What do you call a car without an automatic transmission?

[Lisa in SC]

I voted other, because I could only choose one. I say manual and stick fairly equally.

[gardenmom5]

But if you're at the catch point, it CAN'T roll back; that is where my confusion is coming in. That's the way it's been on the manuals I've driven-- maybe it's different for different cars?

 

 one particular block on spring street in seattle has a  grade greater than 30%.  (or an elevation gain of 154ft within one block- 1/10mile - in the direction of traffic flow.)    

 

every manual (at least four different cars, german and japanese) I've driven on hills going from west to east in downtown seattle can roll backwards because you must depress the clutch in order to put it into gear - that requires a foot that can't be on the brake or the gas.  you must have the gas flowing at an adequate rate in order to not kill the engine when you let out the clutch. that requires another foot that can't be on the brake.  those hills are very steep - it is impossible to switch feet fast enough to 'catch' and stop rolling backwards without using the handbrake so you have adequate engine power before starting forward.

 

so. how steep are the hills you've driven on, and stopped in the middle of, with a manual?  it makes a difference.  if you've driven on a greater than 30% grade hill, stopped in the middle of it, with a manual transmission and not rolled backwards, my hat's off to you.  

[Firefly]

 one particular block on spring street in seattle has a  grade greater than 30%.  (or an elevation gain of 154ft within one block- 1/10mile - in the direction of traffic flow.)    

 

every manual (at least four different cars, german and japanese) I've driven on hills going from west to east in downtown seattle can roll backwards because you must depress the clutch in order to put it into gear - that requires a foot that can't be on the brake or the gas.  you must have the gas flowing at an adequate rate in order to not kill the engine when you let out the clutch. that requires another foot that can't be on the brake.  those hills are very steep - it is impossible to switch feet fast enough to 'catch' and stop rolling backwards without using the handbrake so you have adequate engine power before starting forward.

 

so. how steep are the hills you've driven on, and stopped in the middle of, with a manual?  it makes a difference.  if you've driven on a greater than 30% grade hill, stopped in the middle of it, with a manual transmission and not rolled backwards, my hat's off to you.  

 

Thanks for the explanation.  I'm just trying to understand... we do have hills where I've driven but maybe not any that were steep enough for me to experience what you're talking about.  From what I have experienced, once the clutch is at the catch point, I can take my foot off the brake and the car is not going to roll backward; not because I'm some expert manual driver, but because it's technically engaged in first gear, waiting for me to give it gas.

[Parrothead]

There is another term for a gearbox being on the column other than "on the tree". If someone said it to me I'd know exactly what they were talking about. But for the life of me I can't remember the term. Not "flappy-paddle gear box" either. What I'm thinking of actually uses a "stick" to change gears.

[Cinder]

spammer dude reported

[gardenmom5]

Thanks for the explanation.  I'm just trying to understand... we do have hills where I've driven but maybe not any that were steep enough for me to experience what you're talking about.  From what I have experienced, once the clutch is at the catch point, I can take my foot off the brake and the car is not going to roll backward; not because I'm some expert manual driver, but because it's technically engaged in first gear, waiting for me to give it gas.

and most hills that is true - but NOT on those particular hills.  (which is why those of us who have driven on them, and posted are freaked out by them.  of course, they don't bother dh.  much.)

[MiniBlondes]

I'm one of the rare 'straight drive' people. Growing up, my family owned a mechanic shop and that was what they always called it. As I grew up I also heard it referred to as a stick or a manual and now I generally refer to it as a stick. But I do know what a straight drive is, and probably use them both interchangeably without even noticing.