Question about driving.

I've never tried to learn how to drive a standard transmission. This morning, i got a job offer for a delivery route. I've been doing this type of work for 3 years but the trucks have been automatic. This new job has trucks that are standard. My question is if I find somebody willing to teach me, is this something I can learn well enough by Tuesday to start the job?

If you put in the time this weekend you should get it down. If driving is your thing, you should get the feel for it soon, you would just have learn tonight or tomorrow and put in some serious hours this weekend and monday practicing.

Also, what kind of truck is it? If it is a regular truck it will be easier, if we are talking something larger with a different transmission then it could be tricky. I've heard 18 wheelers have up to 15 gears? or something crazy.

But the key would be practice practice practice. You don't want to be the one to stall at the stop light or while trying to go from stop to go and you don't want to pick up your new route and sound like you're going to fry the tranmission as you leave the yard.

It's a 15 foot box truck so it shouldn't be that bad. The driving part doesnt' concern me. It's the stopping and starting that has me worried.

It's not hard at all once you understand how it works. It took me about a month to get it down. But if you put in some good effort you should be good enough to do it by Tuesday

if its a simple 4-6 gears like in regular vehicles you should be able to pick it up very easily. however if there are 18 gears like in rigs you well need a to take courses because its much more then a simple clutch and shifting. do you need a special license to drive this type of vehicle? if so you should have been trained, if not it well be simple to learn

Cory wrote:

if its a simple 4-6 gears like in regular vehicles you should be able to pick it up very easily. however if there are 18 gears like in rigs you well need a to take courses because its much more then a simple clutch and shifting. do you need a special license to drive this type of vehicle? if so you should have been trained, if not it well be simple to learn

No, its a non-CDL vehicle. Anybody with a good driving record could get the job. Only thing I have to have done is a D.O.T. physical. I'm starting to feel better about this. If I can get some work in tomorrow, Sunday, and Monday I think I'll be ok.

You should be able to get used to it. I bought a manual transmission car without ever driving a stick about 10 years ago. Sure, you'll kill it a few times and jar the vehicle with a few rough shifts here and there at first, but after a few days you should get much smoother with it.

It really depends on how well you pick these types of things up. After a while, you go through the motions without thinking about it.

It's not as hard as it looks. Once you know exactly what the gears do, then it's pretty easy. It only took me about a week to get used to it.

I'm considering coppin a stick shift for my next whip. I love the acceleration on them.

I actually prefer a stick ().

More control in the winter time (for states with icy roads like MN), and better gas mileage. It can get rather old in heavy rush hour though.

Well, I got to practice today in a friend of mine's car. I killed it about the first 4 times i tried to take off but after that everything went pretty well. Much easier than I expected. I had really just psyched myself out. I'm now looking forward to the job. After a few days i should have it down.

Try different vehicles, if possible. There can be quite a range on the feel and timing.

Alan wrote:

I actually prefer a stick ().

More control in the winter time (for states with icy roads like MN), and better gas mileage. It can get rather old in heavy rush hour though.

That alone would keep me from buying one. They're more practical in the sticks, but not in metropolitan situations.

Aang wrote:

Alan wrote:

I actually prefer a stick ().

More control in the winter time (for states with icy roads like MN), and better gas mileage. It can get rather old in heavy rush hour though.

That alone would keep me from buying one. They're more practical in the sticks, but not in metropolitan situations.

You save more gas in the metro with a stick though.

I still prefer it even in heavy traffic for better control alone. The roads can really suck in MN. Down-shifting is often a far safer alternative to breaking in heavy traffic when there is ice on the ground.