Stick or automatic?

[KIR]

Why would you ride the clutch pedal? It seems a weird thing to do.

The car was very small. I even broke the back of the driver's seat twice and they finally had to weld it, all the way back.

 

[caryc]

If idling on an uphill slope (like at stoplight or some fast food drive through), it will roll backwards (unless has anti roll feature or shift to neutral and hold brake or... keep the clutch engaged just enough to hold the vehicle in place).

The manual transmission vehicle will also tend to roll back when first moving forward again. That is why you should never be too close behind a vehicle on an incline at a stoplight or drive through.

The Toyota may have the anti roll feature. My 6 speed Trans Am does not and I've seen a lot of others roll back at stoplights.

Isn't that what a brake pedal is for? Even if you don't want to shift into neutral, you could hold in the clutch and hit the brake pedal. I would never ride the clutch like that to hold a car on a hill. Who taught you to drive?

 

[Watertender]

Isn't that what a brake pedal is for? Even if you don't want to shift into neutral, you could hold in the clutch and hit the brake pedal. I would never ride the clutch like that to hold a car on a hill. Who taught you to drive?

My dad taught me how to hold a vehicle on a hill or ramp using the clutch. His teaching methods were not gentle so I learned fast. That being said, we never had to replace a clutch on any of our trucks and we used them plenty. We got over 250K miles on some of our trucks with a lot of the usage off road on construction sites, farms and logging out woods.

 

[caryc]

My dad taught me how to hold a vehicle on a hill or ramp using the clutch. His teaching methods were not gentle so I learned fast. That being said, we never had to replace a clutch on any of our trucks and we used them plenty. We got over 250K miles on some of our trucks with a lot of the usage off road on construction sites, farms and logging out woods.

Clutches were just not made or engineered to be used like that. Sorry, but that is true. That's what the brake pedal is for. In that situation, there's no need to keep your foot on the accelerator so put your right foot on the brake. It's the same thing as someone in an auto trans resting their left foot on the brake pedal while driving. You were taught wrong.

 

[B-O-B'03]

Two footed automatic drivers drive me crazy, car is accelerating, brake lights on.
How are other drivers to know when you are actually stopping, when your brake lights are on all the time?

-Brian

 

[caryc]

Two footed automatic drivers drive me crazy, car is accelerating, brake lights on.
How are other drivers to know when you are actually stopping, when your brake lights are on all the time?

-Brian

Another one that really bothers me is when I'm driving down a street and someone on a street or driveway on my right is wanting to pull out on the same street. They start their car creeping forward before I even get past them. One never knows whether they will just hit that gas pedal and pull right out in front of one. IDIOTS !

 

[Watertender]

Clutches were just not made or engineered to be used like that. Sorry, but that is true. That's what the brake pedal is for. In that situation, there's no need to keep your foot on the accelerator so put your right foot on the brake. It's the same thing as someone in an auto trans resting their left foot on the brake pedal while driving. You were taught wrong.

Brains were invented for thinking but that doesn't mean that all people use them. Try doing the 3 footed shuffle with a heavy load of logs or a load of gravel or stone coming up out of a quarry. When you have close to 10 tons on a single axle truck on a grade and you have to stop then start you use the clutch to hold the load. If the lever actuated emergency/parking brake works you can use it to help. Otherwise you use the clutch to hold the load. Dad worked construction for over 50 years and could operate anything with wheels or tracks. Perhaps his methods were not by the book but they worked.

 

[caryc]

Brains were invented for thinking but that doesn't mean that all people use them. Try doing the 3 footed shuffle with a heavy load of logs or a load of gravel or stone coming up out of a quarry. When you have close to 10 tons on a single axle truck on a grade and you have to stop then start you use the clutch to hold the load. If the lever actuated emergency/parking brake works you can use it to help. Otherwise you use the clutch to hold the load. Dad worked construction for over 50 years and could operate anything with wheels or tracks. Perhaps his methods were not by the book but they worked.

With all respect for your Dad, I'm still not buying it. But hey, if it works...

 

[Watertender]

With all respect for your Dad, I'm still not buying it. But hey, if it works...

It works... My Colorado has a hill assist and I really appreciate the feature.

 

[caryc]

It works... My Colorado has a hill assist and I really appreciate the feature.

I may have been too hard on your Dad and for that, I apologize.

By the way does your Colorado have a stick or auto?

 

[Paul B]

Growing up in San Francisco all my first cars were stick shifts. I didn't even own a car with an automatic until I got my 1955 Olds super 88. I was at home on leave trying to find a car I could afford when my dad told me a friend was selling his mother's car for $600. I'm thinking a baby carriage but at the time I was a bit desperate and was due back at the base in two days. So, I went to see the guy and he hands me the keys and says, "The car is in the garage. Can't miss it due to the for sale sign." Well it's a 1955 Olds Super 88 two door hardtop, clean as a whistle. The surprise came when I started it. Who fired up the B29? I pop the hood and there's two four barrel carbs and headers in plain sight. The lope of the engine says a mild grade cam of some type. I go back up and ask if his mother was the little old lady from Pasadena as that car sounded totally badass. He just said she liked to go fast, even as a little girl. Go fast it did. There's been times I've kicked myself for selling it as it was a screamer. That was the only GM car I ever owned that was not a bundle of troubles from the get go.
Paul B.

 

[Dave P.]

Brains were invented for thinking but that doesn't mean that all people use them. Try doing the 3 footed shuffle with a heavy load of logs or a load of gravel or stone coming up out of a quarry. When you have close to 10 tons on a single axle truck on a grade and you have to stop then start you use the clutch to hold the load. If the lever actuated emergency/parking brake works you can use it to help. Otherwise you use the clutch to hold the load. Dad worked construction for over 50 years and could operate anything with wheels or tracks. Perhaps his methods were not by the book but they worked.

I started driving our old dump truck 1966 Chevy 327 with a 4 speed and hi-lo. I remember it maxed out at about 28,000 pounds and
even coming out of tight gravel pits up some steep exit roads don't remember slipping the clutch to hold the truck. Was always able
to twist my foot enough to "heel and toe " it but with that setup my heel was on the brakes and toes on the throttle.
Did see a few guys that had a hand throttle over ride like some standard transmission off roaders use, it could have been a cheap handy addition
some days.
As for people rolling back on the street in cars...well they just need to learn how to drive!
EDIT.....got thinking...for the most part I still try to treat a clutch as more of a off and on switch and slip it the minimum amount possible for
the situation, if alone don't mind abrupt engagements, try to be more accommodating with passengers. My only exception is 125 and 250cc
motocrossers, I'll slip or fan the clutch a whole bunch out of tight corners to get a good exit, they seem to tolerate the abuse and the clutches
are basically a consumable sorta like tires or brake pads.

 

[Watertender]

I may have been too hard on your Dad and for that, I apologize.

By the way does your Colorado have a stick or auto?

Dad was a hard man and worker who could do more than 3 men combined. He got things done while others were still trying to figure it out.
My Colorado has a 2.5L 4 cylinder engine and automatic transmission with 2wd

 

[caryc]

Dad was a hard man and worker who could do more than 3 men combined. He got things done while others were still trying to figure it out.
My Colorado has a 2.5L 4 cylinder engine and automatic transmission with 2wd

I don't see where an auto trans needs a hill assist, in fact I've never heard of it. That's what the brake pedal is for. I do know that with some automatics, one could just let it idle on a gentle hill and it would hold but not all of them would to that.

 

[Watertender]

I don't see where an auto trans needs a hill assist, in fact I've never heard of it. That's what the brake pedal is for. I do know that with some automatics, one could just let it idle on a gentle hill and it would hold but not all of them would to that.

I didn't know that the truck had hill assist until I was stopped on a ramp. I pressed the brake pedal and a light on the dash said hill assist. I took my foot off the brake and the vehicle stayed in place. It's a neat feature and I am not going to complain about it

 

[caryc]

I didn't know that the truck had hill assist until I was stopped on a ramp. I pressed the brake pedal and a light on the dash said hill assist. I took my foot off the brake and the vehicle stayed in place. It's a neat feature and I am not going to complain about it

Well, well, I learn something new each day. Still never heard of it. Do any new cars have that light come on like that?

 

[roylt]

My first car was manual. few autos then back to manual. Got a dakota to haul my dirtbike which was auto. All autos after that really. Had a 1986 Saab manual as nostalgia. My dad was a Saab guy and always had one as his car. After he passed I ended up selling my Saab.
Last year I got a heck of a deal on a GMC Canyon that was manual. My goal was to teach the kids to drive it. They both had a go and I think they could drive stick if push came to shove. Ended up selling it as it had rust issues. Plus my daughter was pretty much against it. Took that money and got a 2007 impala to fix up for her first car.

I do see another manual in my future. As some have said they are harder to find now a days. And I have other things to worry about currently but someday I will have one again.

 

[Ranger]

I learned to drive a manual pulling up a truck with seed in it at the end of farm fields when I was about seven. Had to dip below the dash to reach the pedals; but I got it done.

My Trans AM has 200,000+ miles on it without clutch issues. If someone can consistently do the toe heel brake gas clutch tap dance under load without the anti roll feature and without rolling backwards or killing the motor, more power to them. Before ordering the TA, I drove an underpowered manual 4 cyl ranger supercab (back in the late 80s and early 90s). Guaranteed it would die if not giving it some gas taking off on that incline. If you have some stoplights on inclines around where you travel, pay attention and you'll see vehicles rolling backwards. Just hope you haven't pulled up too close behind them.

 

[JParker47]

LONG LONG TIME AGO, I love them both. I can still remember going to a Drive In with a super fine female and the 3 speed Hurst shifter link pin fell out on my 69 Nova. I got down and fixed it, but it seemed man skills were a put off by beautiful date. I guess she was not into grease fingers....hahaha ..

 

[RugerForMe]

I drove a manual transmission up till about 7 or 8 years ago when my body told me NO MORE.

I have nerve damage in my lower back and using the clutch started irritating them, pain was not worth it and off to the dark side I am.

 

[caryc]

I guess today, the only real advantage to a stick is the fact that one can manually push start one of them. Notice that I said manually with man power, or lady power. Who ever happens to be around at the time.

I'll never forget when I had a 1947 Ford pickup. One time my girlfriend was driving it and she couldn't get it started so she called me and I jumped in my Toyota Carolla and went to help her. I got there and it was on the street so I told her I would just push her to get it started. I told her to put it in second and hold in the clutch. I pushed her and let off and it didn't start. We went through this like three times before I finally stopped and went to talk to her. It turns out that she did not know that she was supposed to pop the clutch when I backed off the push.

Of course that was my fault for not explaining it to her. We did get it started. Wish I'd never sold that truck.

 

[GasGuzzler]

Very few new cars are available with a manual transmission. Can't even get a Corvette with three pedals (technically they have a manual transmission that shifts itself). Can't get a GM truck of any size with a manual. I'm guessing the Camaro (soon to be dead) and one of the base model cars are the only ones available with a manual.

 

[GasGuzzler]

...and modern anti-theft will not allow a push start on most cars.

 

[James (CA)]

Stop and go traffic,......