Performing a lost art
I believe I am one of the there are several reasons to dwindling number of people learn to drive a stick shift. One who can still do what is is that is adds a skill set to your rapidly becoming a lost art. toolbox. You will be able to I own, and know how to do something that fewer and drive, a stick shift. fewer people can do. There are fewer and fewer Owning a stick shift can MIKE BOLLINGER people who know how to also reduce the number of mike@johnstonnow.com drive one. In fact, I own my people who borrow your car. stick shift because no one at First of all, they probably the company I worked for before moving won’t be able to drive it anyway, and to Johnston County could drive it. Since secondly, you can tell them you aren’t sure no one there could use it, my former boss they can handle it properly. gave it to me when I retired. More stick shifts would likely mean less Some people get a watch for retirement, texting and driving. Of course, no one I got a 2003 Honda CRV. should text and drive. It’s a primary driving According to U.S. News and World offense in North Carolina, meaning you Report, only 18% of American drivers can can be stopped if an officer sees you doing drive a car with a manual transmission it. The fine is $100 plus court costs. these days. A New York Times report You need that second hand to work reveals that in 1980, 35% of cars the stick shift, which means there would produced for sale in the U.S. had a be less opportunity for it to be on your manual transmission. Today, that figure is phone. 1%. Having a stick shift can help to keep In 2019, there were more electric cars a thief from stealing your car. It’s much sold than manual transmission cars. harder for someone to steal something Collectors are beginning to purchase they can’t operate. I guess they could get manual transmission sports cars because it into neutral and push it, but if someone they are becoming rare. is trying to get a car the easy way and steal According to spotlightautoservice.com, it, they aren’t likely to want to put all that
6 | [ JOHNSTON NOW ]
effort into pushing it. There could come a time when the only car available for you to drive, for whatever reason, is a stick shift. In such a case, knowing how would beat walking. Or, you could be out with a friend that has one and suddenly need to drive it. Also, as geico.com notes, and I agree, it’s more fun than driving an automatic. You actually have to work the car as opposed to just sitting there and pressing the accelerator. If you can find one, manual transmission cars average about $1,200 less than ones with automatic transmissions. In addition, some manual cars get better gas mileage than automatics. Also, okcarz.com notes that young drivers will learn how to control a car better if they learn on a manual, since they will know how much power the car needs at a given time. I’m going to do all I can to keep the old CRV alive for as long as I can, since I most likely won’t be able to find another manual if it passes away. Until then, I’ll take pride in being one of the few people who can actually get it out of the driveway.
