Asklemmy

In the UK there are two classes of license. One if you take your test in an automatic, and one that let's you drive either. So everyone learns in a manual.

Texas, 24, just learned a few months back. Bought myself a stick shift car and sold my automatic so my only options were to learn or use public transportation. Public transportation is a joke in the US (for most major cities) so the rest is history.

41, Oklahoma, yes.

US - Ohio 50+ Yes, and because I can always have owned and driven manual transmission cars. Daily driver has always been a manual. As long as I drive an ICE powered vehicle it will be a manual.

30, Chile, yes, I prefer it.

AUS, 32. I had to learn manual for my job and for years my daily driver was a manual. I still have that car, I nice V8 sports car, but I prefer an automatic these days due to ease of use especially with how far modern automatics have come from the stigma developed during the 80’s/90’s.

43m, US, yes....it's been a while but I'm certain I would have no problems.

42, U.S. I can, very well. I used to race cars on the track. I don't do that anymore, but it's a useful skill to have when I'm in Europe. Manual transmission is the norm for any rental car.

53m

Learned how to drive synchro'd transmissions on a 86 Ford Escort.

Learned how to double clutch and rev match on a non-synchro'd transmission in a 49 Willys.

47m ,from Maine.I got my car, 18 wheeler and motorcycle license on a standard shift.

39 US, yes, I learned on manuals but I own both an automatic car and a manual pickup, also the dump truck I drive at work is a 10 speed standard; it's a 2012, any of our trucks newer than 2013 are automatics and several of the people I work with can't drive standard trucks.

Mid 40s and USA. I still drive a manual Jeep 4 door and it’s probably my last manual. The new 10 speed transmissions in some vehicles have gotten so smooth that I think I’ll switch to that or electric whenever possible get a new car in the future. I like manual but it feels like they are going the way of the dodo.

37, US, and yes. I prefer manual for keeping my attention actively on the car and driving.

36/m US. I learned to drive a manual when I was 18. I prefer it now to automatic and even more fun in a little econo shit box. I rented a Kia Picanto in the U.K. and had the time of my life.

Up until a year ago only drove manual transmissions cars. Early 40s US.

Finland. I've been driving for a bit over 20 years. I got my first automatic two years ago. At first I had to focus hard not to look for the clutch when braking - especially if slamming the brakes.

I had to focus a bit when I drove a manual rental van about a year back, but I'm sure it'd come back to muscle memory if I daily drove one for a week or two.

32m, American - No I can’t, as except for a short stint on a leased automatic gas car, I’ve owned only electric cars. And EVs are by definition automatic!

USA, mid-30's, yes I can drive cars and bikes with manual transmissions.

Yes. 50s. Canada.

I taught myself. I was 19 and working for a small company (3 employees total) and had a van for work for hauling around equipment. My boss called me to his house one day and told me that he was taking the van for a six-week fishing trip. "You can take my BMW. You know how to drive stick, right?" I shook my head "no." "Well, you'll figure it out". Fortunately, he lived in the country so it was all quiet backroads for most of the trip home. By the time I got into the city, I (usually) didn't stall it at traffic lights.

A couple years later, I took a three-day motorcyle (newb to driving licence) course. Three out of fifteen students knew how to drive a manual transmission car. Only the three of us passed and got our licence - the others were having trouble stalling 'cause it was the first time they had ever dealt with a clutch. (note: this was typical, the ones who didn't pass could come back and try the final test again the following weekend).

I'm learning how to drive now and I picked manual transmission. Because it's a lot easier to switch to automatic later if I would need to.

Asked some younger guys at driving school why they picked automatic, and their response was that they believe manual will go away in cars and it will all be automatic.

Maybe so. But it still can't hurt to know it. Many old cars will be around for a long time.

33, Canada, yes I can drive standard.

I learned on a 1990 corolla, my partner can't drive standard so when we downsized a few years ago we kept her car. I miss it for the around town trips but I'm not upset to drive automatic when I have to (rarely) commute. I also really liked it for winter driving, definitely felt more in control, that little corolla could plow through snow and ice like it was nothing.

Pretty much everyone on my side of the family learned on standard, drove for a while, but now more or less has a vehicle with automatic.

Canada, 28. Yes, probably

I did one driving lesson in a manual car, have done plenty of sim racing, and ride a motorcycle.

So although I might not have a lot of real world experience with a manual transmission in a car, if I was put in one, I don't think I'd have any problem with it at all

40+ here, from the Netherlands and been driving stick (manual) for over 25 years. Only since the last 2 years or so I've been driving automatic because manual transmission cars are harder to find

I'm 42, US, learned on a stick and have driven many. My daily driver is an E-bike, cause I can. If I need a car I have a Chevy Bolt. If EV manuals become common, I'll definitely get one

US, 25, and I drive a manual. I feel it gives me more control than an automatic.

Also, I got my license driving an automatic. Learned manual after. Didn't need to retake the test though which I always find funny.

54, Germany. Drove stick almost all of my life, but now I'm driving an automatic. Much better in city traffic.

Early 30s, US.

Technically I learned how to drive manual when I was first learning to drive, but then everyone in my family got rid of their manual cars. I didn't get a car of my own until I graduated college and got a cheap beater for a gift that was auto. I've never had a manual car of my own and since it's been over 15 years I don't think anyone would want me to test my skills on their clutch, but in an emergency I could drive one.

I thought about getting a manual for my next car but my wife is just learning to drive and it's already very scary for her, so I don't think I will add that to her stressors. She's also early 30s, US, but born and raised in a major city so never had to drive. I'd like to sign us both up for manual lessons later on though.

Indiana and Wisconsin USA here. Approaching 50, and learned back in high school, as well as driving old tractors. My first car, a classic even when I got it, was a 63 Chevy Bel Aire manual. Drove manuals all through college and didn't buy an automatic until 2013, when the type of vehicle I needed didn't come in a manual.

I really miss driving stick, especially in snowy Wisconsin winters.

Yes I do. I'm in my early thirties, Australian lady. I drive manual by choice because it is more fun and I appreciate the mechanics of vehicles. Most cars here are auto I guess.

Montréal, Québec, Canada. Early 40 years old. Yes I drive a manual transmission car.

I've always owned manual cars. I'm going to keep my car for an long as I can. I'm not to keen on cars with lots of technology in it. It's prone to too many problems.

Yes. 35. Hungary.

Driving those since I have a driver's license, because 99% of the cars are manual here. Actually when buying new, it still costs more to this day to have automatic.