8mm Forum: USA Driving Test

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Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on June 29, 2015, 10:37 AM:

I have just been watching "Taken 2" in which Liam Neesons's young daughter has already failed two driving road tests.

However, in Istanbul, she seems totally in control of a frantic car chase with her driving s stolen taxi. In one shot we can clearly see that the car has a manual (stick) gearbox.

In most American films all the cars on screen seem to have an automatic gearbox.

Does this mean that a candidate for an American driving road test has to be able to use a manual gearbox?

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on June 29, 2015, 10:54 AM:

No, and I doubt even 10% of US motorists can drive a stick.

When I was in Driver Education (17 years old), the teacher asked if anybody in the class was taking their road test with a manual transmission.

-of the 25 in the class there was exactly "one" (and we were in AWE of him!).

There used to be a requirement in the New York State road test that you stop on a hill and restart without stalling. The 99% of the cars showing up with automatics made that seem silly so they removed it about 40 years ago.

When I was 25 years old I bought my first new car, a shining, brand new 5.0 liter Mustang with all the bells and whistles. I had to bring a friend to the dealership because I couldn't drive a stick shift yet (My Mom said I was crazy buying a car I couldn't drive.)

-that day I learned!

My new car has an automatic with the shifter on the console. Sometimes I manually shift the gears just for old times' sake and my left leg instinctively twitches!

On the other hand my Uncle in Germany doesn't know how to drive an automatic! He parked my cousin's car and left it in gear (not "park"), and wondered why it wouldn't start!

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on June 29, 2015, 12:33 PM:

Automatics and cruise control are essential travelling along the vast interstates in the U.S. but absolutely useless in the UK with our overcrowded stop start grid locked road system.
We just love sticking our cars in neutral and sitting in standing traffic for hours on end on our motorway network!

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on June 29, 2015, 01:33 PM:

They say the clutch pedal is headed the way of the Dodo!

automatics are getting smarter and smarter, and depending on the skills of the driver can outdo a manual shift transmission in terms of efficiency and performance.

-besides that, a hybrid car doesn't even need a mechanical gear shift of any variety.

This is creating a philosophical problem at some of the highest performance manufacturers. If you want to bolt off the line and maintain maximum torque all the way up, the best "engine" is actually an electric motor (or a jet turbine, but let's not go there...).

-So in a few years, Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Porsches will very likely be hybrids.

If they have a stick shift at all, it will be digitally interfaced to a driveline computer and be available in some "mode" or other (completely unneeded, really).

Just seems...wrong!

Several manufacturers now have systems that pump the snarl of a muscular V8 through the audio system of a small engine car.

We already had video games based on cars, now we have cars based on video games!

Posted by Janice Glesser (Member # 2758) on June 29, 2015, 02:49 PM:

Yes ... there is a bit of a thrill changing gears with a manual transmission on a straight-away. However, I can't say I miss it that much. My first two cars were stick-shifts (a VW Bug...and a Ford Pinto)...not much fun to drive when you live in hilly San Francisco [Eek!]

Posted by Joseph Randall (Member # 4906) on June 29, 2015, 03:41 PM:

This is like the auto-thread vs. manual-thread debate for 16mm collectors! [Big Grin]

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on June 29, 2015, 03:46 PM:

My achy left knee likes my Honda Civic much better, but my inner ear and wicked smile really preferred my Mustang GT!

Posted by Paul Suchy (Member # 80) on June 29, 2015, 05:51 PM:

Steve and I have similar stories: My first car was a manual shift Toyota Corolla and my brother talked me into buying it because it was in great shape for the price. "I'll show you how to drive it", my bro said, and I have owned manuals all my life (I currently own a 5 speed Mini Cooper). Sticks give one more control over the car and this comes in handy during winter. But I can't argue with Janice-I have a hard enough time driving an automatic when I visit San Francisco!

Posted by Paul Mason (Member # 4015) on June 30, 2015, 03:35 AM:

quote:
Automatics and cruise control are essential travelling along the vast interstates in the U.S. but absolutely useless in the UK with our overcrowded stop start grid locked road system.

Andrew, I must say I thought it was the other way round although I agree with you about cruise control [Big Grin]

Personally I don't mind either manual or automatic gear shifting (I drive a manual) but I would always do away with the clutch.

Posted by Bryan Chernick (Member # 1998) on June 30, 2015, 04:35 AM:

I started out on a 68 Chevrolet with 3 on the tree. Almost all my cars have been manual up until my most recent. The reason I switched was because I didn't like driving a manual in the stop and go traffic in Seattle.

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on June 30, 2015, 05:01 AM:

Steve's comment about the hill stop and start reminded me about a steep hill in Weston-super-Mare (where I lived) which was used by learner and test drivers. It was said the driving examiner would get out and place an egg behind one of the wheels. If the egg was subsequently broken you FAILED!

At one time in the U.K. if you passed the test in an automatic gear-box car, your eventual licence would be for only driving such cars. I don't know if that rule still exists.

[ June 30, 2015, 03:05 PM: Message edited by: Maurice Leakey ]

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on June 30, 2015, 08:42 AM:

Yes it does Maurice. I suspect it will always be this way also.

It simply wouldn't be safe for anyone who has only ever driven an automatic to suddenly be let loose on a vehicle that involved clutch/ accelerator control or gear changes when they have never driven anything like this before.

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on July 07, 2015, 12:10 PM:

So if somebody did what I did and take the leap to a manual transmission car after driving 7 years they'd need to take a second road test?

I often towed a trailer with my car. Every so often I'd get caught in traffic towing up a hill, and if it went on long enough there was just a hint of hot clutch lining in the air!

Posted by Ken Finch (Member # 2768) on July 07, 2015, 02:18 PM:

I first started to learn to drive in 1952 using my Dads car with him "teaching me" It was a 1930 Austin 7 with a crash 3 speed gearbox and cable brakes.!! I had to learn to double de clutch to change gear!! It did not have any direction indicators so it was also hand signals all the time. Mind you it had a top speed of about 50mph depending on wind conditions.!! Dad was driving before tests were introduced and never had to take a driving test. I still drive a manual box car but have had a couple of automatics in the past. Driving is no longer a pleasure with our crowded roads and I am finding it an inreasingly nerve wracking experience. My licence runs out next year and do not intend to renew it because I am conscious that my responses may be slowing down. Fortunately my other half is 15 years younger than me and I can travel by bus for free. Ken Finch.

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on July 07, 2015, 05:23 PM:

Out here you have three stages to go through.. learners at 16yrs and over, then your restricted and if you sit that test in a automatic. If you pass then your restricted will show "automatic vehicles only" then lastly your full licence, you can sit it in a auto but still cant drive a manual unless you have cleared it with your restricted.

I had to sit another full driving test "yikes" when I was going for my "P" passenger endorsement. Although I passed that new test in a auto, I can drive a manual, which I do for the bus company at the moment, because there was never any restriction on my original and still valid licence from day one.

Its funny though, the last person I taught to drive was the young kid I trained up as a projectionist. When he turned 16yrs he had saved up enough money and bought his first car "a manual"...a wee Toyoto....I went for a drive on the open road and still remember that glazed "no fear" look in his eyes "not mine" when his younger brother 13yrs old and sitting in the back was saying...faster...faster...getting up to 100 kilometers an hour [Eek!]

....scary stuff believe you me [Roll Eyes]

:)never again [Eek!]

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