6 ms·

The good news is my Acura has a manual transmission so the number of people who can both hack and drive it is a bit more limited at least ;)

by jrsj 4y ago

at-fates-hands 4y ago
So true. I remember seeing several videos of people trying to steal cars, only to find out its a manual and have to retreat. The best was a pair of criminals who robbed a store, got the managers keys, loaded up the car and then after several attempts of leaving with the loot (popping the clutch to hilarious effect) and realizing they couldn't drive a manual, just got of the car and took off on foot empty handed. This must be a generational thing. As soon as I was old enough to drive, I was taught how to drive a manual first.
BoorishBears 4y ago
They couldn't drive it with this hack anyways Manual cars are required to have a clutch lockout for starting (so you can't accidentally leave it in gear and have it lurch forward)
chrisseaton 4y ago
I don't get why people thinking driving a manual gearbox is such a mystery - it's not much different to automatic driving I've never met anyone who wasn't able to do it well enough.
- kube-system 4y ago
  In the US they are not common and most people do not know how to operate one.
  - chrisseaton 4y ago
    There's really no magic to it - there's an extra pedal you depress when changing gear, and you bring up to re-engage the engine. Anyone can figure it out when presented with the pedal and the gear lever. People with no no education do it all around the world every day - I'm sure an American can figure it out.
    - ryanianian 4y ago
      > no education do it all around the world every day I taught myself to drive stick on a rental car. It was probably extremely obvious to other cars that I had no idea what I was doing. Grinding gears, over-revving the engine especially in reverse, and stalling at every full stop. That would catch any cop's eyes. But to your point, after 3-4 hours I got the hang of it and was no longer attracting attention. But to parent's point: A thief who doesn't drive stick is almost certainly going to prefer stealing an automatic.
      - millzlane 4y ago
        Did you teach yourself to drive it without ever seeing one driven?
        ryanianian 4y ago
        I had ridden in manuals as a passenger. I watched some youtubes and understood the general principle, but it was sink-or-swim learning. Pretty unsafe to be honest, but this was in a pretty remote area, and the car was a very forgiving Japanese micro-SUV.
        chrisseaton 4y ago
        Ever seen someone shift a gear in a movie?
        kube-system 4y ago
        I'm not sure hollywood has the best instructional material: https://youtu.be/NFQgO4LScWA?t=25 https://youtu.be/NFQgO4LScWA?t=25
      - deleted 4y ago
        [deleted]
    - millzlane 4y ago
      If they can get the car started.
- hamburglar 4y ago
  It's possible that the person you were replying to is making a joke playing on the general lack of familiarity with manual transmissions in the US, as opposed to making a statement of literal fact that manual transmission cars are hard to steal.
AustinDev 4y ago
I now only own automatics as of last month but before then I'd never lock my doors for my manual sports cars when around town. No one messed with it or tried to steal it. It was pretty great.
- itslennysfault 4y ago
  It would've been REALLY easy for some kid to pop it in neutral and let it roll away, but you do you boo boo.
  - AustinDev 4y ago
    Most people couldn't even find how to open up the doors.

The good news is my Acura has a manual transmission so the number of people who can both hack and drive it is a bit more limited at least ;)

by jrsj 4y ago

The good news is my Acura has a manual transmission so the number of people who can both hack and drive it is a bit more limited at least ;)

at-fates-hands 4y ago

So true. I remember seeing several videos of people trying to steal cars, only to find out its a manual and have to retreat. The best was a pair of criminals who robbed a store, got the managers keys, loaded up the car and then after several attempts of leaving with the loot (popping the clutch to hilarious effect) and realizing they couldn't drive a manual, just got of the car and took off on foot empty handed. This must be a generational thing. As soon as I was old enough to drive, I was taught how to drive a manual first.

BoorishBears 4y ago

They couldn't drive it with this hack anyways Manual cars are required to have a clutch lockout for starting (so you can't accidentally leave it in gear and have it lurch forward)

chrisseaton 4y ago

I don't get why people thinking driving a manual gearbox is such a mystery - it's not much different to automatic driving I've never met anyone who wasn't able to do it well enough.

kube-system 4y ago
In the US they are not common and most people do not know how to operate one.
- chrisseaton 4y ago
  There's really no magic to it - there's an extra pedal you depress when changing gear, and you bring up to re-engage the engine. Anyone can figure it out when presented with the pedal and the gear lever. People with no no education do it all around the world every day - I'm sure an American can figure it out.
  - ryanianian 4y ago
    > no education do it all around the world every day I taught myself to drive stick on a rental car. It was probably extremely obvious to other cars that I had no idea what I was doing. Grinding gears, over-revving the engine especially in reverse, and stalling at every full stop. That would catch any cop's eyes. But to your point, after 3-4 hours I got the hang of it and was no longer attracting attention. But to parent's point: A thief who doesn't drive stick is almost certainly going to prefer stealing an automatic.
    - millzlane 4y ago
      Did you teach yourself to drive it without ever seeing one driven?
      - ryanianian 4y ago
        I had ridden in manuals as a passenger. I watched some youtubes and understood the general principle, but it was sink-or-swim learning. Pretty unsafe to be honest, but this was in a pretty remote area, and the car was a very forgiving Japanese micro-SUV.
      - chrisseaton 4y ago
        Ever seen someone shift a gear in a movie?
        kube-system 4y ago
        I'm not sure hollywood has the best instructional material: https://youtu.be/NFQgO4LScWA?t=25 https://youtu.be/NFQgO4LScWA?t=25
    - deleted 4y ago
      [deleted]
  - millzlane 4y ago
    If they can get the car started.
hamburglar 4y ago
It's possible that the person you were replying to is making a joke playing on the general lack of familiarity with manual transmissions in the US, as opposed to making a statement of literal fact that manual transmission cars are hard to steal.

AustinDev 4y ago

I now only own automatics as of last month but before then I'd never lock my doors for my manual sports cars when around town. No one messed with it or tried to steal it. It was pretty great.

itslennysfault 4y ago
It would've been REALLY easy for some kid to pop it in neutral and let it roll away, but you do you boo boo.
- AustinDev 4y ago
  Most people couldn't even find how to open up the doors.