If you’ve ever watched a “Fast and Furious” movie, then you’ve seen Paul Walker or Vin Diesel dramatically jump from gear to gear in high-speed chases. Some viewers may wonder why their Honda Civic doesn’t deliver that same effect when going from park to drive. 

That effect is generated by a manual transmission. For anyone who may still be lost, if you ever see or get into a car that has a third pedal on the far left, it’s a stick.  

Driving a manual transmission takes patience, attention and a little bit of skill. But taking the time to practice and learn this skill is completely worth it.

There are between four and seven gears in a typical manual transmission. To start moving you must slowly release the clutch (the far left pedal) until the car is moving and your foot is off the clutch. 

You are then free to accelerate until the revolutions per minute of the engine (RPM) gauge reaches 3000 rpms, release the gas, push in the clutch, pull straight back from first gear to second gear then gently let off the clutch, get back on the gas and repeat from gear to gear. Another thing to note is that anytime you come to a stop, you have to push the clutch in or else the car will stall (aka shut itself off). Stalling can also occur if you let off the clutch too fast.

Yes, for those who drive a standard, all of these steps may sound like a hassle or possibly a nightmare, but driving a manual transmission is an art form that connects the driver to the car unlike any other driving experience. 

Anyone that enjoys driving and maybe doesn’t like the idea of the car being in more control than the driver should give driving a manual transmission a try. Driving stick gives you a direct connection to the wheels and engine of your car, all from the driver’s seat.  This makes you extremely in tune to road conditions and surroundings because the car requires more attention to drive. 

Manual transmissions used to be the less expensive option in most vehicles making them extremely prominent. Everyone used to know how to drive stick because a lot of vehicles did have manual transmissions. However, now, for the most part, manual transmissions are not offered besides in sport cars, extreme budget-option cars or older used cars. 

However, automatic transmissions do generally shift quicker than automatics, making them better for performance in race applications. Automatics are also less of a hassle in heavy traffic. But these potential downfalls are compensated for by the fun and control of driving a manual and truly being in the driver’s seat. 

If you get the chance to drive a car with a stick shift, you should give it a shot.