Can you drive a manual transmission vehicle?

Yup.

As I'm sure many people have said on here, in the UK driving a manual is the norm. I personally really like using a manual gearbox, but I'm thinking of getting an automatic for my next car. Namely for the reason that my girlfriend wants to learn how to drive properly, but can't deal with a manual gearbox.

I don't believe you.

You're going to Japan. You better be able to drive manual, Fattony!

Err, I've been and come back from Japan already! Like, last month! I WAS SO FAR IN THE FUTURE YOU JUST DIDN'T REALISE I HAD GONE!

But yes, I can totally rip sick manual styles. It's the standard for the UK.

Sure sure, but I don't ever remember you making a blog or series of blogs talking about how your trip was. You have an obligation, Fattony! *hinthint*

So, now the real question is... when is the next time you are going to Japan? And will your manual driving skills be ready?

@truthtellah: Oh, all that stuff is coming fo sure. But right now I'm mainly trying to move forward with the video format, it's fucking fun (but also fucking hard) to edit down the dozens upon dozens upon dozens of gigs of footage that I shot.

And yes, I am practising my Tokyo Drifting.

I can only drive manual. Automatic scares me. You can't let go of the break, or the car will jump forward, as if by magic. No, I prefer manual transmission, the way God intended it.

I expect to see some video soon, mister!

And I especially expect to see some multi-track drifting. :|

@truthtellah: Well, I did just post the first vid up above ^ the Akihabara and Shibuya and Den-Den Town and Monster Hunter The Real stuff is gone be cool, I hope.

I didn't do any driving whilst over there this time, but I'll make sure to hit up those...pink slips...for my next visit to Glorious Nippon.

In Austria that way as well. If you choose to do your test in an automatic you're not allowed to drive a manual until you do the test in one I think.

I've never driven automatic though I haven't driven anything in over a year.

Automatic is for people that view the car only as a mean to get from point a to b and want to have as little as possible to do with it otherwise. Soon you guys wont have to drive at all but instead leave it to an google robot.

I totaly respect that but i myself enjoy driving and that includes turning the wheel and changing gears.

@seikenfreak: Cars always looks so much better in parking garages. Not sure why. Nice rides.

Do Europeans really think American roads are just flat interstates? That's hilarious. My state alone has 8,751 feet of elevation change, so if you don't think there are some great, curvy back roads to enjoy, I can't help you. As for manual transmissions, they're terrific unless you're in stop-and-go traffic. I refused to even consider an automatic on my car.

I think everyone should drive a car worth driving mated to a manual transmission at least once in their life. Hitting that perfect gear change and feathering the gas/clutch while drifting around a corner in complete control is one of the great joys in life. One of the best days I've ever had was a day where I put my wife in the car, started driving around in the Texas Hill Country and just drove until we saw something worth stopping for, and then got back in and kept going. Sometimes I was just cruising, and other times I really got on it and started blazing around turns with the wife excitedly yelling like a kid on a rollercoaster. That was pure fun, and with Ludovico Einaudi playing through the stereo, it was serenity as well.

I wish our driving tests required that everyone learn stick and practice some skid control. Not just for emergency situations and safety; I just think a bunch of people who only drive automatics slowly and thus think driving is just some mundane method of getting from point a to b don't know what they're missing. And yes, I am proud to drive a manual. It's a skill worth having. Below is a picture of my car (Nissan 350z Grand Touring). Any time I need some therapy, I just hop in and find some open road.

Can drive both and have driven both. Manual is a lot better. It feels like I'm gripping the car by the balls, the control over a manual car is tight.

Sold my automatic 2 years ago and got myself a sexy manual Seat Cordoba.

Exactly! There's been a few times where I thought I'd have to roll down the window and yell at them to back up, for both our sakes.

Well it looks to me you need to practice some and get more confident and relaxed in your driving if your getting stressed out and hurt your legs by driving a stick.

Yep. It's just like dating, if you can't find em, grind em.

I can not drive a stick. I have been taught but it just never works out how it was intended to, lol

Just taught my friend how to drive manual the other day before we go on this crazy hike in a huge gorge this weekend. I think anyone who drives should learn how to. I do a lot of really dangerous hiking and climbing, and have had situations where I got injured and anyone with me couldn't drive my standard car. It's a nightmare of a situation.

I'm exaggerating for the sake of a joke about the leg part. But on a hill, in bumper-to-bumper traffic, it's much easier on the mind to drive an automatic. Given, most modern manuals do have some kind of anti roll-back systems, but mine is from '02. Like I said, fine for suburbs and awesome on open roads, but it's one more thing to deal with in traffic where everyone else is being an ignorant asshole and ignoring the rules of the road. I've been driving manual for years now, I'm plenty practiced and confident. The thing is that driving is not dependent solely on me, a great deal of responsibility is also on all of the pricks around me.

I drove an automatic for ten years before getting a manual a few years ago. If Forza didn't have a clutch button, I probably would have never become interested in learning to do my own shifting. I'm not great at it, but it makes driving much more enjoyable.

@hamborgini: It's funny you should mention Forza, because while it is second nature for me to shift while driving a car, I cannot do manual shifting in racing games unless it is in an arcade and has a shift lever, I even have problems with paddle shifters. For some reason what is done subconsciously by my feet and right arm I cannot get my mind to do with my fingers. The only time I can do manual shifting in a racing game is drag races