Is driving hard?

Thomas · Post by **Thomas** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 12:48 am

It's a lot of fun, except when you have to go on and off the clutch in heavy traffic.

Skynet · Post by **Skynet** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 6:36 am

I can offer 2 contradicting views.

1. Yes it's fun, it's hell easy to learn in a auto just until you're comfortable with road rules, stopping distances, and just general driving.

2. It's still fun, but learning in a manual is also best because it gets you use of the gears. Something I still can't do very well. I drove my gf's car for a bit and stalled it twice. Pissed me off so I gave up.

So both points have "do this one first because..." but that contradicts itself

EDITED

Hobbes T Tiger · Post by **Hobbes T Tiger** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 8:11 am

Driving is ok. I hated it to death but needed to learn. So I wasn't a great pupil but I still passed my test after 20 or so lessons over 4 months. If you have a car to practice in then you'll need less formal lessons.

After I'd passed it got a lot easier and a lot of pressure was taken off making it fun to just cruise around.

And I hate to say it, because you shouldn't worry about it, but you're more likely to survive a crash as a driver than being knocked down as a pedestrian.
Buy yourself a nice safe car as well. Some cars are deathtraps, avoid them. Find a consumer rights organisation safety list or something to help you choose.

And it is true that most drivers end up hating driving most of the time when they have to do it with any regularity in bad traffic.
But ask any long time driver if they'd give up the car and most would say no.

Go for it mate

curt_grymala · Post by **curt_grymala** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 8:38 am

It is easy to learn to drive.

However, it is rather difficult to learn how to drive well. Unfortunately, very few people put in the effort to learn that.

Post by **I.M. Weasel** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 11:01 am

GyroVorbis wrote: Is driving hard?

only if you're a woman. Or if you have a bag over your head and one pegleg. Or if you're a woman.

Calavera · Post by **Calavera** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 11:08 am

I.M. Weasel wrote:
GyroVorbis wrote: Is driving hard?
only if you're a woman. Or if you have a bag over your head and one pegleg. Or if you're a woman.

Or if your a buckeye they can't drive for shit.

wes1406 · Post by **wes1406** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 11:24 am

OldSkoolGamer wrote:
Code-Red wrote:Learn manual first.
I agree with this. There will be times when you might need it. If you start on automatics, you might not bother learning manual.

I also think manuals are more fun to drive.

Just make sure you learn on someone else's car.

I also agree about learning manual. If you can drive a stick, you can drive anything....but you don't necesarily have to learn it first. My first stick shift was my third car.

Also, stick shifts are cheaper to buy.

curt_grymala · Post by **curt_grymala** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 11:27 am

Calavera wrote:
I.M. Weasel wrote:
GyroVorbis wrote: Is driving hard?
only if you're a woman. Or if you have a bag over your head and one pegleg. Or if you're a woman.
Or if your a buckeye they can't drive for poop.

Funny that you say that. That's something I've noticed as well, and it's something my friend who grew up in Vienna, WV points out all the time.

curt_grymala · Post by **curt_grymala** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 11:28 am

wes1406 wrote:Also, stick shifts are cheaper to buy.

Yeah, if you can find one. They seem to be disappearing off the face of the planet nowadays. I was looking for a nice, new F-150, and couldn't find one manual on the lot.

Warmachine · Post by **Warmachine** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 12:22 pm

Driving is pretty easy and is fun. Unless you have a boring car

Hawq · Post by **Hawq** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 1:46 pm

I throw my hat in with the driving is easy bunch, stupid havin to take lessons before a test slowed me down, stupid rule that. The biggest worry about takin a driving test is 'has the examiner met his pass quota today?' well it is here anyway, if so no matter how well you do you're screwed, they will of course deny having a quota

Veggita2099 · Post by **Veggita2099** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 2:40 pm

Depends where you live. If you live in a big city with non-stop traffic jams then its a pain in the ass. If you live in a small town its not too bad. Don't be scared of all the crap those drivers ed and state test books tell you. Next time your out and about just look at some of the complete morons around you that drive.

Hobbes T Tiger · Post by **Hobbes T Tiger** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 5:11 pm

Yeah, if you can find one. They seem to be disappearing off the face of the planet nowadays. I was looking for a nice, new F-150, and couldn't find one manual on the lot.

Sheesh, I have exactly the opposite problem.
Manual gears do rock to an extent, if you like the feeling of controlling the car I suppose, but I want an automatic and to get one is a lot more difficult over here. For used cars anyway. Many new cars come with the option.

I'm not sure which of are the nation of crazy nutters in this argument...

saber07 · Post by **saber07** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 5:51 pm

Always drive fast, its funner and you only live once. If you get a ticket driving fast, dont worry, because the time you save (5 minutes or so usually) will be well worth it. Have fun!

atf487 · Post by **atf487** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 7:04 pm

saber07 wrote:Always drive fast, its funner and you only live once. If you get a ticket driving fast, dont worry, because the time you save (5 minutes or so usually) will be well worth it. Have fun!

Lolz.

Anyway I'm not old enough to drive but I can take drivers ed in march or so provided that the school has the program.

Just assume everyone is a complete moron and will do the worst possible thing they can. Otherwise you'll be really surprised.

Wagh · Post by **Wagh** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 7:06 pm

curt_grymala wrote:
wes1406 wrote:Also, stick shifts are cheaper to buy.

Yeah, if you can find one. They seem to be disappearing off the face of the planet nowadays. I was looking for a nice, new F-150, and couldn't find one manual on the lot.

Next year toyota is doing away with manuals all together. There just isn't a market for them anymore. Auto's and the semi's are all you need anymore.

Matt · Post by **Matt** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 7:09 pm

stupid havin to take lessons before a test slowed me down, stupid rule that.

You have to? Dammit, im probably gunna get ripped off

they will of course deny having a quota

Is there anything/where that says they do have quota's. I wasn't sure if it was bull crap or not

Prophet][ · Post by **Prophet][** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 7:23 pm

Random_Troll wrote: Next year toyota is doing away with manuals all together. There just isn't a market for them anymore. Auto's and the semi's are all you need anymore.

yea, its good to see that companies have finally got the semi's working properly, I can remember companies like Mitsibishi bring it out a few years back and having to recall cos it didn't work properly.

I want to get my motorcycle licence but its too expensive here. Once I do get it I'll have my car, boat/marine and bike licence

btm4k · Post by **btm4k** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 7:29 pm

Driving may be quite intimidating for the first time, but its a snap to get used to. Don't feel too frusterated if you can't do everything without some practice.

About the learning to drive with a stick:

Everyone can agree that its a good skill to have. For example, my rents went to Mexico and rented a car. It wasn't unill they filled the paperwork were they presented their new rental - which was a stick. Luckily for them they know how to drive. However, many people would have been screwed. For work I often have to drive trucks with a manual tranny. Heck, I even a friggin tractor required my clutch driving skillz. If ever in an emergency situation, it would be best to know how to drive any given car. Also, driving stick has many advantages (which I wont get in to) over driving auto. With my first car I didn't know better. Luckly it was a stick though. However with my second and third cars, I made sure to have manual transmissions.

Although I didn't learn to drive with a stick, its possible. Just really hard. Don't give up

Code-Red · Post by **Code-Red** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 7:29 pm

curt_grymala wrote:
wes1406 wrote:Also, stick shifts are cheaper to buy.

Yeah, if you can find one. They seem to be disappearing off the face of the planet nowadays. I was looking for a nice, new F-150, and couldn't find one manual on the lot.

I hate all these god damn auto-manual style "Shiftmatic" cars that are coming out now. I want either automatic or manual. No inbetween or cross. Those transmissions are gay anyways, ever try racing with one? Doesnt work.

The absolute easiest way to learn how to drive stick, I will try to explain here:

1. Before starting up the car, make sure the car is in reverse gear.
2. Push the clutch all the way in, put your foot on the brake, and start the car.
3. Depending on how your parked, put the gear into 1st. Very slowly take out the clutch until you can feel the car slowly roll forward. At this point, start adding gas. After the car gets moving, let the clutch out.
3a. If you are having trouble with this step, try revving the car up to about 2k rpm's, and let out the clutch slowly. This is bad for the clutch but it does help you learn how it works.
4. After 1st gear its easy, just every time you shift, put the clutch in first, then shift the gear, then let the clutch out smoothly.

After time, you will learn exactly when your car catches the clutch plate, and your 1st gear take offs will become faster and smoother. Taking your car out to race is good aswell, as it helps smooth out the jerkyness of your shifts.

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