Who still drives a stick in 2025?

[Too many Kubotas]

Found an abandoned Russian car of some sort and swiped the shift knob from it. It had a basic 4-speed pattern, except upside down.

That became interesting when taking my Autobianchi (basically a Fiat 500) in for its annual inspection. Keep in mind that it was an 18.5 hp car with a non-synchro First.

Predictably, the testing guy put it in Second to take off, stalled it a couple of times, but eventually managed to get it rolling - only to then try putting it in what he thought was Second.

After a few loud attempts he figured he'd skip "Second" and go to what he thought was Third. Not only was Fourth an overdrive gear, but by now we'd lost enough speed that there was no way it'd run in "Third".

I became a rather short and slow test drive as he settled for driving back in the only gear he'd had some success with...what he thought was First. It was very hard to keep a straight face, and the car passed inspection. Not so much because everything was good on it, but the guy was quite embarrassed.

 

[goeduck]

That would be a way to slow down a car thief, out a knob of a different gear pattern on the stick. Not that many thieves know how to drive sticks.

 

[KennyG]

I seem to remember an episode of Top Gear with a special model of Mercedes that had a backward shift pattern. Hilarity ensued.

 

[Oaktree]

I became a rather short and slow test drive as he settled for driving back in the only gear he'd had some success with...what he thought was First. It was very hard to keep a straight face, and the car passed inspection. Not so much because everything was good on it, but the guy was quite embarrassed.

Is taking a test drive part of the inspection process where you live? Never heard of that. Here it's pretty much put it on the lift, check for exhaust leaks, rust holes in the floor, make sure brake pads/shoes have sufficient lining, test lights & wipers and done.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

Is taking a test drive part of the inspection process where you live? Never heard of that. Here it's pretty much put it on the lift, check for exhaust leaks, rust holes in the floor, make sure brake pads/shoes have sufficient lining, test lights & wipers and done.

No inspections of any kind here, but where I grew up in Europe there was.

Finding an abandoned Russian car on the side of the road should've been the strongest hint to that it didn't happen in the USA.

 

[Axing]

I have a Chinese B2 driver's license, which means I can drive most cars except for towing trucks, but unfortunately I have only driven a heavy dump truck once since I graduated from driving school

 

[Axing]

I have a Chinese B2 driver's license, which means I can drive most cars except for towing trucks, but unfortunately I have only driven a heavy dump truck once since I graduated from driving school

That truck was my uncle's, the Red Rock Jieshi, 520 horsepower, 16-speed manual transmission

 

[BackRoad]

Here in rural PA, the annual $50 tax to obtain a 25¢ inspection decal includes a test drive...

 

[WinterDeere]

Here in rural PA, the annual $50 tax to obtain a 25¢ inspection decal includes a test drive...

If you have a fast car with a trip computer, it's always entertaining to see what the tech does with it on that test drive. One year, I found teh inspection tech got the car up to 93 mph without ever traveling more than 0.4 miles from the dealership.

I'd actually not mind it if the dealership were located near a limited-access expressway. It's a 200 mph car so it's just barely stretching its legs at 93 mph. But there is no road clear of constant traffic within 0.4 miles of this dealership with any speed limit above 35 mph, and it's mostly residential, so the chances of having neighbors call in your plate to complain to the police is a real concern. I don't need the police stopping by my house to inquire about a complaint that my vehicle was seen blasting thru a residential area at 90+ mph last Tuesday morning.

 

[masseyrider]

The crap weather is actually doing me a favor.
I won't bring Petunia out until the roads are dry and free of winter grit+++.
It's hard not to go for a drive when it's warm and dry.
Very little of that this year. Spring has been more a date on the calendar than in practice.