Manual Drivers: Are they better drivers?

[correia]

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I was just reading the flash to pass thread and have been thinking about this for a while:

1) Do you drive a stick?
2) Do you think stick drivers are better drivers?

For me:

1) Yes, for my whole driving career. (7 years)
2) Yes because they pay more attention while driving. For example: I pay more attention to my speed because of the gear I'm in. I rarely eat while driving, and only use the cell phone when I'm stopped at a long light (stopped traffic) or driving in the same gear on the freeway. I have 1 speeding ticket from when I was 16, and no accidents FYI.

I've just always had a bias towards "slush pump" drivers. Anyone else feel the same?

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if you pay more attention when you're driving stick, then you arent a good enough stick driver. you should be shifting with your elbow wh ile you eat, steer with your knees, and talk on your cell.

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Ha excellent point. That was me everyday driving back and forth to school. But in response to the orignial question i would say that in general people who drive stick are better drivers.

[Maulik]

DUH.

[eastbay]

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The steps: Clutch in, shift into neutral, clutch out, rev to the appropriate RPM for the next lower gear, clutch in, complete the downshift, clutch out. It sounds like a lot of work, but once you've done it a bajillion times, it's all muscle memory.

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Or, you could let a machine do machine-like robotic tasks for you. It's what they're for.

I grew up driving stick, but the whole stick snob machismo thing is silly.

eastbay

[DasLeben]

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Or, you could let a machine do machine-like robotic tasks for you. It's what they're for.

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My truck doesn't have SMG. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

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I grew up driving stick, but the whole stick snob machismo thing is silly.

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I don't really consider things like revmatching a macho or snobbish thing to do at all. My post is simply giving information as to the best technique, much like you'd give information about playing specific hands in an SNG. And just like in poker, if you're going to play, you might as well be good at what you do right?

[Guy Incognito]

I guess I've never understood downshifting, it seems so much easier just to coast/brake.

[Maulik]

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I guess I've never understood downshifting, it seems so much easier just to coast/brake.

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downshifting allows you to smoothly decelerate. It's also fun and gives you more control over your car. your brakes will also last longer.

[astroglide]

last time i checked brakes were a lot cheaper than a clutch

[Maulik]

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last time i checked brakes were a lot cheaper than a clutch

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indeed they are, but you aren't wearing out your clutch by using it; as you abuse it you're wearing it out?

[astroglide]

huh? even things that are meant to get used wear out and need somewhat regular replacement. the less you use it, the less likely it is to happen.

i basically never 'direct downshift' when i drive. i go up the gears. when i need to stop, i pop into neutral without using the clutch and brake into a stop. if i need to slow down, i pop into neutral without using the clutch and slow down, when appropriate i go into a lower gear to accellerate. i don't do stuff like go straight from fourth to third. it's easier driving, i'm not revving the engine which maybe saves a bit on gas, and i've never had to replace a clutch. certainly i could be results-oriented in my thinking here, but i can't imagine why i would ever want to decellerate by scaling down in gears when i can put the onus on my brakes instead of my clutch.

[bronzepiglet]

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last time i checked brakes were a lot cheaper than a clutch

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indeed they are, but you aren't wearing out your clutch by using it; as you abuse it you're wearing it out?

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There actually is some truth to this, despite what one would assume. Clutch wear is almost negligible with scrupulous observance of clutch-friendly driving practices. Only when you heat the clutch up way too much from excessively slipping it, does the clutch take a lot of wear... it can do months of damage to it.

Brakes, however, are always wearing down with proper usage.