Automatic versus Manual
I'm now 20 years old, failed my driving test 4 times when i was about 18 and developed a deep-rooted fear of driving. i absolutely hate it, i have panic attacks on tests, yet i desperately want to drive like all my friends can. I've been looking at forums and many people say to learn in a manual because then you can drive both a manual and an automatic, but im pretty sure i wont want to drive a manual anyway. thoughts?
(edited 6 years ago)
Original post by sapphirehart
I'm now 20 years old, failed my driving test 4 times when i was about 18 and developed a deep-rooted fear of driving. i absolutely hate it, i have panic attacks on tests, yet i desperately want to drive like all my friends can. I've been looking at forums and many people say to learn in a manual because
There's really no need to worry on a driving test, as long as you can prove to the examiner you can drive safely, then you're going to pass. The examiner isn't looking for exceptional driving, and is human just like yourself; so try and have a conversation with him/her.
Tagging @AngryJellyfish to get this moved to Learning to drive.
Original post by sapphirehart
I've been looking at forums and many people say to learn in a manual because
...because what?
Original post by It's****ingWOODY
...because what?
The OP is talking about the new Renault Bécause.
Original post by RoyalSheepy
There's really no need to worry on a driving test, as long as you can prove to the examiner you can drive safely, then you're going to pass. The examiner isn't looking for exceptional driving, and is human just like yourself; so try and have a conversation with him/her.
What about the manual/automatic decision? For someone who has a big fear of driving I would recommend switching to auto, partly for the psychological benefit of starting afresh. Plus it's easier so should take fewer lessons.
But I bet many on here will disagree with me.
Original post by Notnek
What about the manual/automatic decision? For someone who has a big fear of driving I would recommend switching to auto, partly for the psychological benefit of starting afresh. Plus it's easier so should take fewer lessons.
But I bet many on here will disagree with me.
But I bet many on here will disagree with me.
I'd certainly disagree. (mainly because you're Notnek
)I find that you have a lot more control with manual than you do an automatic, and it'd help in the future when wanting to get a manual car.
Although it does take more time for you to get how it all works than an automatic; when you get it it'll be just as easy as driving an automatic.
Original post by RoyalSheepy
)I find that you have a lot more control with manual than you do an automatic, and it'd help in the future when wanting to get a manual car
For someone with a fear of driving, I don't think they'd care much about the control gained from driving a manual car. Close to 50% of newly registered vehicles in the UK are automatic so it's not like 20 years ago when there was less choice of cars if you only drove auto. Also, as electric cars become more popular, manuals will probably die out. Some predict this within the next 10-20 years.
Original post by It's****ingWOODY
...because what?
sorry im new to this haha, edited it now
Original post by sapphirehart
I'm now 20 years old, failed my driving test 4 times when i was about 18 and developed a deep-rooted fear of driving. i absolutely hate it, i have panic attacks on tests, yet i desperately want to drive like all my friends can. I've been looking at forums and many people say to learn in a manual because then you can drive both a manual and an automatic, but im pretty sure i wont want to drive a manual anyway. thoughts?
Well if you don’t want to drive a manual anyway then it sounds like you’ve decided already.
It takes a couple of lessons at most to get the hang of the clutch and gears properly in my opinion so I think it’s worth going down the manual route.
Manual cars are cheaper as well if I remember rightly.
Original post by RoyalSheepy
I find that you have a lot more control with manual than you do an automatic
Only in basic theory. I actually find that changing gears in an automatic is just as controllable as a manual transmission. If you want to upshift, accelerate to the correct road and engine speed and the shift will happen at the most suitable moment. If you want to downshift, either slow down to the appropriate speed for the gear, or use the kickdown by blipping the gas pedal if you're downshifting for an acceleration boost.
In any of the above circumstances, you'd have to do all of these and then change the gear manually. In an automatic, the car is just doing the change for you, and in modern automatics the precision, timing and smoothness of the change is better than what most humans can manage manually.
(edited 6 years ago)
I don’t think driving an auto is going to change your fear though? Unless all your problems are due to gears?
I’d say keep trying for a manual, it’s a useful skill to have and gives you the option.
I’d say keep trying for a manual, it’s a useful skill to have and gives you the option.
"I've been looking at forums and many people say to learn in a manual because then you can drive both a manual and an automatic, but im pretty sure i wont want to drive a manual anyway"
Here are a few reasons
1) God forbid you crash and you then find yourself off the road whilst your insurers try to source you an automatic car because you cannot drive a manual.
2) In Automatic - ice drives on you! Seriously, ice makes automatic it's [insert name for a female dog here]
3) Similar to 2 - manual control > automatic control. You slow down for a shallow bend in a manual, you gear down to 2, you then turn into it. You slow down for a manual bend in an automatic, your car still decides it'll for a bit longer remain in third or fourth - you're now trying to control a car that wants to do its own thing.
4) Exactly why you learn in a manual, get the full license, drive an automatic anyway if you want. You're on TSR so the assumption from me is you're quite young, you're going to want a career. Some day that career might call for you to drive a company car else you can't have the job or promotion, you're screwed if the company cars are all manual. I work Airside, most vehicles are now automatic, but you need a manual license just for the AVI and Mail vans.
Here are a few reasons
1) God forbid you crash and you then find yourself off the road whilst your insurers try to source you an automatic car because you cannot drive a manual.
2) In Automatic - ice drives on you! Seriously, ice makes automatic it's [insert name for a female dog here]
3) Similar to 2 - manual control > automatic control. You slow down for a shallow bend in a manual, you gear down to 2, you then turn into it. You slow down for a manual bend in an automatic, your car still decides it'll for a bit longer remain in third or fourth - you're now trying to control a car that wants to do its own thing.
4) Exactly why you learn in a manual, get the full license, drive an automatic anyway if you want. You're on TSR so the assumption from me is you're quite young, you're going to want a career. Some day that career might call for you to drive a company car else you can't have the job or promotion, you're screwed if the company cars are all manual. I work Airside, most vehicles are now automatic, but you need a manual license just for the AVI and Mail vans.
If your fears are around changing gears and having three pedals then change to automatic, for sure. If it’s about driving in general, then that’s something you need to work through no matter which one you do.
For me, I did 16 hours manual when I was 17 and felt like I made 0 progress. I catch on to things pretty quickly and the gears and having three pedals just wasn’t clicking for me, I’d feel sick every time I knew I needed to change gear or do anything with my feet. It completely put me off so I stopped and didn’t drive again until I was 23. I went for manual again because I was put off going for automatic with the only valid anti-auto argument of “but you won’t be able to drive manual!”. I absolutely hated it and it put me off AGAIN. I gave up for another year and bit the bullet and went automatic at the beginning of September 2017. By the beginning of October, I was so sure it was for me I bought my automatic car. I passed my test yesterday.
My only regret is that I didn’t just do automatic 7 years ago when I was 17. I have no desire to drive a manual. If something happens to my car and an auto can’t be sourced for the short time I’ll be without mine, then I will find other means of transport like I have for the last 24 years that I’ve been unable to drive lol. Not a big issue to me. And with so many cars now being automatic, that’s unlikely.
However, you made it to test standard 4 times (assuming your instructor wouldn’t have let you go in for it if you wasn’t ready) so you obviously CAN drive manual, you could go for your test next week and pass with flying colours for all you know. Of course if you can do manual, it’s the “better” option as it gives you the flexibility. But if it truly means the difference between you getting on the roads and not, then it’s a no brainer to me.
For me, I did 16 hours manual when I was 17 and felt like I made 0 progress. I catch on to things pretty quickly and the gears and having three pedals just wasn’t clicking for me, I’d feel sick every time I knew I needed to change gear or do anything with my feet. It completely put me off so I stopped and didn’t drive again until I was 23. I went for manual again because I was put off going for automatic with the only valid anti-auto argument of “but you won’t be able to drive manual!”. I absolutely hated it and it put me off AGAIN. I gave up for another year and bit the bullet and went automatic at the beginning of September 2017. By the beginning of October, I was so sure it was for me I bought my automatic car. I passed my test yesterday.
My only regret is that I didn’t just do automatic 7 years ago when I was 17. I have no desire to drive a manual. If something happens to my car and an auto can’t be sourced for the short time I’ll be without mine, then I will find other means of transport like I have for the last 24 years that I’ve been unable to drive lol. Not a big issue to me. And with so many cars now being automatic, that’s unlikely.
However, you made it to test standard 4 times (assuming your instructor wouldn’t have let you go in for it if you wasn’t ready) so you obviously CAN drive manual, you could go for your test next week and pass with flying colours for all you know. Of course if you can do manual, it’s the “better” option as it gives you the flexibility. But if it truly means the difference between you getting on the roads and not, then it’s a no brainer to me.
(edited 6 years ago)
Original post by sapphirehart
I'm now 20 years old, failed my driving test 4 times when i was about 18 and developed a deep-rooted fear of driving. i absolutely hate it, i have panic attacks on tests, yet i desperately want to drive like all my friends can. I've been looking at forums, and many people say to learn in a manual because then you can drive both a manual and an automatic, but im pretty sure i won't want to drive a manual anyway. Thoughts?
In my opinion, just do Automatic.
I started doing Manual last year October/November, and it was an absolute nightmare. I then did a 30-hour Automatic crash course in February 2018, and I have 5-hour driving lessons every weekend and have my test on 28th March. I never thought I'd get to test standard until I started driving an Automatic. Although yes, I'm only 18 and realise I'll just be driving Automatic cars for the rest of my life, but at least I can still drive myself places, i.e. to university and work. My job does not require me to have a car, and most of my family have automatic vehicles anyway...
Though, the only problem with Automatic cars I will admit is that they are expensive.
(edited 6 years ago)
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