j_martin

I taught my oldest daughter, who was about as co-ordinated as a ruptured duck when it came to clutching and shifting.

I took her out on a level back road in a 1982 Dodge colt. I had her put it in second gear and slip the clutch to get it going without touching the throttle. She killed it a few times, but eventually she found out how the friction point feels. Then I let her start in first, and shift it to second and third without touching the throttle. Then, and only then, did I let her use the throttle.

Today she can handle anything Mexico hands her in a 4x4.

I think if I had started her in something like my truck, she would have made a pretzel out of the drive shaft.

jmlcolorado

That's not a bad idea! That will teach them one thing first (the feel of how the clutch works) before adding two things into the mix and really confuse them.

I just put a con OFE in the truck and the pedal is at least 50% softer then the old clutch. Figured I'd have the lady feel it and see if she could push it down. She could but the old one there was no chance. She's 100 lbs soaking wet.
Figured if she could ouch the clutch down, I can teach her a stick on the truck.

You might have the ticket. If not, I'll be back to join the rant club with Pat

Jim Lane

Here in So Cal a lot of the teenagers are not even getting drivers license in High School or when they are seniors, because of the cost of insurance and the price of gasoline.

The other ones are the ones their rich parents buys them their new car for a birthday or a graduation present.

I learned to drive a stick shift a few minuets after I picked up my 1965 Mustang.

soulezoo

Ruptured Duck... I haven't heard that in a while. That was the name of one of the B-25's in Doolittles Raid on Tokyo. Plioted by Capt Ted Lawson IIRC.


Anyway, I taught my ex wife how to drive stick in my old Nissan Patrol. It was a 3 speed on the floor. She put it into 3rd instead of first. Then sidestepped the clutch without gas...

Poor ol' Patrol burped, gurgled, bucked then gained momentum and idled right along. The ex never did learn a stick.

Spooler

This is exactly how I taught folks to drive stick in the military on a deuce 1/2. It works great.

jmlcolorado

This thread sparked a good conversation with me and the lady this evening. I explained that if you listen, the truck will tell you what it wants.
She didn't understand and asked me for an example. She asked if her car ever "talked" to me to tell me what it wants.
FINALLY, I could tell her how much putting the car in park, letting it roll back on the steep driveway, then applying the parking brake was driving me CRAZY!
Luckally, we had each had a few drinks, and she seems to listen a little more openly when we've had a couple
So I told her what her car does. She figured it best to get in the car and hear it for herself.
She gets in, applies,the brake, starts the car, disengages the parking brake, pulled the shifter from park and CLUNK!
An immediate face of displeasure and un-satisfaction emerges on her face.
Ask me how I now what these looks are
So, I tell her to first apply the parking brake, THEN put the car in park.
She does. I tell her to get out of the car, then get back in as if she were going to leave. Do everything the exact same as she normally would.

Brakes applied, disengages the parking brake, pulls the shifter to find the car slides into reverse nice and easy.
"Oooo that was nice" she says.
SUCCESS!!!

She says she never hears it do that cause the windows are up, kids are in the car, music is on......ect.
I say that the **** tree STILL makes a sound even if nobody's around


SO, even with your frustration in your situation, something good came of the whole situation, and I thank you for that