Pluggers by Rick McKee for February 08, 2020

know of any young blood that have learned manual?

Yet another reason to drive a stick-shift.

Ah yes the Lost Art of stick-shift driving … but I hear it is alive and well in Europe.

all of my cars are sticks..all 5 of them…..

all but two of my cars in my Malibu beach home have stick shifts , but the SUVs and Hummers in my Colorado mountain home have

stick shifts. I’m more conventional, when I’m staying in my Manhattan Condo, all my Caddies have automatic. It’s easier in heavy traffic

While still in high school, I worked as a contract security guard. My 3rd assignment was working as much as a valet as well as security in a well-to-do area of town with a newly hired partner who admitted he had lied about being able to drive a stick shift. Just as that moment, a guest arrived in a Ferrari. I told him it was his lucky day because he was going to learn on some of the best automobiles ever made. (I actually ended up handling the stick shift cars.)

I made all three of my daughters learn to drive our stick shift. It just like riding a bike – you never forget how when the skill is needed.

Especially.. if the “stick” is on the steering column. Don’t see many of those around anymore.

I miss my Chevy Cavalier that was stick. Best car I ever owned.

Oh, I can drive column or on the floor. Glad I learned.

Bonus: carjacker gives you a dirty look and walks away.

When the Ballet Gala comes to town, they have vaet parking. One of the Patrons has a Lamborghini! The SUPERVISOR parks that one!

Got roped into learning 13 speed on Western Star fire truck. The range selector and down shifting with all that weight was a challenge I never got totally. Also in PTO don’t pump in reverse, no water!

My wife’s sister is notorious for borrowing vehicles running them until the gas tank is on E and then returning them to their owner. She tried to ‘borrow’ my car and I willingly gave her my keys…as she walked out the door I called behind her ‘hey you do know how to shift with a clutch, don’t you?’ Angrily she turned back into the house tossed me the keys and spent the rest of the day sulking. OH WELL !!

You’re a Plugger when your valet is apparently a child, or maybe you have a tall car.

Ahhh, manual (which we used to call “standard”) transmission….an excellent, effective millennial anti-theft device!

We have had many manual transmission vehicles, the latest being a 2018 Toyota Corolla iM with a six-speed transmission. We bought it because we were towing a vehicle behind our RV. Both of us knew and know how to drive a stick-shift, but it did take a few days to get used to it again. (We sold that car last December because we got rid of the RV and were tired of the stick. At our age, it was just too much hassle for no real reason.)

Don’t want your kids to text and drive, get them a stick shift.

Reminds me of a scene in Top Gear when they were in Monaco. The hotel that they stayed at would leave your car out front until a better car drove up, then it would be parked in the back. They drove up in a Model T and the valets were unable to drive it. So it stayed in the front of the hotel all night.