• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Should it be mandatory to know how to drive a manual transmission vehicle?

Should it be mandatory to know how to drive a manual transmission vehicle?

  • Total voters
    60
Robbie Loucks said:
To receive your driver's license, should it be mandatory to know how to drive a manual transmission vehicle?
Click to expand...

No, what a ridiculous suggestion.

Robbie Loucks said:
are slowly become less popular
Click to expand...

Manual transmissions accounted for 6.5% of new car sales in 2012. That's not exactly 'slowly becoming less popular'. They're already only a small minority of cars sold in the US. Requiring everyone to learn to drive one would be idiotic. Like requiring everyone to learn how to light a gas lamp, or dial a rotary phone.
 
Deuce said:
I just went the other direction. You extrapolated to trivial things, I reversed your extrapolation to the serious things.

Do you not see the difference between a manual transmission and an A/C?
Click to expand...

The stick is just another part of the car.

It doesn't take most people weeks to learn it.

I guess nowadays a stick shift seems like an exotic thing, but having a stick in the car does not make the driver any more dangerous than that same driver leaning over to look at the A/C controls while driving.
 
Mason66 said:
No it won't. Personal choice will never go away.
Click to expand...

It will when driverless cars are safer and easier to use and have an infrastructure. Laws are already being put into place now for that type of transit system. After all, the rotary phone is still around, but do most people use them? No.
 
Robbie Loucks said:
I stole this thread from a different forum (one with younger demographics) and a majority of answers there was that it should be mandatory (or that a separate license should be required to drive manuals). I thought there would be more yes answers here because older users here lived in a time where manuals were actually a thing.

Not the first time I've been wrong I guess.
Click to expand...

lemme guess it was some type of car forum? Those guys do not represent the majority of views one can be found in political forums.
 
Mason66 said:
The stick is just another part of the car.

It doesn't take most people weeks to learn it.

I guess nowadays a stick shift seems like an exotic thing, but having a stick in the car does not make the driver any more dangerous than that same driver leaning over to look at the A/C controls while driving.
Click to expand...

A driver unfamiliar with the operation of the A/C doesn't become more dangerous.
 
In many parts of the world a manual gear is more common than an automatic gear. Here in the Netherlands an automatic gear is also more expensive. I heard, but can not confirm, that manual is more expensive in the states.

Anyway, I do not think it should be mandatory, but it should simply be noted on your drivers license. If memory serves me well, in the past you could not simply transfer a US drivers license in the Netherlands because it was assumed you would not know how to drive with a manual gear. :) Wrong I think. Should simply be noted what your qualifications are.

I believe that the change from manual to automatic is easier, but also potentially more dangerous. Stepping down your left foot on the clutch when there is no clutch will bring your car very abruptly to a standstill on a large brake pedal...


Joey
 
ModerateGOP said:
lemme guess it was some type of car forum? Those guys do not represent the majority of views one can be found in political forums.
Click to expand...
A general private forum on a video game developer's website.
 
ModerateGOP said:
It will when driverless cars are safer and easier to use and have an infrastructure. Laws are already being put into place now for that type of transit system. After all, the rotary phone is still around, but do most people use them? No.
Click to expand...

OK about your driverless cars.

Let's say you are halfway to work and you get a severe stomach ache. What do you do?

People will never give up control over the machine.
 
Mason66 said:
OK about your driverless cars.

Let's say you are halfway to work and you get a severe stomach ache. What do you do?

People will never give up control over the machine.
Click to expand...

Who says there won't be control over that? I am sure the people working on such things will think of what to do in that situation and have a solution to your question. I am not one of those people, but I imagine there will be some options for medical situations like that.

Machines have already taken over control of the people, it's just very subtle and in your face (pun intended).
 
ModerateGOP said:
Who says there won't be control over that? I am sure the people working on such things will think of what to do in that situation and have a solution to your question. I am not one of those people, but I imagine there will be some options for medical situations like that.

Machines have already taken over control of the people, it's just very subtle and in your face (pun intended).
Click to expand...

Then they are not driverless.
 
Mason66 said:
OK about your driverless cars.

Let's say you are halfway to work and you get a severe stomach ache. What do you do?

People will never give up control over the machine.
Click to expand...

Uhh, what? You think the passenger will be unable to change the car's destination? Are you picturing a world where cars decide where they want to go, when they want to go, and don't give a crap what the passenger says? Why was it driving you to work in the first place?
 
Olive said:
If you do not have a license for which you had to do your lessons why should you be on the road. It is not a government thing, it is about safety. Do you let someone without a license for the specific task perform it, no.
Click to expand...

Your senseless English makes no sense.
 
Cephus said:
Remote start really seems silly and I've got it. I can count the number of times I've ever used it except as a novelty on one hand.
Click to expand...

It's not silly if you live in a cold climate. It's no fun going out in subzero temps to start your vehicle.
 
SMTA said:
Your senseless English makes no sense.
Click to expand...

Sorry for not being a native speaker, my sincere apologies for possible mistakes.

1) If you have a driver's license, then you should be allowed to operate the type of vehicle you received your license for. There is a difference between a car with or without manual transmission. The difference is actually quite big because in order to get your driver's license in most developed countries you need to be able to handle the technical aspects of driving. Just like situational awareness, you do not let a person with poor eye sight drive a car without glasses. I wouldn't let a friend without the proper license drive my car.
2) Why should the license be universal? Where does this end? Should a moped license allow you to drive a car? Should someone with a simple car license be expected to be able to handle a very heavy car with a horse trailer? No.
3) This is about safety, not maximizing government control. My family walks the street, drives around, cycles around. I don't want them to get killed by someone who doesn't know how to properly operate a vehicle.

Again sorry for my very poor English, I hope your native English is good enough to understand what a non-native speaker means.
 
Mason66 said:
Should there be a separate license for operating GPS in your car?

Should there be a separate license for operating an air conditioning system in your car?

Why would you need a separate license for a standard transmission?
Click to expand...

You really cannot compare these. Apples and oranges. If you put someone in a car they will be able to figure out a GPS or air conditioning system in a few minutes. People will understand a radio in a few second. Gears is a different story. Many hours are dedicated to teaching young people to operate them properly. Anyone who has a European driver's license will confirm this.

I am just not comfortable with the idea of anyone stepping in a car without being properly competent to drive it.

In our country a foreign dirver's license is consider legal in the first half year of your stay. But if achieving your license was limited to an automatic then you will not be allowed to drive most cars and this makes complete sense to me.

EDIT: I am not an American citizen so Americans should do what they want and vote for the laws they want. I guess the debate isn't so relevant for you guys because you do not usually encounter cars with manual transmission anyway. My dad drives an automatic car since a few years and every once in a while he needs to use a normal car and sometimes he forgets about the gears! And this is a man who has been driving since he was 15... So no I do not trust regular license holders to be able to operate it completely safely.
 
Saw this on Facebook and thought it would fit in this thread.

fb - do.jpg
 
I took my driver's license test back in 1977 and it wasnt required then. wtf with this poll?
 
Deuce said:
Uhh, what? You think the passenger will be unable to change the car's destination? Are you picturing a world where cars decide where they want to go, when they want to go, and don't give a crap what the passenger says? Why was it driving you to work in the first place?
Click to expand...

Nevermind
 
Olive said:
You really cannot compare these. Apples and oranges. If you put someone in a car they will be able to figure out a GPS or air conditioning system in a few minutes. People will understand a radio in a few second. Gears is a different story. Many hours are dedicated to teaching young people to operate them properly. Anyone who has a European driver's license will confirm this.

I am just not comfortable with the idea of anyone stepping in a car without being properly competent to drive it.

In our country a foreign dirver's license is consider legal in the first half year of your stay. But if achieving your license was limited to an automatic then you will not be allowed to drive most cars and this makes complete sense to me.

EDIT: I am not an American citizen so Americans should do what they want and vote for the laws they want. I guess the debate isn't so relevant for you guys because you do not usually encounter cars with manual transmission anyway. My dad drives an automatic car since a few years and every once in a while he needs to use a normal car and sometimes he forgets about the gears! And this is a man who has been driving since he was 15... So no I do not trust regular license holders to be able to operate it completely safely.
Click to expand...

It takes a few minutes to learn how to drive a stick, just like operating anything else in the car.
 
Mason66 said:
It takes a few minutes to learn how to drive a stick, just like operating anything else in the car.
Click to expand...

True, but it takes time to become an artist and drive smoothly.
 
SMTA said:
True, but it takes time to become an artist and drive smoothly.
Click to expand...

That is true and most people wouldn't go driving in heavy traffic without some kind of practice.

From what I see on this board, people think somebody that doesn't know how to drive stick will go on a long vacation with the car with no practice at all.

Most people are not that stupid.

But the car companies that sell cars in the US know that people are at an all time high level of laziness so so they don't make many cars with a traditional clutch anymore.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom