Will you teach your kids driving stick?
- Thread starter sifan
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This fall, my son bought an 83 BMW 533i witha 5 spd. I had to drive it home for him, then teach him how to shift it. He picked it up quickly.
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I am convinced that muscle memory is involved in shifting, as it is in any coordinated series of motions. The younger one is the easier it is to acquire this muscle memory. Teaching an old dog new tricks is rather difficult! I've seen what happens when 30 year olds begin mountain biking!
I learned on a Porsche 914!
My technique for teaching is not to try to pull away from a stop, but tell them to let the clutch out and push it back in when they start moving. This way they lean to modulate it rather than just bang it out and stall.
After moving, I sat 1st gear for 10mpg, 2nd for 20 3rd for 30 and so on.
Explaining what the clutch is and does helps too. I explain them how the wheels cannot stop with the engine running when the gear are all connected. therefore they have to "unconnect" the enine and wheels via the clutch.
I have 100% success rate teaching and later teach finer points ofr stick shifts.
My technique for teaching is not to try to pull away from a stop, but tell them to let the clutch out and push it back in when they start moving. This way they lean to modulate it rather than just bang it out and stall.
After moving, I sat 1st gear for 10mpg, 2nd for 20 3rd for 30 and so on.
Explaining what the clutch is and does helps too. I explain them how the wheels cannot stop with the engine running when the gear are all connected. therefore they have to "unconnect" the enine and wheels via the clutch.
I have 100% success rate teaching and later teach finer points ofr stick shifts.
Sure, its always good to be able to drive any vehicle. It might even help to develop better coordination as well.
I'm a slow learner and took me like 3 days to learn to drive a stick shift from my dad. Lots of stalls, blocking intersection, and people honking. In the end I feel that I felt more confident in my driving.
I'm a slow learner and took me like 3 days to learn to drive a stick shift from my dad. Lots of stalls, blocking intersection, and people honking. In the end I feel that I felt more confident in my driving.
Been there, done than. Traded off out last automatic when our oldest was 8 year old.
Out of my entire fleet, only ever have had one auto.
I don't like them.
So my children will be learning manual. And learning hill descent, hill starts, right gear for conditions, proper cornering, and if it's still allowed then) skid control, and some 4WDing (not rock crawling, just getting to places).
As to people not having any idea on physics etc., 3 out of 4 engineering graduates that I've worked with the last 10 years can't explain Hooke's Law.
I don't like them.
So my children will be learning manual. And learning hill descent, hill starts, right gear for conditions, proper cornering, and if it's still allowed then) skid control, and some 4WDing (not rock crawling, just getting to places).
As to people not having any idea on physics etc., 3 out of 4 engineering graduates that I've worked with the last 10 years can't explain Hooke's Law.
I believe that my oldest is probably the only one that knows how to drive a manual. We haven't had a manual tranny car in years. Sorry but in town driving with a manual gets to be a pain to me. My wife learned to drive a manual when I converted a Toyota over to a manual. I don't really buy into this being a better driver by learning to drive a manual though. A lot of it is just plain common sense to me. Now I do believe that the kids should know how to change a tire and check the oil. My daughter was taught how to change her own oil even. However I kind of doubt that either my wife or the daughter could change a tire. Mainly because I doubt they could get the lug nuts off. Since the daughter is only about 90 lbs soaking wet she can't put much muscle behind it. Good thing about cell phones is that she can call someone to come help.
I don't know how to drive auto and I and my family have no intention of learning how to. It is is not a skill that is useful in life.
My first car i bought was a 97 Honda Civic. It was a stick.
The secret to peace of mind is to have a stick shift for your own car, but never teach your kids to drive stick.
If my kids want to learn it, I'll teach them.
I plan on it; although by the time my 18 month old and baby 2.0 - due in early May - are driving, all the "cars" will be flying and controlled telepathically... But just in case they find themselves in Europe, they'd better know how to drive a stick.
Originally Posted By: sifan
Will you foce your kids to learn stick shift while getting their driver licenses?
Yes. My daughter is learning how to drive. I'm going to teach her to drive a (drum roll please) 1950 International pickup. I'm sure she will just LOVE driving by her friend's house with her behind the steering wheel.
Will you foce your kids to learn stick shift while getting their driver licenses?
Yes. My daughter is learning how to drive. I'm going to teach her to drive a (drum roll please) 1950 International pickup. I'm sure she will just LOVE driving by her friend's house with her behind the steering wheel.
No kids here- but if I had 'em, you bet. They'd learn on a manual & pass their driving test on one too.
Way back when, I learned to drive on Dad's pickup, a '58 Ford, with anemic 6-cyl engine(223 ci?), 3 on the tree, too-tall tires(a previous owner had put a set of 3/4 ton wheels & tires on it, 16 or 16.5" wheels) *and* a high-geared, highway rear end ratio. Takeoff, uphill, without rolling back took my full attention, I can guarantee!
It worked though. He said if I could drive that pickup, I could drive anything- and it's held true so far.
Way back when, I learned to drive on Dad's pickup, a '58 Ford, with anemic 6-cyl engine(223 ci?), 3 on the tree, too-tall tires(a previous owner had put a set of 3/4 ton wheels & tires on it, 16 or 16.5" wheels) *and* a high-geared, highway rear end ratio. Takeoff, uphill, without rolling back took my full attention, I can guarantee!
It worked though. He said if I could drive that pickup, I could drive anything- and it's held true so far.
Nobody is forcing my kids to drive a stick ,if they want to drive .
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