Why should anyone drive a manual on today’s roads? To most people, they are complicated, cumbersome and inconvenient design feature from the olden days of the automobile. That’s probably why in America, 90% of drivers drive automatic cars with the standard-issue PRNDL configuration. With the overwhelming majority now tilting towards the autos, it looks like the days of the manual are over, and that it should be tucked into the retirement home that is the history books. But for many reasons, the manual gearbox remains relevant in today’s roads for number of crucial reasons. We are going to skip the clichés like “they’re so much more engaging,” or “they’re the driver’s transmission” that your typical sports car enthusiasts throw at you (although they are extremely true), but instead look at many real-life situations where learning the manual might just save you on the road.
1. Better control of the car
The automatic transmission is inherently delayed when it comes to responding to driver inputs and sometimes doesn’t allow the driver to exploit the engine’s power output depending on the way it is built, but because the manual transmission allows the driver to control the power output of the engine at any given time, it gives significant advantage when it comes to car control. In emergency situations such as hydroplaning or loss of control, a driver can downshift to boost the engine’s output to correct any unwanted extraneous movements of the wheel.
2. More connection with your car
One cool characteristic of the manual gearbox is that since it’s all mechanical, it gives you another channel of connection with the mechanical workings of your car. Sometimes, the way your gearbox shifts can tell you a lot of things about the status of your car.
3. More attention on the road
It is certainly possible to do something ludicrously stupid like texting while driving or shaking your brains out to your favorite song while driving a manual, but because of the added task of shifting, the chances of you getting distracted by your phone or your radio will become much less as both your hands will be occupied, forcing you to pay attention more to the driving at hand. Also, because shifting engages many coordinated motions from your body, you will naturally start thinking ahead before the traffic or yourself makes a move, making you more alert and aware of your surroundings.
4. So many choices
Perhaps the biggest advantage of knowing how to drive the manual would be the newfound ability to drive pretty much anything. From a 1970’s classic VW Bug to a brand-new Chevy Corvette and everything in between. You will now possess the magical power to get in and go no matter what kind of gear lever is standing on the center console.
5. The world has one less reason to call you an “ignorant American.”
Although Americans now consider the manual as a lost relic, most European and Asian countries still value their manual transmissions. Whenever some clueless Americans pop up to the foreign shores and be completely bamboozled by the third pedal and the H-pattern lever, the locals will conjure up the old-time favorite, “you ignorant Americans!” Break the stereotype, learn how to drive stick.
6. The world’s handiest designated driver
Although sometimes it can be incredibly tedious to fetch your babbling friends in the heart of the night, you coming to the rescue as their designated driver could very well save them. So when you receive the call that your intoxicated friend(s) need a lift, you can’t just leave them hanging because you don’t know how to drive their stick shift. For many of us, that alone might be the reason why we’ll learn how to drive manuals.
7. You save those moneys.
A 2016 Ford Focus SE sedan costs $17,390 MSRP with a five-speed manual transmission. Ticking the box for the automatic gearbox will add a whopping $1,095 to the price of the car, and it’s pretty much the same story with any car has a choice between a manual ‘box and an automatic ‘box. Also, a manual gearbox can be significantly cheaper to maintain as well, because automatic transmissions are inherently much more mechanical complex to begin with and many new automatics are interlinked with complicated computers that can be very costly to keep up with down the years.
8. The bragging rights
Because everybody drives automatics, anyone who drives a manual is someone who knows an unbelievably cool skill. You will definitely stand out among every driver around you and set yourself apart as the proud member of the manual club. Studies also showed that manual drivers are (somehow) more likely to receive higher education, more likely to be extroverts and generally more well-rounded people. So apparently, those of us who know how to drive the stick are better (?)
9. Hand-eye coordination workout
Modulating the clutch pedal and the throttle carefully to make your gear change as smooth as possible requires a great deal of hand-eye coordination. Subliminal yet smooth communication between your feet, hands and eyes ensure the perfect shifts. If all this sounds daunting, do not worry, because all this becomes natural as you get used to driving the manual more.
10. It’s still fun.
With the manual, you will never be heading to your destination with a sullen look on your face or a gaping mouth of boredom. It might be an extra work, but it will be enough keep your mind engaged throughout your drive and make it just that much more eventful and fun. All of a sudden, driving will not become a chore or a routine, but more an activity in your otherwise humdrum day.
