Things I Fear: Driving Standard

For the longest time, I didn’t know cars could be driven any other way but automatically. I thought you pushed the gas to go faster and the brake to slow down. Changing gears was just something that happened along the way. Of course, I’m also the person who literally thought cruise control drove the car for you.
I know nothing about cars. Then one day that all changed. Well, I found out cruise control just keeps you at a consistent speed. It’s not a miraculous invention. And I found out there’s something called driving Standard. For all you people out there who would rather just focus on the two pedals and power windows, this one’s for you. For all you people out there who would rather just focus on the two pedals and power windows, this one’s for you.

Personally, I’m not afraid of driving standard, what with the changing of the gears and moving the stick thingy and the clutch, but I know a lot of people who are definitely intimidated by it. Driving on its own can be terrifying. You can be a world class driver and still get into an accident because of the clowns on the road. I mean that both literally and not. You also have to worry about things like the weather, pedestrians, and the Hardy Boys becoming a movie series. It can be tough. But driving standard is a whole separate issue. In addition to all of the variables while driving, you have to devote your attention to what your foot is doing on the third pedal, what your hand is doing on the stick shift, all the while making sure the two of them are working in sync. Otherwise, your car will stall in the middle of the road and everyone will hate you.

On hills, no matter how steep, your car will roll back. When you attempt to prevent this from happening, your car will stall. Driving standard is basically just finding out all the many ways your car can stall in the most inconvenient places. Even on flat ground, driving requires you to really have a good sense of your own car. If you feel the engine is working too hard, you need to change gears. If you are the lead in a pack of 15 cars, driving 20km under the speed limit, you need to change gears. Changing gears isn’t as simple as just clicking a button though. Oh no. First of all, you need to be going at an appropriate speed to shift. Then you take off your foot from the gas and put it on the clutch (which is pedal #3). You then use your right hand and move it into the correct position. Assuming all has gone well; you remove your foot from the clutch and return it to the gas pedal. All of this needs to happen FAST. Failure to do so well result in instant death. Or something like that.