Yet Another Reason...To Drive A Stick

 Saw the headline...

Knew exactly what happened, as do you.

Years ago when I attended the LTUE conference, I remember parking my car and as I crossed the parking lot, an author friend pulled up. I waited for him to get out so we could walk to the conference together. I don't remember the exact make and model of his car, but I haven't forgotten the conversation we had as we walked.

I mentioned the car and he said how great it was. It was an older compact, but he said it had an Anti-Millennial Theft Device, in other words, a manual transmission. I laughed--it was funny. Truth be told, I've stolen that line several times since then...each time, it gets a laugh.

When I learned to drive, oh, around 40+ years ago, there was a good chance whatever car you climbed in had a manual transmission. I think back then, almost every make and model came with the option of having either an automatic or manual transmission. Since my first car was a VW beetle, I pretty much had to learn how to drive a stick or I wouldn't have been able to go anywhere (to be honest, that bug was so unreliable at times, often I was unable to go anywhere...). 

Fast forward four decades, the manual transmission is a dying breed. I recently replaced the manual transmission in Donk the Subaru. My mechanic friend told me that the "powers that be" want to get rid of all manuals. He was told they get worse gas mileage. We both know that's a lie.

If you want to read the article, click: HERE, even though you already know the story just from the headline. It's another excellent reason to drive a stick.

Took The Youngest For His First Driving Lesson...In A Manual

 For the other kids, we had a spunky little Pontiac on which they learned to drive. The car was small, maneuverable, and perhaps most importantly, kind of dinged up so if the kids hit a light post or a curb a little too fast, the result would not be a big deal.

We still have the Pontiac Vibe. It sits in our driveway unused. It's almost a 20 year-old car and it has some issues, to the point where we need to put some money in it for me to feel safe to have it back on the road. My youngest has reached the age where he needs to get his license.

The Pontiac is not available...

Turns out, my Subaru is.

This wouldn't be a big deal, but unlike the Pontiac, the Subaru does not have an automatic transmission...it's a manual.

Time to sound like an old man now...In my day, when I learned to drive, there were many more vehicles with manual transmissions. My first car--Greenie, the 1965 VW bug--was a manual. It's what I drove as I learned to drive. My son wanted to drive the Subaru instead of our minivan. Makes sense--the van is bigger. We drove down to the place that had the largest parking lot (our local church...). I parked the car. My son and I switched places. Then the fun began.

I've helped teach my other children, so I've done it before. This, however, was unlike the others. To my son's credit, he handled the experience with more composure than I might have at his age. It was frustrating, but he wanted to keep going, wanted to learn. And, the car made it though the ordeal pretty much unscathed.

For those who have driven or currently drive manual transmission vehicles, you know it's a different experience. Personally, I'm glad I still have a vanishing breed of car. I'm glad my son wants to learn how to drive one, too.