Would it be stupid to learn to drive in an automatic?

I've had about 26 manual lessons and I'm so bad that even my instructor is recommending that I have automatic lessons at this point. I think it'd be great for me as my biggest problem is definitely the clutch and the gears and I really just want to get driving as soon as possible.

I struggled very hard with a manual. Can’t even remember how many lessons I had and i couldn’t grasp it at all, thought i hated driving and would never be able to do it. I gave up. That was 4 years ago when i was 17. Then 6 months ago I had my first ever automatic lesson. I loved it. i remember feeling so happy after the first auto lesson that I cried to my partner with relief.

I explained to my new instructor how I had felt previously in a manual, and how automatic was so different, and I vividly remember him saying “You can see yourself doing the driving test now can’t you??” . It was a lovely feeling. I didn’t get much support off family and friends initially, there seems to be some weird perception that automatic transmission is a cop out when it REALLY isn’t. especially if it makes you feel better and more safe.

And it meant the world to me considering that I suffer from severe anxiety. In my opinion, automatic driving is so much easier and more pleasurable, and I had 0 trouble finding my first automatic car with a relatively low budget (i have a 2010 Toyota Aygo, semi-automatic). I haven’t officially passed my test yet, with my first driving test tomorrow. But i never thought i would get this far!!! Automatic transmission is the reason why I have the freedom of driving a car.

Don’t mind what other people say about automatic cars!! People told me that cars would be more expensive (false), that i’d have trouble finding one (false) and that I’d never be able to drive a manual car! (true, but i don’t want to bloody drive one, that’s the point!!!). My advice would be to have an automatic driving lesson and see how you feel. Good luck

(Making this easier to read for everyone else so no-one suffers the same pain my eyes just did)

lol your poor eyes.

Also your post is factually incorrect for so many reasons:

Automatic cars are more expensive than manuals. The automatic version of my car is £2200 more. Why in any way would it make sense for it to not be when the parts are more expensive. Don't believe me? Wait until you have any kind of repair that involves the transmission.
No-one will have trouble finding an automatic, but it's far easier to find manuals of a specific model than automatics. If I put my postcode into autotrader now I'll find 5x as many manuals than automatics on any model of car. Test me.
Some jobs requires a full manual license, usually because they have a manual fleet since it's cheaper to maintain.
Automatics for the most part have awful fuel efficiency. The recent ones like for example, the Porsche boxer or the Fiat 500 have fared a lot better than their manual counterparts though.
The control is better in a manual, cornering in a gear you do not want to be in is not nice.
Auto insurance is more expensive.


If you are better off and feel safer in an auto, so be in, in my city you are for the most part better off driving an automatic car due to congestion (but you'll find most of the people driving them still hold a full license). But don't give incorrect information.

I guess we have different experiences. Where I live it in not highly congested at all, I live in a quiet Welsh valley.

I had no problem finding a car and no problem with the price. My purpose here was to support the original poster as I have experience with anxiety in general, and with anxiety regarding driving. A lot of people (like you) like to share negative comments regarding automatic which you are entitled to, and maybe in your opinion manual cars are more practical, but if somebody would be more comfortable to try automatic then so be it. That is all I suggested.

I am not interested in debating. My original post was to the starter of this thread. I have no time to discuss trivial things like the spacing between my post. ha

It's not a negative comment, it's just providing the facts so OP can make an informed decision. I'd like to know the truth if I'm about to commit to something that down the line may cost me more money or time. If you don't have time to discuss, it begs the question why you are part of a forum, where the sole purpose is discussion.

I've had about 26 manual lessons and I'm so bad that even my instructor is recommending that I have automatic lessons at this point. I think it'd be great for me as my biggest problem is definitely the clutch and the gears and I really just want to get driving as soon as possible.

All of you geniuses are forgetting the main thing, driving a manual is more fun. It's hard to put a price on it. I can think of few greater pleasures in the world than driving a supercar with manual transmission.

To be honest just do the automatic. I learnt manual and pass my test first time and i actually enjoyed manual. However all of my cars since passing has been automatic! and to be quite honest it is so much better to drive. esp when stuck in London traffic. I would never buy a manual car even if they are cheaper. automatic is the future anyway!!!

Fun if you get the room to do so. When I pull out of my road at 7AM and see red lights followed by half a mile of traffic, I pull a very sad face and slowly trudge along in third saying "okay "


But the point is you still have your full manual license. Being a Londoner I know your pain however I genuinely enjoy manuals tbf and a full manual is required where I work anyway. The tugs/flatbeds are automatic, but the mail, avi and clo vans are all manual.

@IWMTom do youse wanna put your sunday roast down and weigh in for us chap, since I'm probably not entirely accurate in my above points but more experienced input is always nice.