learning to drive a stick from a textbook is like trying to have sex with a plastic bag, it just isn't going to happen.

anyways, I've never had to deal with the e-brake trick and i live in San Fran. I've just learned to put some pressure onto the gas before you release the clutch and you don't roll back at all even on steep ass inclines.

Manuals are such awesome cars, I can't drive an automatic because i hate the lack of power and feeling of control they provide.

Aww man after reading all this I feel since I've been driving automatic I've been living a lie.

It's not so much that you've been living a lie, it's just that you apparently desire driving stick.

If you want the extra control involved with manual, by all means go for it. Get a general idea of how to do it, and then practice it in an open, quiet area.

I frankly don't care if I have this control or not. I just want to get from point A to point B. I don't want to have to think about what gear I'm in, and when to shift to the next (although this becomes instinct as you'll get better and more accustomed to it.)

It's all about your mindset as a driver.

(why am I speaking like a drive)

what if you have a plastic fetish

I really don't recommend it, but I learned how to drive stick playing Hard Drivin in the arcade. I loved it because when you shift at high speeds, you feel the resistance of the clutch. That was honestly the best car simulator I ever worked with. I only don't recommend it because the game has a lot less distractions than regular driving (yeah I'm from Chicago).

As for motorcycles, you're completely on your own on that one.

i've only driven manual lawnmower and arcade game but i know how. part of how i learned it was from reading this article about manual tranmissions and this one about clutches, which i mainly read so i'll know kinda how to fix my car (that i don't have yet) when it breaks down. apperently you're notsupposed to release the clutch so slowly or it'll wear down the clutch pad

Learning to drive Manual by reading about it is like learning to perform open-heart surgery by reading about it.

Nah, more like riding a bike. There's not an immense amount of skill involved, really. Just a lot of feel and a few tricks.

Is learning manual complex or hard? No. But it's something that you absolutely HAVE to do by doing, not reading. Noone EVER read a book and then got in a Manual and drove away flawlessly. EVERYONE stalls a few times, peels out a few times, and grinds gears a few times before they get the hang of it.

I got a great laugh out of this because I am good at Hard Drivin, but I suck so bad at Trauma Center: Under The Knife.

ArrowHead is right. It is just like riding a bike. It is even more similar if the bike has a multiple set of gears (like a 10 speed). It takes a second to get the hang of it, but once you know it, you know it for life.

I was also curious if anybody here has driven an 18 wheeler. I never had the chance to learn, but a couple of my friends have Class A CDLs. I always wanted to get the feeling of shifting through all 18 gears.

I drive a stick and it is actually quite fun once you get the hang of it.

Double Post:

That game is really hard. I am was stuck for a long time, but you will get better.

Alright. It's not just me. It does just take a lot of practice. Of course in real life, I might get EMT certified at best.

Pfft, fuck that. I've never had to use the e-brake, even on hills. That's the mark of a good driver, if you know how to balance the accelerator/clutch pedals so the car doesn't move, even on hills.

If you're first learning, I'd recommend finding a car with a stiff clutch, because the feel will be exaggerated for you and the beefier the clutch, the less likely you are to burn it.

I recently bought an '99 Integra GS-R, it has a nice stiff clutch, especially for a Honda, because they tend to have lower-torqe clutches. Because they have close-ratio transmissions, they don't need higher torque engines. The car I had before that was a '01 Mitsubishi Lancer, it had a lot of bottom end grunt for a 4cyl and a great clutch for a learner.

Just remember, you don't need a tach, I recommend learning it by sound and feel, get to know your car first. Find an empty parking lot and go to town. It took me a couple of sessions of practice before I got it, first. Eventually, you don't even think about it, like riding a bike.

If you want the thrill of shifting gears without the damn clutch getting in the way, get a automatic 91 Honda Accord. Mine has a "stick" that lets you go into 1st, 2nd, Drive 3 and Drive 4 without having to learn how to shift. It's the first sedan I've ever driven and the 4th vehicle overall (It'd be th 2nd if you don't count the near identical minivans and Mazda RX-7 I unsuccessfully tried to drive) and I adapted to it right away.

I don't use the e-brake either. I mean it would have to be a really really steep hill to use it.

I do however encourage to put the car in neutral and puting on the brakes while at red lights. It will keep your clutch in tact as it gets older.

I