There are many ardent defenders of the car with clutches and stick shifts. However, some of the reasons they cite in regards to the desirability and superiority of manual transmission vehicles over their automatic counterparts aren't factual.
These myths are formed by those who don't know any better. This article is here to debunk several of these myths to give a clearer picture of the differences between stick and automatic cars.
The Myths and Truths about Stick Shifts You Need to Know
- The Theft-Deterrent Theory: Is the theory that stick-shift cars are harder to steal true or a huge assumption? It makes sense that since fewer people know how to drive stick nowadays, cars equipped with them are less likely to get stolen. On the other hand, there's no data to support or refute the idea according to Director of Public Affairs Frank Scafidi for the National Insurance Crime Bureau. It is likely that poor people who are likely to carjack will tend to be familiar with the mostly cheaper stick shift as well as the more common automatic.
- Many Thieves Have Varying Levels of Intellect: According to Scafidi, thieves also have varying levels of intellect, so there are some of them that can figure out how to work a stick shift regardless. Sure, some thieves might get thwarted but you can't be 100% sure that a manual transmission will safeguard your car. As a rule of thumb, if they're smart enough to hot wire a car or get through sophisticated security systems, it won't matter if a car is stick shift or automatic shift. Some thieves steal older cars with stick shifts because they're easier targets, in fact.
- Teenagers Want to Learn to Drive Stick Shift: In the early part of the 21st Century, this isn't the case anymore. Perhaps in the middle and later parts of the 21st Century, diesel engines or gas cars will make way to hybrids or electric cars, who knows? At present, in teenage driving programs, many drivers learn automatic driving more than manuals because there are so few manuals left in the U.S.A. and Canada. The teenager who wants to drive stick is a more common occurrence in third world countries or Europe.
- Why You Should Learn How to Drive Stick Shift: Aside from learning how to drive practically any car or even heavy machinery that tend to be of the stick shift variety as well, it's much safer for you to learn how to drive a manual transmission car. For example, when riding such a vehicle, you want to know how to drive it when another driver is incapacitated in some way. The basics are there you just need to learn the nuances of driving stick, especially if you're stuck in a foreign land full of stick shift rental cars.