topic Re: Carjackers Couldn't Drive Manual Transmission.. in Community Chat

Carjackers Couldn't Drive Manual Transmission..

CrazyKittyLvr2 — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 19:01:34 GMT

A 16 yr. old and a 17 yr. old tried to carjack some poor guy at a gas station in Maryland.

Well, his car was a stick and they didn't know how to drive it. They jumped out and took off. Police got them.

I say really confuse them when they ask for their one phone call, give them a rotary phone.

Re: Carjackers Couldn't Drive Manual Transmission..

DrKelli — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 19:07:03 GMT

LOL! There's a meme going around that if you want to cripple an entire generation, use cursive writing and stick shifts.

Re: Carjackers Couldn't Drive Manual Transmission..

debcakes — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 19:09:37 GMT

My husband once got a super good deal on a car that had been on the lot way too long because it was manual and no one wanted it. It got very good gas mileage and lasted a very long time,so it was quite a value.

Re: Carjackers Couldn't Drive Manual Transmission..

Witchy Woman — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 19:23:37 GMT

@CrazyKittyLvr2

I live in Maryland and saw this on our local news. My husband and I got a good laugh from these idiots.

Being a dinosaur, I learned how to drive on a manual shift and still love driving one. My 1987 Ford Ranger is a stick shift and runs like a top.

Re: Carjackers Couldn't Drive Manual Transmission..

annie315 — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 19:34:11 GMT

I love driving a manual transmission..maybe it's a control thing. Taught both daughters how to drive this way. In fact they both got their drivers license driving a manual transmission. Maybe that's my most esteemed legacy as a mother?🤔

Re: Carjackers Couldn't Drive Manual Transmission..

Meowingkitty — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 19:34:50 GMT

@DrKelli wrote:
LOL! There's a meme going around that if you want to cripple an entire generation, use cursive writing and stick shifts.

And don't forget to as them to tell time on a non digital clock or a watch. They can't do that either.

Re: Carjackers Couldn't Drive Manual Transmission..

Tinkrbl44 — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 19:37:04 GMT

When I first got my license I always meant to learn how to drive a stick shift. Never did, and have managed nicely.

I recently read that about 8% of American cars manufactured have them ... I thought that was high.

Is there actually a need for a manual transmission any more?

Re: Carjackers Couldn't Drive Manual Transmission..

CrazyKittyLvr2 — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 19:43:43 GMT

Back in the 80s I bought a new car with a manual transmission. Great car except I had no idea how to drive it. lol

DH drove us off the lot, pulled over and I got behind the wheel. It did not go well, I got the basics but I thought he yelled too much.

Next day I got up, got in the car and went, alone I stalled that blessed car 4 times on a bridge, but when I got home 4 hours later, I could drive it.

I loved that car.

Re: Carjackers Couldn't Drive Manual Transmission..

Witchy Woman — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 19:53:56 GMT

@CrazyKittyLvr2

My sis taught me in her little Austin-Healey. I don't remember the process, but I do remember stalling out

Pulling off a hill was the nightmare scenerio.

Once I mastered that, I felt like Mario Andretti

Re: Carjackers Couldn't Drive Manual Transmission..

Icegoddess — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 19:57:34 GMT

I did not learn to drive usng stick, but my first car had one, so I had to learn. I still drive a stick. I want to get a tire cover for my back tire with the markings on the stick and the words Anti Theft.

Need for manual transmission? I don't understand that. No, there's not a need for a manual transmission, but there never was, except maybe for people who needed 4-wheel drive. It's just what used to be available. I've been told that auomatic 4WD is as good or maybe better than manual Don't know and don't care. Personally, I think all sports cars and Jeep Wranglers should be sticks. It's traditional.

Don't know if it's true or not, but I heard the other day that manual transmissions were making a comeback among the younger folks.

Re: Carjackers Couldn't Drive Manual Transmission..

On It — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 19:59:45 GMT

Back in day, our Driver's Education car was a manual transmission. Brilliant idea. Everyone learned.

Re: Carjackers Couldn't Drive Manual Transmission..

Kachina624 — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 20:25:59 GMT

Perhaps a lucrative side-hustle for us senior retirees might be to give stick-shift driving lessons to young thugs who aspire to a life of crime. For a price, of course.

Re: Carjackers Couldn't Drive Manual Transmission..

twinny70 — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 20:32:27 GMT

My sister and I got our drivers license in the summer of 1964. Our Dad had ordered a brand new Studebaker station wagon with a stick shift. Thank goodness it arrived with automatic. Thank goodness for small favors. Yes, we are dinosaurs.

When we got married in 1970, I bought our first car. It was a 1966 Ford Galaxy automatic. I had an accident with it in February of 1971. Traded it & my dh had to have 4 on the floor. Since he had to have a cassette player, it was a stick shift on the post. Ha. Ha.

One day, I took my Mom to a neighboring town to shop etc. I had my White "go go boots" on when I went to a drive thru restaurant. It was raining and my foot slipped off the brake. She hit her head on the rear view mirror. That was the first & last stick shift.🤔🙂🤔.

Glenda

Re: Carjackers Couldn't Drive Manual Transmission..

Pook — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 20:32:55 GMT

I have driven a stick since the early 70's. I wanted 4 wheel drive and back then there was no such thing as an SUV and all 4 wheel drives were manual. My neighbor who was like a brother to me and a truck driver took me out for several hours one night and kept going back to a hilly street that seldom had any traffic. I learned in that one night and have never had anything but a manual since. So fun to drive and I want to actually control the vehicle better.

Re: Carjackers Couldn't Drive Manual Transmission..

RedTop — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 20:33:03 GMT

I learned on a manual and made both daughters learn to drive manual transmission.

Trucker daughter's personal vehicles are always manual. Last time she took her truck in for service, she was called from the waiting room to drive her truck into the garage because none of the mechanics who were working could drive a manual transmission!!

Re: Carjackers Couldn't Drive Manual Transmission..

Venezia — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 20:48:27 GMT

I learned on a manual transmission and I always thought everyone should at least know how to - you never know when an emergency will happen and a stick shift will be the only vehicle around!

It stood me in good stead when I moved to England. I have no idea what it's like there now, but at the time automatic transmissions were rare and had to be specially ordered. All my cars during the 20 years I was there were manual transmission.

Also, if you got your license in the U.K. driving an automatic, you weren't allowed to drive a manual. It was noted on your license. (Unless you took your test again and passed in a manual.) And almost all rental cars were manual.

I'm glad I can drive either.

Re: Carjackers Couldn't Drive Manual Transmission..

chrystaltree — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 20:51:36 GMT

This same thing happened to a coworker several years ago. He parked his car on the street instead of the parking lot. He opened the car door, remember that he forgot something and ran into the office to retrieve it. In the interim, 3 young guys jumped in the car but none of them could drive a stick shift. The fools sat on the car arguing with each other....while he called the police. They were standing by the car fussing with each other when the police arrived. Arrested but charges were dropped because they didn't steal the car or damage it any say.

Re: Carjackers Couldn't Drive Manual Transmission..

Trailrun23 — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 20:58:22 GMT

I learned how to drive in my brother's 65 mustang while he was in Viet Nam ...manual transmission....then I got a VW beetle....more stick....only problem is we lived in an area with lots of hills...you were never finished shifting. The idiot would-be carjackers deserve to look stupid...but hooe the victim's transmission wasn't ground into shreds.

Re: Carjackers Couldn't Drive Manual Transmission..

icezeus — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 21:02:25 GMT

My mom only drove manual transmission cars. Therefore, I learned and took my DL test on one and passed. I also taught my younger brother how to drive a stick shift.

I have not driven one in years, but I assume it would come back to me if the need arose.

I purchased a new car last year, and if I want it to drive like a stick I can do that. Why??? It's not even like a real stick shift.

Re: Carjackers Couldn't Drive Manual Transmission..

Venezia — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 21:05:39 GMT

@icezeus - Sometimes on steep grades, you might want to control which gear it's in, rather than relying on the automatic transmission to do it.