Motorheads Performance
It seems that driving a stick shift is a dying art. I've had this conversation with friends for several years now, and a story I read online today confirms what I've seen happening with teens emerging as young drivers. Many simply don't know how to drive a stick shift.
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| Manual Stick Shift Photo Credit: highperformancepontiac.com |
The fact that would-be carjacker's efforts were thwarted because they couldn't figure out how to operate the clutch of a Corvette is a very good thing. The Orlando, Florida man was waiting for his wife outside the Orlando Regional Medical Center at 11PM one night when a group of young men attempted the carjacking, forcing the 51 year old owner out of the car and ordering him to get on the ground. But, they couldn't figure out that they needed to punch the clutch in order to start the car, and ended up abandoning their efforts.
Meanwhile, last month a video surfaced of a daytime carjack attempt of a pickup truck where the driver didn't know how to get the manual transmission into reverse and gave up, fleeing the vehicle in frustration.
Inspired by Keeping Our Rides Safe, my series of articles on preventing vehicle theft, owning and driving a vehicle with a stick shift could very well be an excellent form of theft protection! European drivers still actively drive stick shifts, which account for over 50 percent of auto sales, but for Americans, it seems as if our move towards having everything done for us has taken over with our driving. It is estimated that less than 10 percent of Americans opt for standard drive in their vehicles. That leaves an awful lot of potential thieves who don't know the first thing about manual transmissions and how to drive them - something a lot of classic car and muscle car owners might be relieved about!
Guy Algar, co-owner of Motorheads Performance explains, "When I grew up, all of us who were into cars learned how to drive standard transmission cars. We loved driving cars with stick shifts. There was an element of skill beyond just driving. It was almost a rite of passage to most men who are now over 50. Some would argue it is more 'manly', but we always considered it to be just so much more fun. Those of us who were good at going through the gears could compete for trophies, win races at the track, and even be invited to drive for race teams. Today's youth often don't have the chance to learn to drive a stick because they're parents don't own one."
As the generations of men and women who were faithfully taught to drive manual transmission cars and trucks begin to pass on, and new generations are not taught how to drive standards, it sure looks as if stick shift driving indeed is becoming a dying "art". Certainly the joys of driving with stick shifts are foreign to most young drivers, and that's a shame.
REFERENCE / RESOURCES FOR MORE INFORMATION
Classic Car News - New Series Launches on Theft Protection and Prevention
Classic Car News - Preventing Classic Car Theft: The Big Picture
dailymall.co.uk - Carjacking Victim Escapes Because Gang of Thieves Couldn't Drive His Corvette
DMV.org - How To Drive A Stick Shift
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Andrea L. Algar is co-owner of a classic car performance and restoration design shop in Leesville, Texas. Motorheads Performance specializes in repairs, maintenance, performance upgrades and restorative work on cars and trucks from the 1920’s through 1970’s. Her husband Guy L. Algar is a Mechanical Engineer with over 25 years experience. He holds 5 ASE Certifications from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence and has been working on old cars and trucks for over 37 years. Together they share their passion for old cars and trucks with other enthusiasts from around the country.
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