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Tiff_7_17
12-14-2005, 03:00 PM
Definitely stick with it...it took me FOREVER to learn stick (on a car with no RPM guage, no less) but now i've mastered it (it honestly just takes practice) and I love it. I will never buy an auto vehicle again...this coming from a girl who was strictly auto for a long time! It DOES get easier, believe me.

Hang in there!

Tiff_7_17
12-14-2005, 03:01 PM
Oh and, as for it coming in handy...I had to drive my mom to the hospital once and the only vehicle to drive available was a standard...if I hadn't of been able to drive it who knows. This was also in a blizzard, when an ambulance wouldn't have even been able to make it to my house. Think about it.

GoldCoastGirl
12-14-2005, 08:15 PM
GCG, why not take the car out on some backroads to practice? Paying for all those lessons seems like a huge waste to me.

It isn't a waste of time when I cannot legally drive my manual/standard car without a person who has an open/manual license as a passenger. None of my friends can afford the time to be my passenger so I can legally do what you suggested. I could ILLEGALLY drive around without the L plate on my car (I can get from point A to point B just a little rough not polished enough to pass a driving test) however I do not want to run the risk of being found out thru whatever means (ie an accident). The car is insured and had a service however I just do not want to drive her illegally... and until I get that license.. I have to find friends who have an open/manual license (the few that do are really busy due to the time of year it is).

That is the reason I have the driving lessons. It is the only way I'm guaranteed any "drive time" at the moment. :(

A slight update :) My driving instructor took me thru a mock test situation. I am allowed 8 points (some errors are 1 point and others are 2 points) before I fail (9 points or over and it's a fail). Granted, I also did one or two 'critical errors' which means instant failure. :( So.. whilst I can get from point A to point B... I'm not polished enough to take the driving exam tho' I did suprise him by how compenantly I did it at that stage (I had 10 points). If I am a little smoother with the gear changes and check my mirrors every time I turn or do anything... I would've passed "by the skin of my teeth" :laughing:

Bridgette
12-15-2005, 05:15 PM
It's illegal for us to drive around unlicensed too, but many of us do it as teenagers in order to learn. The licensing regs are a bit too restrictive to me - except of course for those who are obviously too senile to be driving - they seem to be able to keep their licenses forever, despite the fact they have the reflexes and reaction time of a passed-out drunk, can't see for shit and can't seem to remember which pedal is gas/brake or to turn the damn turn signal off!! ::)

Are there no remote areas nearby where you could practice at all? I do understand not wanting to get caught driving illegally - just seems a bit much to have to pay all that for so many lessons. I would stick with the lessons if there's no other way to get practice. Might as well get that license as quickly as possible so you can drive freely!

onlythebest
12-15-2005, 05:17 PM
I learned how to drive a stick around the mall parking lot one Sunday night after they were closed for the day.

Madcap
12-15-2005, 11:36 PM
I learned how to drive a stick in a cemetary (This was when i learned how to drive). Hey, if i run anyone over i won't kill them, eh? That was also the one time in my life i ever saw my Dad really scared. LOL, i turned his face white.

Kat_onahot_tinroof
12-19-2005, 05:36 AM
^^^OMG Kat, a Hemi Cuda....now you're a woman with taste after my own heart! Gotta love good old American Muscle!!!

HELL YEA.....!! :D

Kat_onahot_tinroof
12-19-2005, 05:42 AM
It isn't a waste of time when I cannot legally drive my manual/standard car without a person who has an open/manual license as a passenger. None of my friends can afford the time to be my passenger so I can legally do what you suggested. I could ILLEGALLY drive around without the L plate on my car (I can get from point A to point B just a little rough not polished enough to pass a driving test) however I do not want to run the risk of being found out thru whatever means (ie an accident). The car is insured and had a service however I just do not want to drive her illegally... and until I get that license.. I have to find friends who have an open/manual license (the few that do are really busy due to the time of year it is).

That is the reason I have the driving lessons. It is the only way I'm guaranteed any "drive time" at the moment. :(

A slight update :) My driving instructor took me thru a mock test situation. I am allowed 8 points (some errors are 1 point and others are 2 points) before I fail (9 points or over and it's a fail). Granted, I also did one or two 'critical errors' which means instant failure. :( So.. whilst I can get from point A to point B... I'm not polished enough to take the driving exam tho' I did suprise him by how compenantly I did it at that stage (I had 10 points). If I am a little smoother with the gear changes and check my mirrors every time I turn or do anything... I would've passed "by the skin of my teeth" :laughing:


In reading this, I talked to a friend of mine who I ride with quite alot. He use to race motorcycles here in the US. He rides a CBR929rr Honda. Of course he is still like a big kid and does the Wheelies at 75 mph 1/2 mile or so down the roads; stoppies, ect.... (as a Harley Rider I'm more of a cruiser, just put me up there with the cowboys, just slow an easy for the ride) GRIN

Anyway he has been to Europe and all different parts of the world. He explained to me that in Certain parts of Europe you have to have so many years of schooling to even get your motorcycle license!! I thought....GAWD.... and I only took a weekend certified riders course a little over 2 years ago! He said there is major class time before they even let you touch a bike in Europe. So I guess in the US, they must think we are pretty crazy.... LOL...

However, their fatality rates are much lower than ours in the states when it comes to car accidents and motorcycles accidents. He even told me that in some places of Europe they have no speed limits imposed on their roads. Can you imagine what would happen if the US got rid of their speed limits?? Man O Man! ;D

Deogol
12-19-2005, 06:52 AM
In reading this, I talked to a friend of mine who I ride with quite alot. He use to race motorcycles here in the US. He rides a CBR929rr Honda. Of course he is still like a big kid and does the Wheelies at 75 mph 1/2 mile or so down the roads; stoppies, ect.... (as a Harley Rider I'm more of a cruiser, just put me up there with the cowboys, just slow an easy for the ride) GRIN

Anyway he has been to Europe and all different parts of the world. He explained to me that in Certain parts of Europe you have to have so many years of schooling to even get your motorcycle license!! I thought....GAWD.... and I only took a weekend certified riders course a little over 2 years ago! He said there is major class time before they even let you touch a bike in Europe. So I guess in the US, they must think we are pretty crazy.... LOL...

However, their fatality rates are much lower than ours in the states when it comes to car accidents and motorcycles accidents. He even told me that in some places of Europe they have no speed limits imposed on their roads. Can you imagine what would happen if the US got rid of their speed limits?? Man O Man! ;D


They say most motorcyclists have their accident in the first two years - after that the likelihood of one goes down.

Montana had no speed limit on some of their roads, but since they couldn't get ticket money (Supreme Court decision on the "vagueness" of the law) they decided a speed limit was good for them after all.

Miss Courtney
12-19-2005, 03:45 PM
keep with the lessons once you master it you will look back and wonder what you were worried about

proMarket
12-19-2005, 04:43 PM
I love manual...do what it takes to learn it. you'll save gas and make guys (even more) crazy for u. girls who drive stick make men wild...something phallic i think

DancerWealth
12-19-2005, 04:44 PM
I grew up driving automatics and learned years ago from an ex girlfriend how to drive her manual. Now both of my cars are manual transmissions (both sports cars) and I'll never go back to an automatic. It's just too damn much fun! Aside from the fun-factor though, many studies have shown that overall, people who drive manual transmissions are more alert on the road as they will tend to use cell phones less (kind of hard to dial and drive when both hands are occupied) and the rate of falling asleep at the wheel goes WAY down with stick-shift drivers. My wife's car is an automatic and I feel akward driving it now. I keep feeling like there's something I need to be doing. :) My advice is to stick with the stick.

As for the psudo-manual transmissions, generally those are not getting the positive reception many car makers thought they would. Paddle-shifters are the new hot item for high-end sports cars and I have yet to meet someone who is happy with them. I've talked to three owners of Ferrari 430s who got the paddle shifters and all three of them hated it. It's an $18,000 upgrade that sounded great when they got them but they all now wished they would have stayed with the manual stick shift instead.

GoldCoastGirl
12-19-2005, 10:10 PM
My wife's car is an automatic and I feel akward driving it now. I keep feeling like there's something I need to be doing.

:laughing: So this is what I have to look forward to now... whereas it was a case of an automatic driver being used to only using her right foot... it will be a case of my left foot (and hand) will be feeling very under-used... :laughing:

I had a driving lesson today. I'm still rough. I just need to be a smoother driver and I know why I am not: I get frustrated that I can't let off the clutch faster. That's why I'm a rough driver (I don't ease off the clutch.. I change gears and then let off the clutch a little too fast most of the time).

Also, driving in my car is NOT doing me any favours (as I will ultimately be doing the test in my learning instructor's car). I learnt this today.. quite a few times I accidentially shifted into 3rd gear when I wanted 1st only because the gear stick in the car I'm learning in is much more sensative than my one. Therefore it feels much different to my one.

I'm definately learning stick as I'm going to go ahead tomorrow and do a major service on Bunny (the name I've called my 1987 Toyota Corolla CS 5-door Hatchback 1.6 CARB car) which will cost me over $900 (I had budget-ed for this so that's totally okay). After the minor service she had yesterday that is the only major thing she'll need to have done.. I have 5,000 more kilometres before her next service where alot of other stuff will need to be done to her.

So.. after spending THAT amount of money on her.. I am learning stick definately. No going back as financially I won't be able to afford to without taking out a loan of $5000 (high interest too because of one mark on my credit report - I've two years of tax returns so that isn't a problem)

I just wish I was a "smoother" driver. I can get from Point A to Point B.. just that it can be a rough trip :laughing: due to my gear changes and how I really dislike handbrake starts.

Oh.. I also don't have a left hand side mirror in my car (remember, the driver is on the right side of the car in Australia).. so I've been looking over my shoulder whenever I go to make a left turn ... I was told this is a big NO NO and I should NOT do this when it comes time for me to do the exam (except for when I move over into the left lane from the right).. instead just use the left hand side mirror.

It's bloody frustrating however I will get there. I have to now.. no going back after spending near a grand in total in getting "Bunny" in good working order (fixing everything now so nothing bad can happen down the track).

Whereas it was gear changes for me initially.. no my big weakness is handbrake starts. :( Unfortunately, there are hills on the Gold Coast... and traffic lights that turn red whilst on that hill.. *sigh*

Just FYI: Bunny doesn't have a left hand side mirror, different feeling gears (they require a bit of roughness whereas my learner driver car does not) and no power steering (not that I mind as it makes driving a good upper body workout lol!!). Due to these differences between her and the learner driver car... I'm developing some habits (such as looking over my shoulder not just the left side mirror when turning left) that are not doing me any favours. I can't use her as much as I would love too esp. after her major service as I need to pass the driving exam in my learner driver car (not Bunny).

DancerWealth
12-20-2005, 01:57 AM
:laughing: So this is what I have to look forward to now... whereas it was a case of an automatic driver being used to only using her right foot... it will be a case of my left foot (and hand) will be feeling very under-used... :laughing:

I've got one even better for you. Talk about confusing, the two manual tranny cars in our household has different shift patterns. There has been more than one time I caught myself throwing one of them in Reverse when I thought it was going into 1st. The patterns on the two are:

1 3 5
--N--
2 4 R

and on the other...

R 2 4
--N--
1 3 5

Must be the "new math" or something. :)

onlythebest
12-20-2005, 01:01 PM
Don't forget the Corvette's manual pattern.

1 3 5 R
--N--
2 4 6

seraya
12-20-2005, 01:15 PM
Anyway he has been to Europe and all different parts of the world. He explained to me that in Certain parts of Europe you have to have so many years of schooling to even get your motorcycle license!! ... He said there is major class time before they even let you touch a bike in Europe.





Not in UK. As a matter of fact you as long as you are licensed to drive a car then you can ride a motorbike meaning no weekend lessons, no special motorcycle license, no nothing.



Seraya.

GoldCoastGirl
12-20-2005, 04:53 PM
Whilst the feel between my car and my driving instructor's car's clutches are different.. at least they are the same:

1 3 5
--N--
2 4 R

I thought most manual cars had the above pattern ???

It's highly unusual to have anything else (except an extra gear like OTB's 'vette) from my minor experience at looking at manuals.

onlythebest
12-20-2005, 05:40 PM
A lot of cars have that 6th gear.

Deogol
12-20-2005, 05:52 PM
My BMW has this:

R 1 3 5
----N------
...2 4

You would not believe how long it took me to figure out how to get it into reverse.

onlythebest
12-20-2005, 06:00 PM
I think the placement for BMW's "reverse" it the smartest place.You NEVER wanna put it in "reverse" while driving in a high gear.

Eques
12-20-2005, 07:01 PM
Personally I like the dog-leg style shifters. Best possible pattern for track days and sporty driving. 1st gear is entirely useless and it is very easy to shift between 3rd and 2nd, as well as 4th and 5th. I'm fairly sure there hasn't been a six speed car that has used this pattern though. IE, its an old pattern that doesn't get used to much anymore. notable cars that have used it are the Porsche 911, 914, 928 and the Lamborghini Miura.

R 2 4
| | |
- N -
| | |
1 3 5

GoldCoastGirl
12-20-2005, 08:33 PM
1st gear is totally useless? I have been taught that I should only really go into 1st gear if I plan to stop - red light, traffic, stop sign, round-a-bout and so forth - as it is only good for coming off a 'stop' position .... otherwise use second or third to just slow down and/or drive.

4th gear I mainly use for "cruising" (as I call it - where I will be driving 60kph for a decent period of time with a good distance between myself and the car in front if there is a car in front). As for 5th, I mainly use it only when on highways when driving 80kph.

What's 6th used for...when driving over 100kph ??

Remember I am KILOMETRES not miles. I don't have any idea about speed in re: miles per hour.

onlythebest
12-20-2005, 08:37 PM
The only thing 1st gear is good for is at a stop and when you are going up to 2nd gear.The gear ratio and speed from a stop is too slow to get into 2nd gear right away,so that is why there is a 1st gear.After you have mastered driving a manual,you can skip 1st gear and go to 2nd gear from a dead stop (you can leave it in 2nd,rather than go back to 1st).I do it most of the time.I don't think anyone plans on driving at a constant 10-15 MPH,so that's why 1st gear is virtually worthless.

wakko0129
12-20-2005, 08:48 PM
I don't think anyone plans on driving at a constant 10-15 MPH,so that's why 1st gear is virtually worthless.

You've never driven from New Hampshire to Boston, MA at 7 AM, have you? ;D

onlythebest
12-20-2005, 08:50 PM
LOL,that is funny!!!

Eques
12-20-2005, 09:31 PM
1st gear is totally useless? I have been taught that I should only really go into 1st gear if I plan to stop - red light, traffic, stop sign, round-a-bout and so forth - as it is only good for coming off a 'stop' position .... otherwise use second or third to just slow down and/or drive.

4th gear I mainly use for "cruising" (as I call it - where I will be driving 60kph for a decent period of time with a good distance between myself and the car in front if there is a car in front). As for 5th, I mainly use it only when on highways when driving 80kph.

What's 6th used for...when driving over 100kph ??

You have to remember I did say 'track days and sporty driving'. 1st gear is only for parking lots and starting. If then. In my truck I always start and idle around in 2nd.

However in cars like the Corvette 6th is geared crazily high. Its an overdrive gear. You shift into it whenever you're just cruising at a constant speed above 50ish. Lets you get higher gas mileage. You should basically try to be in the highest possible gear in order to get the best gas mileage possible.


Remember I am KILOMETRES not miles. I don't have any idea about speed in re: miles per hour.

100 kph = 62 mph.

onlythebest
12-20-2005, 09:49 PM
That is true.In the Corvette,going 85 MPH in 6th gear,I am still at 1.5 RPM's.

Deogol
12-20-2005, 10:38 PM
1st gear is totally useless? I have been taught that I should only really go into 1st gear if I plan to stop - red light, traffic, stop sign, round-a-bout and so forth - as it is only good for coming off a 'stop' position .... otherwise use second or third to just slow down and/or drive.


Well see, in the US stop signs are merely a suggestion so ya never make it into first gear, hence it's useless.... }:D

I usually slide in on 2 and then N and brake the rest of it. Quite often I start on 2 but if there is a hill I'll use 1.

GoldCoastGirl
03-24-2007, 05:46 AM
keep with the lessons once you master it you will look back and wonder what you were worried about


I was just re-reading this thread (ahh.. the memories) and just wanted to comment on this specific post.

HOW TRUE !!!!!

I still dispise hill starts yet I have devised a clever way to eventually go for my manual license when I finally get the time and money to do so -- do it in Darwin!!!

I'm not kidding. There are NO hills WHAT SO FUCKING EVER in Darwin. Plus it doesn't matter where in Australia I pass my manual driving test for it to be valid in my home state.

All I have to do is get the money together and set a date for the driving exam for when I am there working (on contract).

:D

BrunetteGoddess
03-24-2007, 08:40 AM
Sneaky girl! LOL, good luck GCG!