Thief can't drive stick shift: low speed chase ensues

cuda.1973

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Dec 6, 2009
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Surprised no one mentioned this, since it occurred close to home.

http://www.breitbart.com/big-govern...lice-slow-speed-chase-cant-drive-stick-shift/

http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/i...ffco_deputies_on_l.html#incart_river_home_pop

A car thief in Birmingham, Alabama, who led police on a slow-speed chase, later admitted that he never got past 30-miles-per-hour because he could not figure out how to use a manual transmission.
Chief Deputy Christian joked that he was glad Vert could not figure out how to use the truck’s stick shift. “Thank God he couldn’t find second gear, the pursuit could have gotten all the way up to 35 mph,” the officer said.
 
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4Q Basket Case

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Re: Thief can't drive stick shift: low speed case ensues

I like stick-shift cars for this very reason, among a lot of others. Not many thieves can drive them, so even though they might be desirable on the open market, the bad guys can't get them there.
 

cuda.1973

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Re: Thief can't drive stick shift: low speed case ensues

A buddy claims only 3% of new car sales are for manual transmissions.

We are a dying breed.
 

RammerJammer14

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Re: Thief can't drive stick shift: low speed case ensues

30mph in 1st, yikes! I love my manual for a variety of reasons, I guess I can now add anti-theft to the list, lol.
 

4Q Basket Case

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Re: Thief can't drive stick shift: low speed case ensues

Another benefit: We never had kids, so I have no personal experience. But a buddy says several parents in his circle bought manuals for their kids, specifically so they couldn't text and drive. Intentionally left Bluetooth off to make it harder to talk and drive.
 

IMALOYAL1

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Re: Thief can't drive stick shift: low speed case ensues

t:parents in his circle bought manuals for their kids, specifically so they couldn't text and drive. Intentionally left Bluetooth off .
Careful, the DHR may feel it's worse than corporal punishment. That's so mean. :wink:

I've got an old '78 datsun Pkup I'll never sell. No A/C, manual trans but it does what I need it to.
 

TrampLineman

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Re: Thief can't drive stick shift: low speed case ensues

A buddy claims only 3% of new car sales are for manual transmissions.

We are a dying breed.
No joke man. They are even making 18-wheelers in automatic now. We have officially become sissy-fied.

I learned on a 5-speed manual. Even folks I went to school with had no idea. I'm willing to bet 10 out of 10 high school seniors right now DON'T know how to drive one.
 

TrampLineman

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Re: Thief can't drive stick shift: low speed case ensues

Another benefit: We never had kids, so I have no personal experience. But a buddy says several parents in his circle bought manuals for their kids, specifically so they couldn't text and drive. Intentionally left Bluetooth off to make it harder to talk and drive.

It can be done, trust me. These kids can't go without their phones so they'll find a way. I can't count how many times in the past 2 weeks I've almost been hit by distracted drivers that were in my lane. Almost every one of them had no idea we came so close to hitting.
 

cuda.1973

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Re: Thief can't drive stick shift: low speed case ensues

Uh, I just realized that I can not spell..................

Going to try to fix the title.
 

AV8N

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Re: Thief can't drive stick shift: low speed case ensues

Another benefit: We never had kids, so I have no personal experience. But a buddy says several parents in his circle bought manuals for their kids, specifically so they couldn't text and drive. Intentionally left Bluetooth off to make it harder to talk and drive.
It's like they say, try to make something idiot proof and you just make a better idiot.
Somewhere out there, there's a kid who can drive a stick and still text with both hands.
 

uafan4life

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Re: Thief can't drive stick shift: low speed case ensues

I would assume that texting while driving a stick would be accomplished the same way as keeping your arm around your honey while driving a stick: holding the wheel with your knee and using your left hand to shift.
 

Bamaro

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Re: Thief can't drive stick shift: low speed case ensues

I would assume that texting while driving a stick would be accomplished the same way as keeping your arm around your honey while driving a stick: holding the wheel with your knee and using your left hand to shift.
Tap the shoulder, push in the clutch, she shifts, let out the clutch.
 

RammerJammer14

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Re: Thief can't drive stick shift: low speed case ensues

I would assume that texting while driving a stick would be accomplished the same way as keeping your arm around your honey while driving a stick: holding the wheel with your knee and using your left hand to shift.
Yeah I was gonna say, I have definitely drove with just my knee before. Not for texting though.
 

BamaFlum

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I leaned to drive on a 4 spd mustard yellow Volvo. Wasn't the smoothest operator but I'm glad I know how to drive one. Had a 07 5 spd Accord until 2014 when I finally bought my first full size pick up. Sigh, some days I miss rowing my own gears.


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Crimson1967

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Never learned to drive a stick and have no desire to do so.


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danb

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Growing up on a farm, I had to learn to drive a little bit of everything at a young age. As I got older, it surprised me to see the number of folks that didn't know how to drive a vehicle with a manual transmission.

Years ago, I was working at a mechanic shop, and my boss hired a guy from Scotland who was over here in the states for a few months. He told me a story about a lady they gave a loaner vehicle to while they worked on her car. He said she called about an hour later and said the car had quit. She also told them the car never would go over 25-30. Somehow, she managed to get the car going, and never knew to shift gears, and basically burned up a new car. So I guess their assuming she knew how to drive a manual trans, was a costly mistake for someone!

This also reminds me of an episode of "Bait Car" in Atlanta I watched last weekend (although the young upcoming thief was trying to steal an automatic car). The guy jumps in the car, starts it up, and fumbles with everything trying to get it in gear. He turns the windshield wipers on and everything trying. The cops were sitting there like...."What the hell is he doing"?...After about an hour of trying to get the car in gear, the thief finally discovers that stepping on the brake pedal, releases the shifter lock. He makes it about 100 feet or less, and almost hits a brick wall so they shut it down. He will probably get off on the car theft charge with the defense of...."How could I steal a car?...video evidence will clearly show I don't even know how to drive!" Lol!!


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