First trip alone...

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How long did you drive a standard with someone else in the car before you went alone?

0 days - I am fabulous
15
42%
3 days
10
28%
a week or two
6
17%
a long ass time
5
14%
 
Total votes: 36

Hanabel
Junior Standardshifter
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Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2003 5:12 pm
Location: Montague, MA
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First trip alone...

Post by Hanabel »

I am a brand spankin' new standard shifter and today I finally drove to the store by myself in the standard car! I did awesome... I am now starting to feel addicted. I drove with someone else for almost a month first.

:D
laxrap8
Junior Standardshifter
Posts: 16
Joined: Thu Jun 19, 2003 9:25 pm

Post by laxrap8 »

well, i picked 0 days, but it was actually 1 day, but 0 was the closest option. i had driven automatic cars for about 3 months, so i was comfortable on the roads and everything. i drove a manual car once for about 15mins, stalled a few times. my first car, and only car, was a manual, so my parents drove around with me on and off throughout a day. they'd let me drive around without them though that day. i stalled a few stop signs and stop lights, but it wasn't too bad.

now a few weeks later i haven't stalled in atleast a week, knock on wood, and it is getting much smoother.
Hanabel
Junior Standardshifter
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2003 5:12 pm
Location: Montague, MA
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i have been driving for a long time...

Post by Hanabel »

you're lucky... i have been driving for about 11 years, and i was afraid of standard shift for all that time.
laxrap8
Junior Standardshifter
Posts: 16
Joined: Thu Jun 19, 2003 9:25 pm

Post by laxrap8 »

i have always had an interest in learning how to drive standard, so it just kind of worked out that my first car turned out to be a stick.
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Standardshifter
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Post by Standardshifter »

Got the gist of it immediately. Of course, it was an old 4-cylinder Mustang that was about to die. It was on private land, so I could abuse the clutch and take my own sweet time in practicing starting from a stop.

-Standardshifter
Bocank
Junior Standardshifter
Posts: 11
Joined: Wed Jan 08, 2003 4:49 am
Location: Alexandria, KY; Nashville, TN; Chicago, IL
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Post by Bocank »

I picked 3 days, b/c I had driven manuals more than that before I got mine, but it was always spread apart. I never had my parents in the car, I learned by driving my friends' cars around. So basically, I taught myself on an 89 Toyota Corolla, a 96 Saturn, a 98 Jeep Wrangler, and a 1970 Ford Falcon w/ a 3 on the tree. Stalled and revved the engine a lot at first, but soon I got the hang of it, and now I have my own standard shift car to drive around!
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acadien
Senior Standardshifter
Posts: 334
Joined: Sat Mar 13, 2004 9:54 pm
Location: Ottawa, Canada

Post by acadien »

I picked a long bass time, because it'll have to be 9 months... :( the minimum length of the "learner stage" in the stupid graduate licensing of my province. But I learnt to drive standard before automatic, it's been nearly a month, and I love driving, and love driving standard
akais2
Junior Standardshifter
Posts: 8
Joined: Sat Mar 27, 2004 1:58 am
Location: Midwest

Post by akais2 »

i drove by myself right away, i just knew how to drive one b/c i have driven 4-wheelers and dirt bikes a lot and i just used my knowledge from that area of expertese and taught myself pretty much. Though i did get some pointers and tips from some people i know.
1996 Dodge Stratus 5-speed 2.0
2 MTX 12'' subs
900 watt Rockford Fosgate Amp
"Whoever said progress was a slow process wasn't talking about me"
RustyFalcon
Junior Standardshifter
Posts: 24
Joined: Sat Apr 17, 2004 11:57 pm
Location: Utica, New York

Post by RustyFalcon »

I really want to learn standard, but for some reason i think having someone else in the car would be annoying while youre learning. I would distract myself thinking about what the other person is thinking if i stall it or something....plus i'm just the kind of guy that thinks "if i CAN do it by myself, i WILL do it by myself."
Cruel Night
Senior Standardshifter
Posts: 734
Joined: Wed Jun 11, 2003 11:12 pm
Cars: Subaru Forester
Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba

Post by Cruel Night »

I was the same way when i started driving standard... passengers would distract me, i'd be concentrating too much on not making a fool out of myself.. lol and that would cause me to mess up.
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