My Findings After Driving Mostly Stick

"Denver Is Stuck In The 90s" (denver80222)
08/28/2015 at 20:23 • Filed to: None

Before I acquired my Drivers License I had maybe 7 hours driving experience, all in a vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission. I had purchased my truck 2 weeks before I passed my drivers test, after I got my license I exclusively drove my manual pickup. I have now driven over 9000 miles in my truck and about 3500 miles in various automatics. I have some findings to the type of driving style driving more stick than auto breeds.

I tend to visualize the speed I am traveling at by which gear I am in, thus making driving at a constant speed very difficult in an auto

My reaction times are far quicker in a stick than an auto due to being more involved in driving

I tend to be light footed and when I hop in an automatic and it confuses the transmission causing it to shift very harshly.

My left foot gets bored when driving auto and I sometimes left foot brake when reversing (This actually is very helpful increasing how much I can reach around to look behind me)

When driving auto I do my best Matthew Mcconaughey impression from those Lincoln commercials because I dont know what to do with my right hand.

Denver is an automotive enthusiast and is off work today, he has mostly taken naps, installed some speakers in his 1993 Ford Ranger, and thought about random things such as what was written above on this; his day of leisure.

DISCUSSION (23)

BATC42 > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
08/28/2015 at 20:43

Got my licence 5 1/2 years ago. Only drove stick until I came to New Zealand. It’s really weird where you’re not used to it. Especially since always favour the engine breaking over the actual break of the car. Also not being able to control properly your engine is really annoying. I want to be able to chose at which RPM the engine is running, I hate having to go pedal to the metal or breaking for that damn thing to change gears.... Also, I’m with you on the RPM->speed.

The car in question was a rental, an older early 2000, Nissan Wingroad with a 110hp NA petrol and a 4-speed auto. Horrible thing to drive. I’m sure new autos are much better to drive

Smoggi - powered by 3 cylinders > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
08/28/2015 at 21:05

Want to know what’s wrong with drivers ed in the US? Just read that first sentence over and over again.

I agree on the first 3 points of your list though.

Under_Score > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
08/28/2015 at 21:17

In Georgia, 40 hours of driving is required before getting your license. That includes six hours of nighttime driving. The hours need to be put down in a log by the parent that was in the passenger seat with you.

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > Under_Score
08/28/2015 at 21:22

In colorado, if you take drivers ed you only need 6 hours of driving before you can take the test.

Under_Score > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
08/28/2015 at 21:30

Wow, it’s a lot stricter here. You have to take a 30 hour class (eight hours a day Monday-Thursday, but there’s a thirty minute lunch), have a total of six hours behind the wheel with an instructor (I had a new Civic), and the hour requirements I listed above.

Once you get your license, you can’t have any passengers (except for family) for the first six months, only one non-related passenger for the six months to one-year period, and then three outside passengers until (you get your Class C?)

Captain of the Enterprise > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
08/28/2015 at 21:36

Frankly that's terrifying

RazoE > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
08/28/2015 at 22:35

I try to put my foot through the floor when starting an automatic out of habit. Also, sometimes I turn the car off with the transmission in drive, but aside from that, the only issue I have with automatics is fighting boredom.

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > RazoE
08/28/2015 at 23:26

I do both those things. And yes, boredom. Driving auto is so boring

Spazburn1966 > Smoggi - powered by 3 cylinders
08/29/2015 at 01:36

Well people used to take care of it on their own because Mom and Dad were on the hook for you financially, so they made sure you could drive properly.

But that was when people took responsibility for their decisions and actions. Including having Kids.

Spazburn1966 > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
08/29/2015 at 01:37

How long is Drivers Ed? One hour for a Semester, Six months?

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > Spazburn1966
08/29/2015 at 01:39

Three 2 hour in car instructions. I went for that plus a 1 hour refresher right before the test. And if youre under 18 (which I was not) it has to be done over 6 mos

Spazburn1966 > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
08/29/2015 at 02:03

Back in The Day, (Back when the Sabre Toothed Tiger roamed the Land) The Clan had a Class you attended for a semester in a cave. Then we would hop in the Fred Mobile to learn Driving and to toughen up our Feet.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
08/29/2015 at 02:57

6. It’s nothing like driving an Aztek!

Josch > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
08/29/2015 at 12:04

That’s completely wrong. You just didn’t have the restrictions because you were over 18. If you’re under 18 in Colorado, it’s 50 hours of driving (10 of which must be night), 6 hours of in car drivers ed, and if you get your permit before you turn 15 and a half, you also have to take 30 hours of classroom based drivers ed.

Josch > Smoggi - powered by 3 cylinders
08/29/2015 at 12:07

Since he was over 18 he avoided the vast majority of the required drivers education for younger drivers. As a friend of his brother, it shows.

Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car > Captain of the Enterprise
08/30/2015 at 00:34

It depends on age. He got his at 21. If you get it younger, more is required.

http://www.dmv.org/co-colorado/te…

Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car > Smoggi - powered by 3 cylinders
08/30/2015 at 00:35

Depends on age.

http://www.dmv.org/co-colorado/te…

This is for Colorado, where both he and I live.

Captain of the Enterprise > Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car
08/30/2015 at 00:36

Okay, I was picturing 16 year olds with 6 hours of experience everywhere

Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car > Captain of the Enterprise
08/30/2015 at 13:46

Yeah. For me (Got permit the day I turned 15)

I needed 30 hours of drivers ed to get my permit. Once I got it I needed 50 hours of driving and at least 10 at night. And I need 6 hours of driving training with a state certified instructor.

Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man > Spazburn1966
08/30/2015 at 19:48

In Idaho, if your under 17 (I was 17 at the time) you have to take drivers ed, (which took me about 2 months to do last summer) then if you are under 17, you have to have a 6 month supervised driving period, I didn’t do that. altogether, I had like 8 hours of driving time, 7 hours of in-car observation, and like 25 hours of online classwork. the written test is super easy, you can miss up to 7 questions (out of 35) and I only missed one and it took like 20 minutes to do, and the drivers test is also not very hard, I almost ran a red light and had to ABS brake but still passed.

If I had wanted to, I could have legally just taken the written test and the driving test and be a legal driver the first day I drove since I was over 17.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
09/01/2015 at 12:42

My brother does something similar to #4... He became a full left foot braker. Not a left foot dragger. they are different.

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer
09/01/2015 at 12:43

Left foot braking in an automatic is really bad

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
09/01/2015 at 12:45

No, it’s not.

Left foot braking (provided you have the co-ordination for it) improves your reaction times immensely.