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| VW Rabbit Photo Credit |
Whiplash is a part of daily life. My newly acquired skill of shifting gears may have been jerky once or twice. Or more like .... every time I stopped and started.
The tension at times could be palpable. "Dad! What's wrong?" I'm at a stop sign and can't get the car to move. It's my turn to go. "Are you in first gear," he calmly asks? "Yes!" There are now six cars lined up back of me. He asks again, "are you sure?" My eyes fill with tears. I've killed the car a dozen times. I exclaim, "yes! Look..." I show him while shifting to first yet another time. I try to go. The engine dies. Again. I wanted him to just tell me the problem.
Little did I realize he already had. Just at my breaking point, he told me to depress the clutch and he moved the shifter from third to first. I thought I knew which gear I was in. As such, I wasn't considering that a nudge to the left would have put me in the proper gear. Over twenty years later, I have never repeated that same mistake.
I didn't really care about automatics or manuals until I met kids who couldn't drive one. I was grateful that my father took the time and patience required to teach me. The clutch and shifting are like second nature to me now. Perhaps, it's because I did it that makes me want my kids to learn to drive a stick. But maybe not. A manual transmission's advantages far outweigh the comfort and ease of an automatic.
Why My Kids Will Drive A Stick
It's hard.
Self esteem and self confidence come at at price. Learning to do something that's hard for you builds your character and skill set. Driving a stick takes effort. Effort to learn. Effort to master. Once you've got the stop and go down then do the same thing on a hill. With practice, the initial shifting terror transforms into smooth goodness. Knowing that you can accomplish hard things translates over into other areas of life. I need to work at for what I want.
Shifting requires active engagement when driving.
There's minimal chance for zoning out when driving a manual around town. The consious and subconsious mind is ever aware of traffic, speed and roadway conditions. Senses pull together to form a sweet spot...See the open road. Hear the engine race. Feel the drag. Touch the gear. Shift into a moment of awesome. You've solved a problem and are immediately rewarded with a smooth ride.
Automatics encourage distractions.
Contrast managing a tempermental clutch with a smooth riding automatic. It takes very little skill. But your brain needs to be doing something, so your senses get wrapped up in eating a sandwich and taking a sip of soda while adjusting the radio, programming your GPS and talking on the phone. Oops. I forgot to mention driving. You should be watching out for potential hazards in your path, too. But driving an automatic is so easy that your brain seeks out other means of engagement and forgets to focus on the task at hand.
Texting is practically impossible.
One of our clients called several months ago seeking driving lessons in a manual for her son. She wanted him to drive a stick so he couldn't text and drive. Brilliant. This reason alone is enough for me to teach my children to drive a stick. Bottom line, I want my kids safe. I know they'll push boundaries. They already do that. But in a car, the stakes are much higher.
In the United States, manuals are disappearing.
Make your voice heard through your dollars. Buy a manual. Not only do they encourage safer driving habits, but they are also cheaper and easier to fix than automatics. Also, knowing how to drive a manual gives you tons of options when you are traveling abroad and want to rent a car.
Your first lesson:
I love the guy's smile and swing of the scarf.
In depth instruction:
Have you ever listened to the Click and Clack on NPR's CarTalk show? I love these guys. Click here for their two cents.
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