I'm from the UK and after driving one about 100 metres I refuse to drive an automatic car, it's one of the main reasons why I don't want an electric car either. Automatic cars are horrible twitchy things that just aren't enjoyable to drive and you can't change gears to anticipate a change in the road before you're already on that bit of road.

I can operate manual gear shifters in other contexts (namely bikes), but I've never driven a car with one.

First time I drove anything but a manual was driving the shitty trucks of the Swiss army. It felt weird and wrong, but then again driving with standard issue boots makes using the pedals a bit harder sometimes, so it's probably good I didn't have to use the clutch.

These days I mostly drive rented cars so it's whatever is available, who cares.

US, 40s. Gave up my manual a few years ago to get a bigger car when I became a single dad. The ol Mazda 3 wasn't cutting it

Yeah man. Australia. Mid 40s. My nieces have just started learning (we start here at 16). When I asked whether they were going to learn manual they said what's that?

Germany, 20s, yes (and up until recently exclusively drove manual transmission cars from like before 2010)

UK, early 30s only ever driven manual, automatics are still more expensive here than manuals but are slowly becoming more common esp with the rise of electric cars. Although I doubt ill get one any time soon.

German, mid 20s, can and do

Mad respect for my 60+ aunt in the UK; when I visited she drove me around various hilly roads for sight seeing and some stop and go traffic uphill. She definetly mastered the handbrake, clutch, gas combo for uphill stops/starts. Meanwhile my mom has smashed into a few storefronts in an automatic in flat Canada.

I'm in my late 40's and have been driving manual transmission since I got my license at 16. But I'm also one of those freaks that always loved driving manual cars in any situation, I used to drive one daily in downtown Chicago rush hour traffic.

Cars were always a passion of mine, my family had two cars when I was a teenager, one auto and one stick. I begged to be taught the stick as soon as I got my license. I definitely fall into the "enthusiast" category of car owners. In the last 25 years I've had 6 cars, all of them manual transmission, and all of them I take to the race track for HPDE events whenever I can.

Yes and here in the UK if you fail your test enough times with a manual transmission you get to try with an automatic.

I have had only manual transmission cars for the passed 19 years except for 4 years, at which time I had a manual transmission motorcycle. I don't know what I'm going to do once internal combustion cars are phased out. I need a manual tranny. Luckily, my new car only has ~12k miles on it, and it's a make that is typically known for lasting over 200k miles. My only threat is accidental damage.

Edit: I live in the USA

Yes, manuals are incredibly common here in Sweden.

No one I know owns an automatic.

Netherlands, thirties, own a manual transmission car. In fact, I have only ever driven manuals.

I'm from Mexico I'm 22 years old and I have been driving since 14 or so (rural Mexico). My family has not own a manual since I started driving and I gues we will not buy one soon lol

I only learned on a riding lawnmower but I can do it. I actually went looking for a car with a manual, figuring that it would be cheaper up front, cheaper to fix and cheaper to run. I couldn't really find one in any model of car I wanted, so I ended up having to go with a manumatic with paddle shifters, the worst of both worlds!

Yup, I daily a 2021 MX-5 RF (Miata). Luckily I work from home most days so it's not too bad.

In the bay area, 26yo

Yes. It’s my daily.

Canada.

31 — Learned how to drive manual at 18.

Yes, late 50's US and I drive a 6 speed Jeep daily. Taught my 23 year old son to drive a stick and he just bought a Tacoma stick shift.

I learned on my grandfather's 3 on the tree 1968 Dodge camper van. If you can drive a 3 on the tree, you can drive anything.

the great thing about manual transmission is it almost doesn't matter how big the motor is, or whether it's front/rear/AWD, as long as the platform is balanced you can have fun on it.. EVERY car nut appreciates a Golf with a stick, no matter how muscular a hot rod you drive..

No. Midwestern United States, elder millennial.

I'd be willing (even curious) to learn, but manuals just aren't as common here, so it never came up. Meh. It's not a pride or identity issue for me. It's just driving. Whatever.

I get the gist of it, though. I imagine I'd just have to get into the habit and muscle memory of it. Then again, maybe I'm underestimating it. Again, I don't particularly care. It's just a machine to get me to work.

I drive a manual transmission to work every day. [20, US]

Yes, 43 year old in America. Work in the DMV.

I've only owned one automatic. Currently drive a Fiesta ST. I can heel toe brake too.

Yes. Learned to drive with one. Got my license with one.

Sadly, don't own one right now, but, will prob get one in the future again. Every 2nd or 3rd car I have picked up, has had a stick.

I'm from the mid-west USA.

51, I can drive a semi, but before I took some training for that I learned on a standard from my grandma.

Zoomer from Mexico, I can and I prefer it. I daily drive a manual car.

Yes! I'm in my early 20s, and bought a manual transmission car just 2 weeks ago. It was also my first time driving alone, so it has been quite stressful

Currently learning, it's useful for a lot of the light industrial jobs here

Yes, US, mid twenties, I learned when I was 16 and I've really only driven manuals since. I taught myself how to heel toe four years ago. I'm not under the impression that I can shift gears quicker than a performance auto or more efficiently than a modern auto. I don't think either has been true for at least a couple decades, not for driving in a straight line. It's just fun. Manual transmissions make shitty cars bearable. I was surprised after leaving my home town to learn that hardly anyone knew how to drive stick. Not all of my pears growing up dailied a manual, but they all knew how.

Mid-late twenties, US, I know how but have only ever done it on a motorcycle. I don't even know anyone who owns a manual car.

I think I'd like a manual sports car. Automatics are boring.

US, late 30s. The answer is "yes" but I've only spent a few hours behind the wheel of a manual car. I wouldn't feel comfortable with it without more practice. I don't prefer it as it's more thinking and stress for me in a commute that is already stop and go traffic. Automatic requires less work from me. Just my opinion and I know more people prefer manual because of the extra work it takes to drive. I'm just not interested in adding that to my driving experience.

Nearly 40, male from Canada- I can but I’m rusty.

Yes, Italy, 36 (since I'm 18).

55M, Australia. I have a manual license, always drove a manual until my new-to-me car. I have osteo-arthritis and my knees hurt when I drive a lot, but I drive it like a manual with automatic clutch.

US, 37, been driving a manual since I was 16.

Late 30s, learned to drive in NL and now live in SE. Initially learned about transmissions by running around on four wheelers. I drive a manual car every day. There's a lot of fun and connection to driving manual, though I see the ease and efficiency of the automatic transmission as well as the general trend.

UK, early 20s, can and do drive manual.

The UK has a separate driving license for auto and manuals. If you pass your test with an automatic car, you get an automatic only license. If you pass eith a manual car you get a licence to drive both types, so most people decide to drive manual (although there is a slow increase of people getting auto only licenses). I prefer manual because they're more fun to drive in my opinion.

Here in Italy we only drive manual

Yes, I even have a class A CDL. However, I don’t do it much so I’m not the greatest in a big truck and am competent in a regular vehicle

Scandinavian, mid-40's. The vast majority of cars in Europe have manual transmission, in my country you can't even get a driver's license if you can't handle it. I prefer manual, whenever I drive automatic I feel like there's something missing.