The Importance Of Manual Driving In America

The necessity of driving is generally taken for granted in America. We do it every day, as we have for many generations. The technology used in transportation has steadily improved, from horses and buggies to the modern car. Therefore, it is logical that fewer and fewer people would have the skills needed to operate older, ‘outdated’ models. This includes stickshifts. Very few Americans have the ability to drive a manual transmission. It is not terribly difficult to learn, and the benefits are worth the occasional stalls. The driver of a manual transmission car is able to get much better gas mileage, as well as increased control of the vehicle. The likelihood of driving distracted is reduced, as both hands and feet need to be engaged (at least while accelerating and deaccelerating). It can also be more enjoyable to drive than an automatic, once the skill has been mastered. It may even reduce the likelihood of your car being stolen, as prospective thieves might have difficulties when attempting a getaway. Many very cool, very sporty cars are only available as a stick shift, and manuals are generally less costly than their automatic counterparts. Generally, manual shift cars include many useful features that cannot be found in automatics.
To begin the process of learning how to drive a manual transmission, first …show more content…
Drive as you would an automatic, aside from the addition of manually shifting gears. If you stall in traffic, remain calm. Simply restart the car, and slowly and carefully engage the clutch as you normally would. By panicking, you will simply create more of a delay for those around you, as you will likely kill the engine again with your haste. It is better to take an additional second to properly engage the clutch than to sit there for upwards of thirty seconds, releasing the clutch too quickly and growing more and more