How I spent my day (Non-Valk related)

[scooperhsd]

Sunday, my Mom's brother (My Uncle Albert) passed away at age 88. He had been going downhill for quite a while, so this wasn't really unexpected. If any of you want to say prayers for his family - feel free.

Anyway - this led me to today. My youngest brother (who lives in Topeka) has some health issues so he couldn't drive there and back in one day right now. So I offered to pick him up and we goto the funeral and return home today. Now, while I love my siblings, there are times when we have "disagreements" with each other - today was not one of those days.

We had a very pleasant talk all the way down to Wichita and back, chit-chatting about this and that. He said some of his kids might want to learn to drive a manual transmission vehicle, and it so happens that my 2000 VW New Beetle is equipped with same. I said that if they want to learn, I'm willing to teach them. (bonding opportunity for me with them, maybe ?)

[Jess from VA]

Given my past experience teaching manual transmission driving.... I'm happy to do it, as long as we don't use my car, and as long as the car we use has good seat belts.

A neck brace wouldn't be a bad idea either.  (for those herky jerky starts)

[Skinhead]

My father would not let any of his 7 children learn to drive on an automatic.  Everyone learned in either the '63 Chevy Belair station wagon (3 on the tree) or one of the VW bugs.  We all learned driving in the Pittsburgh area and the other forbidden practice was to use the parking brake to hold the vehicle on a hill while starting out.  Needless to say we, we all learned quickly where the friction point was.  My brother and I were lucky as we learned at about 12 by moving the cars around for my dad, the driveway was only one lane so there was always some shuttling needed.

Just remember, patience is a virtue.  Good luck!

[Bighead]

Good idea to know how to drive a manual. I had to learn on a manual also. I was 12 the vehicle was a Ford Pickup with a three on the tree. I taught my wife (girlfriend then) to drive a manual when she was 16. Also taught her brother.

[old2soon]

            Dads take was similar-Anybody can drive an automatic transmission. I learned on a 54 Ford two door 300" straight 6 and three on the tree which later became my first car. And All but 1 of my big trucks had manual transmissions. Kids today be missin something with no manual transmission capabilities. Double clutchin gear jamming sonofagun!  RIDE SAFE.

[J.Mencalice]

1955 Divco milk truck.  From age 14 onward, dad taught me to not only drive sitting down, but standing up as well.  Divco's had a unique single pedal clutch/braking system that allowed you to run in and out of the cab with six quarts of milk and a dozen eggs from house to house.  Got my license the day I turned 16 and drove that truck proudly in my youth,,,for work.
He also taught us on the 1949 Chevy whose gear shift linkage always seemed to get stuck between neutral and first when at a stop light in traffic; then it was set the brake, jump out of the car, unlatch the hood, and reach down to jiggle the linkage and get it loose.   All the while, backing up traffic and then jumping back into the car to leave...sometimes it got stuck again.   My sisters looked ridiculous when they showed up home with greasy teenage hands and girlfriends in tow.

To the original post:  Hard times can bring a family together.  Somehow your uncle is proud that his nephews had a talk.

[Jess from VA]

I learned on a 4 (forward) speed floor shift VW.

But I had several 3 (forward)-on-the-tree shifters too.

My Ford car three on the tree broke off in my hand, twice. (not just the hand lever, the whole linkage was FUBAR)

The good old boys in AL suggested I replace it with a three speed Hurst floor shifter (and I did), and that never broke off in my hand.  

PS, I had a friend (decades ago) who drove the milk truck standing up, and I spent a day or two doing his rounds with him, just for some fun.  But I didn't drive it.

[Willow]

...
A neck brace wouldn't be a bad idea either.  (for those herky jerky starts)

You must've used the wrong technique.  I've taught several youngsters to drive stick shift vehicles.  I start them off with stop and start in 2nd or 3rd gear.  No neck brace needed for me.

[Jess from VA]

...
A neck brace wouldn't be a bad idea either.  (for those herky jerky starts)

You must've used the wrong technique.  I've taught several youngsters to drive stick shift vehicles.  I start them off with stop and start in 2nd or 3rd gear.  No neck brace needed for me.

Carl, even in 2d, if they drop the clutch, or just let it out too fast, it will still lurch the car.

In 3d it stalls, with a lurch.

Admittedly, (many) different cars and trans are all going to be a bit different.

The neck brace may have been some exaggeration, but the lurching was not.