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[1Lemon]

But british law you can have an automatic licence and a manual licence.

If you have manual it covers both

No difference stateside, a license is a license...

You mean you can take your test in an automatic then drive a manual? the gears and the bite point are the hard part to learn when you first start driving.

You cannot drive a manual if you hold an Auto licence in the states.

SOURCE: Multiple american TV shows and films people get pulled over and are asked if they can "Drive Stick, and have a licence for a stick shift motor-ve-hicle"

[darwin dali]

There is no indication on my driver license whether I have manual or automatic. Yes, you can take your driving test in an automatic and then drive a manual.

[Jabberwocky]

To be fair I have known people pass in a manual and not be able to drive an auto

[Hammer278]

To be fair I have known people pass in a manual and not be able to drive an auto

[Jabberwocky]

They kept changing gear as they would in a manual ie 1st 2nd 3rd. The problem started when they rolled up to a junction and selected nuteral... via reverse... 1st time the wheels locked... 2nd time the engine twisted itself out of the car

[Hammer278]

F*CK...that's like my worst auto nightmare...I actually had nightmares of doing that accidentally with my car! But as far as I understand if you're going over a certain speed the gearbox locks itself and you can't shift to reverse/park? I've never tried it of course, but I would've thought its a basic requirement for auto trannys, its such an easy accident waiting to happen especially with kids in the car.

[Jabberwocky]

It was an old mazda 323.

[Jabberwocky]

The thing I always do when swapping into an automatic is lock my clutch foot behind my other foot. Other wise gearchanges cause you to headbit the steering wheel

[1Lemon]

Why would you not want a manual, it's so satisfying to be able to drop it into third for a roundabout and get nice acceleration coming out the end of it.

[Hammer278]

Its got pros and cons but the newer autos have some serious acceleration when you command it. Plus, when you weigh in the cons of a manual during bumper to bumper traffic during rush hours its easy to see why they're being phased out very quickly in the cities.

[NHcheese]

The only way this links to mercedes is...

[Hammer278]

I've driven this grandpa before....a manual tranny, its a sweet sweet ride.

[andrew]

^^ it's a losing battle, in a generation, most people driving will not have a clue what a manual transmission was let alone why we'd ever want to use it.

This is true in the US but as far as I know, manual transmission is still the most prevalent in Europe, I had never owned or driven an auto until moving stateside!

Yeah, I started driving lessons at 17 (6 years ago), and all my subsequent experience has been with manual cars. Never tried an auto.

Auto's are good in town but can be pretty thirsty. The first time I drove one I took ages to get the stupid thing to move. It was a Merc ML and no one told me that you had to put your foot on the brake to take it out of park. Then there's reaching for a gear stick that isn't there or going for a non-existant clutch peddle. Then the bloody thing moves by itself when it's in gear! Takes a bit of getting used to but their better for left foot braking. I prefer a manual is better as too many auto's take light years to decide to change gear.

Hard to believe that it'll be 9 years in December since I passed my driving test.

[racechick]

Never driven an automatic. What do you do with your hands? And your other foot?

[andrew]

Left foot brake and what you do with your hand depends on who is in the passenger seat.