how did you learn to drive stick and when

[Don Ro]

When you're raised in farm country (ND), you learn early-on how to drive all manner of vehicles/equip't.
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My first was at the age of 12, a '52 Chevy p/u, 3 spd column shift circling around the farm yard in front of the farm house.
I was taught to NEVER back up unless I exited the vehicle & looked at what was behind me - never trust the mirrors.
Anyway, at the age of 14, 4" X 4" wood blocks were wired to the clutch & brake pedals so that my legs could reach them.
I drove a mega-ton, twin axle grain truck for my step-father during the Fall harvest - as per photo. Not just on-the-go next to the combine, but when full, driving another 6 miles to the town elevator to download. All the local young boys did the same for their families - most were older & taller than me, however.
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Not bragging, but I owe whatever vehicle handling skills I've enjoyed as an adult to how I was trained at that early age.
Farm kids just learned how to do it right...no compromise.
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Moto riding came to me when I stole my BIL's Ducati 200 while he was at work.
I confessed to him 20 yrs. later - scary.
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[Aragorn]

I "drove" a bug in High School, but didn't really "learn" to drive a stick until after I graduated.

I knew the basics and could get around, but I never really mastered driving a stick until I had proper instruction. I would always map my route around hills that I knew I had to stop on and heavy traffic situations. After someone taught me, I never had a problem.

Most kids today cannot drive a stick and don't want to learn. Their parents mostly have slushboxes and have no desire to own a stick. It is an art to drive one well.

[osidak]

I was 13 in 1986 - My dad owned a 1983 911sc. One day he said lets go for a drive. I hoped in the car. We would often go hit the back roads. He pulled over and said lets switch seats. By the end of the day I was shifting as smooth as my dad. Think I only stalled 3 times and rode the clutch once when a cop was behind me at a stop sign on a hill early in the day

[foxpaws]

My Dad had an old '64 Comet he had kept for a 'learner' car for us kids - coupe - Caliente - Yellow with black interior - real wood accents - 3 on the column - 289 cu in - high school (not this car, but similar).

Never owned an automatic until my current daily driver. I have decided it is a rather good invention for daily driving.

[J P Stein]

A 1953 Studebaker coupe.......3 on the tree with OD.....probably around 1964.
I'd been watchin' the old man for a few years. Once I got it into 1st (non-syncro... DOD got kinda' twitchy as I ground a pound) we were off....Been down hill ever since.

[5String43]

Ford tractor on the ranch where I grew up. I could shift it on the fly, drift it around corners. Lucky I'm still allive.

[vonsmog]

I started driving tractors at about 12, but with those you could start off in what ever gear you wanted. You did not shift them like a car, but you did learn about letting the clutch out slowly. Turned 16 in 75' and learned to drive stick on my sister-inlaws VW bug first day and then my mom took me out in my dad's 70' Jag E-type! Now that was a challenge with that clutch and power! After a few hours I felt I could drive anything, and pretty much have!

[Don Ro]

Now that I'm remembering, I was a quasi auto thief as a kid.
My BIL, sister, & another couple went to the lake for a Sunday afternoon of beer drinking & fun. They took BIL's car & left the couple's hot rod '46 Ford Coupe at the house. In those days, house doors were rarely locked & keys left in auto ignition - even parked on the street.
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I was raised in a poor household, and I lusted after that '46 rig w/decked-out flathead in plain view. I drove it over to my g/f's house & told her that it was mine.
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So what to do with those miles I racked up that afternoon?...I drove it around the local area backwards - believe it or not. Talk about car crazy, eh?

[GG Allin]

Worked at a hand car wash when I was 16. Had to learn to move the cars up to the next position. Back then it was usually Vette's, IROC's, M6's & M3's, those are the ones I remember.

A few years later I got in to a Honda Accord at a dealer I was working at. Went to start it to pull it out after being serviced. Did not push in the clutch and it was in gear. An old Honda will start when you do that. I plowed right in to a nice big Snap On Box. Mechanic was pissed.

[vash]

big hill and my buddies 1970 chevy nova. he was a patient guy. took me a few tries and i was good.

i perfected the art in our 1971 bronco..with 3 on the tree!

[Don Ro]

Tractors - the best driver training aids...bar none.

[wdfifteen]

Great stories here!
Farm kids learned to drive early.

[cornemuse]

Dad had a '58 Chev PU 283 & column shifter. I got my permit & the two of us would (me) drive up 'Palomar Mountian' (in San Diego County) (we had property there and had to remove brush from around structures "Religiously" every 2 or 3 weeks for fire safety) It was about 110 miles round trip. Drive up on sat & home sun. He wouldnt let me use the brakes much, use that tranny. There was (is) a dirt road up the mountian 'Nate Harrison Grade' we took some times, it was fun! My 1st car was a '53 chev 2 door sedan with the 6 cyl. & 3 on the tree, no chrome. -corne-

BTW, that '58 PU was selected over another PU the dealer had at the same time which had the 283 AND factory mech fuel injection (Hillborne??) & LOTS of extras.

[vash]

Originally Posted by Don Ro

Tractors - the best driver training aids...bar none.

but with a tractor you deprive the student of the experience:

slight hill, red stoplight, and the car behind him pulls up tight..tests them nerves of steel. cold beads of sweat. first time this happened to me..i stalled it.

remember that?

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by Don Ro

Tractors - the best driver training aids...bar none.

I had my first crash on a tractor. I was hauling two wagons of hay behind a Farmall M, one of the early ones before they had disc brakes. Going down a slight incline to a one-lane bridge with concrete and steel on the sides at about 20 mph. There was a car coming and I assumed he would stop for me because everyone around there knew a tractor can't stop worth spit. I met him on the bridge, kept as far to the right as I could, so far the tractor's axle hit the steel of the bridge side. Things didn't get bad until the front corner of the wagon hit the bridge and the front of the car at pretty much the same time. Fortunately something in the hitch broke and the tractor didn't stop instantly, so I didn't get thrown off. But I peed my pants.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by vash

but with a tractor you deprive the student of the experience:
slight hill, red stoplight, and the car behind him pulls up tight..tests them nerves of steel. cold beads of sweat. first time this happened to me..i stalled it.
remember that?

Yes, but it was on a tractor!
Slight hill, farm gate, you have to stop, get off and open the gate before you drive through. Wagon behind wants to jackknife if the tractor rolls back. Same beads of sweat.

[flatbutt]

When I applied to Ma Bell to be an installer I had to learn to drive a stick. All of our trucks were manual.

[vash]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

Yes, but it was on a tractor!
Slight hill, farm gate, you have to stop, get off and open the gate before you drive through. Wagon behind wants to jackknife if the tractor rolls back. Same beads of sweat.

you win!! hahahha.

[Aggie93]

I got my learners permit at 14 and my dad taught me on my mom's Datsun 310.

I don't remember much about it. I already been driving my grandfathers pickup on his ranch and county roads, so it was just that third petal I had to get used to. I do remember a stop sign that had a small steep hill right before it. I had to wave a few cars by. I think I taught 10-12 people in high school how to drive a stick.

That was in 1985 and up until two years ago, I had only driven a stick as my daily driver. Now my only stick is a 930 and i realized that I'll be teaching my daughters to drive a stick on that. So what is the consensus, KEP or Sachs?

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by vash

but with a tractor you deprive the student of the experience:

slight hill, red stoplight, and the car behind him pulls up tight..tests them nerves of steel. cold beads of sweat. first time this happened to me..i stalled it.

remember that?

I think I took the long way to high school for a week before I had the nerve to tackle stop signs on hills.