wrote:

I learned to drive with a stick shift (manual), but the last one I personally owned was back in the late 80's.  Although during that time and since I worked for a state transportation department and all of our pickups were 4 on the floor or 3 on the column.

My poor kids had to learn how to drive with a stick also...all I had at the time.  They have no regrets.

I love my current Honda Accord which is automatic, but sometimes when stopped on a hill I reminisce about keeping the gas and clutch in that perfect position to hold the car in place.  🙂

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That was my point.  Still do that with an automatic.  Reminisce away.

When I got my driving licence, slipping the clutch on a hill (in a manual car) was part of the test.

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[rabbitearbandicoot]

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@**bob_on_the_go** wrote:

I went on youtube and watched a video, I learnt to drive a manual that way. 

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How old are you Bob? Youtube? They hadn't invented computers when I learned to drive. I learned in my uncle's old Ford Anglia - 3 on-the-floor. I was about 6 I think, when I borrowed it and took it for a drive.

[joz*garage]

almost always my muscle cars were stick shift manuals, they had to be! i didnt want it to change gears for me

on a hill stop start i cant remember what i did,  i think the clutch in, first gear selected, right foot on the brake.. then floored it

i dont believe haveing the clutch engaged slightly on idle [i remember i did that quite a bit] would have any affect on wearing the clutch out

[lurker172602]

I have always had manual cars, except for a short time when we had a falcon station wagon.  It is so natural for me I don't even think about it when I change up or down, it just happens 🙂

i used used to be quite proud of myself when I could parallel park my Kombi   Not quite so remarkable now in my Jazz. 

I taught all of of our boys to drive.  I'm sure it shortened my lifespan 

[icyfroth]

Picked up my car yesterday, it's all beautiful again. They even washed it and vacuumed inside.

Had a bit of trouble getting unused to the manual shift and getting re-used to the auto.

Tried to clutch in when stopping. Hand went to an imaginary gearstick while slowing. 

Windscreen wipers and indicators are back in their proper place too, lol.