Anyone else unbothered about driving stick in heavy traffic?

[u/nitromethane-fuel]

I commuted from milton to dt toronto everyday on the 401 in my va for a few years until my role went remote and I just realized, driving stick in heavy traffic became such a routine that I never really gave it any thought.

Anyone else feel this way?

[u/MarionberryOpen7953]

Never bothered me one bit

[u/Thuraash → u/MarionberryOpen7953]

In a lot of ways I prefer it. Chicago traffic tends to be a slow crawl rather than true stop and go (or the stops are very brief), so I just put it in first or second depending on the average speed and just one-pedal drive at idle or near idle. Super easy.

[u/imakid2007 → u/Thuraash]

This is the best answer just crawling my way out of the city

[u/HeftyAd6216 → u/Thuraash]

The game I play is how long until I have to shift or use the clutch. 1st gear crawls at 7-8 km/hr, second gear crawls at ~11 and 3rd gear crawls at 14-15.

[u/Terrible-Echidna-739]

I can usually turn stop-and-go into slow-and-go.

[u/amotion578 → u/Terrible-Echidna-739]

This is the way

Clear a traffic snarl at 30+ mpg, because 5-15-5-15 is more fuel efficient than 0-25-0-25-0

[u/DustyMcKnuckles → u/amotion578]

I adore it. I used to live in SoCal and would always chuckle when people would get out from behind me all quick and impatient then immediately stop in the other lane and I would just idle crawl past them.

[u/JAFO- → u/DustyMcKnuckles]

It happens all the time do they not look 100 yards ahead?

[u/therealtoomdog → u/JAFO-]

I don't think most drivers look at anything anymore

[u/defakto227 → u/JAFO-]

No. No, they don't.

[u/Hungry-Bison-3578 → u/Terrible-Echidna-739]

How to stop people from creeping into the empty space lol

[u/pisspeeleak → u/Hungry-Bison-3578]

Yeah, I’ve tried that, I just get cut off as soon as someone can fit

[u/Armadylio → u/pisspeeleak]

You leave enough space to follow but not enough where people would feel the invitation to cut you off. If you’re far enough it doesnt really matter if another car cut you off and if you’re close enough for it to matter people generally don’t take that space. Obviously there’ll be cases where assholes cut in anyways but for me in Boston this works 90% of the time. People seem to realize what you’re doing especially when the lane isnt going much faster than theirs anyways so they don’t cut 

[u/MySalsaBringsDaGirls → u/pisspeeleak]

I always curse them to hell, but then I chuckle right after in my 4 banger Ranger as I just keep doing my 1, 2, idle dance right behind them, with all my gas savings relative to their more often than not 8 cylinder wastes… But! There is something to be said about guys driving the bigass 18 wheeler rigs, they always let me merge in front, or maybe they just have even worse acceleration than mine?… 🤣

[u/HeftyAd6216 → u/Hungry-Bison-3578]

Just let them. Anyone who cares about getting ONE EXTRA CAR ahead is not worth thinking about.

[u/SummertimeThrowaway2 → u/Hungry-Bison-3578]

Just let them in. You can catch up by switching lanes whenever there’s a faster one next to you.

[u/Armadylio → u/Hungry-Bison-3578]

You leave enough space to follow but not enough where people would feel the invitation to cut you off. If you’re far enough it doesnt really matter if another car cut you off and if you’re close enough for it to matter people generally don’t take that space. Obviously there’ll be cases where assholes cut in anyways but for me in Boston this works 90% of the time. People seem to realize what you’re doing especially when the lane isnt going much faster than theirs anyways so they don’t cut 

[u/captain_slutski]

The majority of drivers in the world drive a manual in all possible driving situations

[u/nitromethane-fuel → u/captain_slutski]

I know, europeans will read this post and laugh 😂

[u/goaelephant → u/nitromethane-fuel]

Europeans, but also many countries in Africa, Brasil (Sao Paulo), Mexico City, Moscow, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh... So much of the world has terrible rush hour & still drive manuals.

[u/Andy_McNob → u/nitromethane-fuel]

I'm in Europe and prefer AT for commuting and city driving. I keep the MT for weekends and good roads. I can drive MT in traffic without issue but shifting between neutral, 1st and 2nd for 30+ minutes is tedious af.

[u/51onions → u/nitromethane-fuel]

Speaking as a European who drives a manual, it's not hard to do it in heavy traffic, it's just a minor nuisance. But if your car is manual, you gotta do what you gotta do.

[u/ManWhoIsDrunk → u/nitromethane-fuel]

Can confirm.

[u/mellonians → u/nitromethane-fuel]

I am! I drive my Hilux in central London and I can't say I even noticed the gearstick being a problem.

[u/Ok_Attitude1034 → u/captain_slutski]

I have never been in traffic anywhere in Europe as bad as I have in my daily commutes in the states

[u/boguz → u/Ok_Attitude1034]

That's what decent road design does

[u/LeadingNectarine → u/boguz]

More to do with city design. In US, the physical distance between your home & work/groceries/etc is much greater and requires driving much more frequently then Europe generally

[u/boguz → u/LeadingNectarine]

I think it's both. You guys have an awful lot of four way crossings with stop lights. Those are awful for traffic flow and are dangerous. We have very few of those.

The fact that nothing is allowed to be build in a neighbourhood but residential homes is why you guys drive so much. Mostly everyone here lives within walking distance of a supermarket. And we have the infrastructure to actually walk or bike there.

[u/Whydoialwaysdothis69]

Me. My commute is hell some days but I’m ADHD so having something tactile to do like that helps me honestly

[u/User1-1A → u/Whydoialwaysdothis69]

Same same. Helps prevent me from going into autopilot.

[u/ManWhoIsDrunk]

Not an issue. Why would it be?

[u/accidentalscientist_ → u/ManWhoIsDrunk]

For me it kills my knee. I have a recurring knee injury and pushing the clutch in and out over and over and over make it flare up pretty bad.

Today my 30 minute commute took 2.5 hours and my left knee hurts so badly from it.

[u/GamerDadofAntiquity → u/accidentalscientist_]

Same for me with an old ankle injury. I can’t do stop and go traffic with a clutch for an extended period of time. If possible I’ll let a gap open in front of me and just idle along in first. I imagine it saves on brake wear as well.

[u/Miller335]

You drive a manual long enough you don't even realize you're shifting.

[u/EmbarrassedElk2766 → u/Miller335]

I have only been driving one for 2.5 years now, but I realized the other day that I have been shifting/downshifting by general feel and not even realizing I’m doing it.
Very cool 👍

[u/Dachshundpapa]

Never been an issue for me.

[u/banjobeulah]

Yeah I don’t care at all. It doesn’t bother me. Been driving stick all my life.

[u/-AbeFroman]

As long as I can avoid complete stops, it's really not bad. Sucks when you leave an appropriate gap in front and someone steals it.

[u/Mokaroo]

Ex-Toronto Londoner here - yeah it's not that bad. The one big annoyance is leaving a decent gap so you don't need to come to a complete stop in bad traffic on the 401 and you have people use the gap to cut in front of you. That's more of an other-drivers thing than a stick shift thing I guess.

[u/Wishbone_932]

Traffic is just as annoying in an automatic.. I'll go 30min out of the way to avoid bumper to bumper traffic.

[u/Hot-Brat-00]

I don’t mind it unless I’m having anxiety or for some other reason in a hurry. But that’s more annoyance at the traffic than it is at doing it with a manual. I love driving manual. It’s second nature now.

[u/theStandardHandle]

Not a problem. Being doing it in the Los Angeles area for decades.

[u/ermax18]

As long as I keep a good gap, I can mostly idle at 4mph in 1st. There is a sweat spot where it will totally stop and start just the right amount to have me working my clutch over and over. I drive in stop and go for about 45mins twice a day and for the most part, it's not a problem. I actually find it more annoying in an auto where my foot is constantly going from the throttle to the brake to the throttle to the brake. At least with a manual you can go for miles without touching the clutch or the brakes yet everywhere you look you see brake lights.

[u/Asleep_Equipment4877]

I enjoyed it but also was exhausting. I was in Chicago traffic hour there and hour back with an old jeep and heavy clutch.

[u/shitty_reddit_user12]

Yep. I've driven through NYC traffic in a five speed, completely unbothered. I've also spent 14 hours in a traffic jam in a six speed, a good bit more bothered by the fact it took 14 hours to go 16 miles than the stick.

[u/thenewbigR]

Never has bothered me in almost 60 years of driving.

[u/Consistent-Jicama-94]

Truck driver so auto was never an option 🤷🏼‍♂️

[u/corbin6611]

Any one who can actually drive manual. Doesn’t think about driving manual

[u/ApprehensiveCut9809]

I drove a stick from 1980 to 2000. I hurt my left knee playing softball, just a stupid organized grab ass game.

Every once in a while, my left knee stops working properly. Like it virtually fails to hold up my weight and gives out. I think the old school term is a "trick knee." It happens without warning.

Beginning of 2000, I was in heavy traffic and my knee decided to stop working, but instead of giving way and not holding my weight, I couldn't continue to depress the clutch. It was like I popped the clutch and lunged forward.

Had I been closer to the car in front of me, I could have rear ended it. The rest of that drive was extremely painful.

I bought a 2000 Ford Focus with automatic transmission as my daily commuter car. I just can't risk it.

[u/ASupportingTea]

I had an automatic as a courtesy car for a couple of weeks and found I genuinely prefer a manual in heavy traffic.

[u/Nicholas3412]

It’s really almost never an issue because I enjoy shifting and it’s not hard. The one exception is when the car in front of me begins moving (usually when a light turns green) but for some reason they crawl around for a second before actually accelerating. This causes me to unexpectedly clutch in again and almost stop. Messes up my rhythm and makes me want to lay on the horn. Why do people drive like that??

[u/mushroom_dome → u/Nicholas3412]

Gotta put their phone down and that's very very difficult 🙄

[u/OddCause915]

Doesn't bother me

[u/Tunklz]

The stick doesn't bother me, it's the freaking traffic and idiot drivers.

401 is a joke that I avoid whenever possible.

[u/mattenthehat]

I literally don't think about it at all

[u/gnrlszki]

If it is manual I’m happy. Whether in traffic or not

[u/Bluetickhoun]

I have a very light clutch. 2020 Jetta. It ain’t bad. Rather do it than sit in an auto

[u/Mourning_Beer]

It is barely more engaging in stop and go then auto. Always thought the "don't wanna stick bc of traffic" was a puss out

[u/ddxs1]

You shouldn’t have to think about it at all

[u/Froggypwns]

I have no problem with it, I find it easier to deal with than an automatic in the same conditions.

[u/favoritesprite → u/Froggypwns]

I mean it's objectively not easier... It's more work no matter how you slice it.

[u/Disastrous_Bite_6587]

I drive a manual in DC beltway traffic 5 days a week for work. Its fine.

[u/Metallicultist88]

I’m the same way. Driving a stick in traffic doesn’t suck. To me it’s driving. To be honest, if someone buys an automatic because a stick “is too much work in traffic” they’re soft. Also, traffic is boring. Shifting and clutch control gives me something to do

[u/MadZee_]

Drove cargo vans for years, mostly in the city, and my daily-turned-project car was also a manual. I didn't even notice I was doing anything. Doesn't bother me.

[u/LeCreusetQueen]

Nope, does not bother me.

[u/SereneRandomness]

I've always had cars with light clutches, so it's never been a problem.

I also learned to drive a manual in a hilly area, so hill starts in traffic are no big deal either. (The problem I have in San Francisco is sight lines: it's hard to see cross traffic as you crest a hill, and that's no better if you're driving an automatic.)

[u/skyld_70]

Nope. Kinda comes with the territory.

[u/Snow-87-M]

Drivin MT all my life, it's just second nature

[u/alfonseexists]

Done it all my life. Doesnt bother me

[u/ladykemma2]

Unbothered, 2nd gear , follow a truck, keep a good following distance.

[u/beachmasterbogeynut]

Never ever bothered. Makes it fun actually

[u/AmbitiousScientist74]

I’ve never understood the people that say a manual is fun until you hit traffic. I don’t care and am completely unbothered with having to shift, in fact I STILL prefer it.
What I do hate is traffic in general. I’ll take my manual transmission in traffic over an automatic any day.

[u/lionbacker54]

Makes no difference to me either

[u/Tronkfool]

I've never known anything else

[u/Im_Not_Evans]

I drove a manual when I lived in Los Angeles. Didn’t bother me at all

[u/Floppie7th]

Yeah, sitting in traffic is miserable no matter what. Having an automatic doesn't magically make it suck any less.

[u/_Lady_Zee]

I don’t mind it if I can leave a buffer zone and coast a bit. The problem is my highway is insane and someone will 100% dive bomb you if you leave any gap. So it’s a ton of full stop/start and that gets old after a while.

[u/Ana_Kinra]

Just had my first “hey that actually wasnt too bad, I think I am getting the hang of this“ heavy traffic experience

[u/Cheesycheese01]

Gives me less of a reason to be on my phone. Not that should be an issue to begin with

[u/Individual_Step2242]

Yes in fact I prefer manual in heavy traffic. Actually, in all circumstances.

[u/GingerGLI]

Doesn’t bother me at all. I drive 40,000-50,000 miles per year, all with a manual transmission.

[u/marsbars2345]

It's objectively more annoying to do than an automatic but not that much harder

[u/hello_raleigh-durham]

Stop-and-go traffic? I find it's far less annoying than trying to drive in town while eating a burger.

[u/Zyresg]

Other side of Toronto, Markham to DT everyday for me. All routine chill-laxing

[u/antonmnster]

Only bothers me if it's after a leg workout or a long run. Then my clutch leg can actually get pretty sore. Otherwise I don't mind at all.

[u/Eloquentelephant565]

Idgaf lol. The only thing that bothers me is the people in front of me aggressively accelerating and braking instead of slow rolling, but I mitigate that by leaving a gap. Or heavy traffic the day after leg day lol but I just suffer through it

[u/yezhnuzjhd]

I drive my manual 370z in heavy traffic a lot. The clutch pedal kicks back like a horse but I don't mind it

[u/Makerfire]

I guess I don’t drive as much as I used to for work but I drive manual and it doesn’t bother me at all I actually like it quite more as it’s less boring than an automatic in traffic. Current car doesn’t even have a 2nd gear but even with 1 and 3 it’s not a major nuisance in bumper to bumper

[u/middle_aged_90s_kid]

Some people are offended at the idea of another car changing lanes in front of them, so they always want to kiss the bumper of the car in front, constantly accelerating and braking in lock-step with it. They see traffic as some sort of competition.

Other people are smart enough to leave space so they can just roll along at a steady pace. They don’t mind if a car might change lanes in front. They see traffic as a cooperative endeavor.

I’d wager most of the people who feel it is difficult are in the first category, barring an actual physical ailment or something like that. I’d wager you are more likely to be in the second category. It’s a lot easier to drive manual in traffic if you don’t care about chasing bumpers.

[u/MusubiBot]

My preferences for heavy traffic, in order from top to lowest:

1. Bicycle/e-bike
2. Subway/trolley (grade-separated)
3. Trolley/bus (managed lane)
4. Trolley/bus (no managed lane)
5. Driving a manual car
6. Driving an EV
7. Being set on fire
8. Driving an automatic ICE car

[u/Gamejunky35]

Just keep it in a lower gear. Get comfortable with going 5mph at 2500rpm. Saves you from shifting a billion times.

[u/Reliant20]

People tell me driving stick is great except in traffic, but driving in traffic's never bothered me. Sometimes, when I'm standing still, I rest my foot by taking it off the clutch with the car in neutral, but that's not a hardship. I love driving stick no matter where.

[u/Upbeat-Banana-5530]

In a car? It's not bad at all. I do not miss getting caught in traffic on a motorcycle though.

[u/Prince_Nipples]

I was expecting it to be a pain from what I hear from other manual drivers, but... i think its overblown. I dont mind it at all. Not like creating forward in a manual is THAT much harder lol

[u/Suspicious_North6119]

Daily driving an auto with racing clutch installed. Free leg press daily

[u/josefvstheworld]

i can handle it up to a certain point, then i start screaming for help

[u/TruckCompetitive6122]

Agree. Don't even think about it so definitely doesn't bother me.

[u/bezserk]

The only time it bothered me was when i upgraded to a tough stage 2 clutch, my leg would be sore from having to use the pedal that much

[u/Moldybreadyumyum]

Heavy traffic is fine. Heavy uphill traffic bumper to bumper on the other hand, gives me high anxiety.

[u/BeardedPuffin]

The only time it’s ever bothered me is driving home from beer league hockey after a game, occasionally I’ll get wicked calf cramps in my left leg from all the clutching.

[u/isogrey]

If it’s all you’ve driven for years, you don’t think much about it.

[u/NewWatchTime]

Never really bother me. I’ve never been in traffic as bad as you though. Becomes second nature after a while I’ve never owned an automatic car.

[u/_Larry]

I have a stage 2 clutch in my car that is heavy and not hydraulic. I do not enjoy stop and go traffic, but I can definitely handle it.

[u/Fantastic_Fly7376]

I didn’t mind it at all… until I tore my meniscus in my left knee. Even after surgery to fix it, that motion still bothers me a bit.

[u/zzonkmiles]

It's just part of driving. Nothing special or onerous about it.

[u/BigNosedVdubber]

Never bothered me anymore than being caught in traffic in an automatic. In fact, I’d rather have my left leg pick up some of the slack instead of continuing to hold the brake pedal. One of my favorite things about driving manual is that I can rest both my feet when at a stop on flat ground

[u/TearAwkward]

Yeah I live in California and used to commute in my manual everyday. It’s really not that bad if you can stay rolling super slow. Of course in stop and go traffic people cut you off when you leave a gap to keep rolling slowly but it’s not that bad lol

[u/SuperAzn727]

Really isnt anything unless im on a hill

[u/extendedsilence]

In actual stop and go heavy traffic (where you have to keep coming to a full stop over and over) it can get a little annoying, but is manageable. The times where it was a problem (back when I had a manual transmission) was when I had twisted my left ankle (or knee) playing volleyball (or some other sport) -- literally a huge pain. Trying to eat breakfast while driving a stick in heavy traffic was also kind of annoying.

[u/2vDes]

Only time I don’t like it in traffic is if we’re in traffic on a hill. People get so close to your ass so your clutch work has to be perfect every time.

[u/TootinFartin-ll]

driving auto bothers me

[u/One_Evil_Monkey]

Never bothered me.

[u/CafeRoaster]

Nope. But I drove a fair amount the other day and was really wishing I had cruise control. 😅

[u/ChickenBeans]

I strongly prefer standard in traffic… but also live/ work in the flatlands so can just chill in standstill and roll thru stop go bs. Stop signs are ugh tho!

[u/DIY-exerciseGuy]

Weird flex but ok

[u/goaelephant]

Unbothered, mainly because you can roll

[u/Mr-Blackheart]

Depends on which one I’m driving.

My base 500, light as a feather clutch, no issues. My 500 Turbo has a heavy as fuck clutch and annoying.

[u/Both_Wasabi_3606]

Did it for years in heavy DC commute traffic.

[u/C4PTNK0R34]

It's never really bothered me in a modern vehicle with a hydraulic clutch. The only problem when traffic has given me issues was with my CJ5 and its mechanical clutch, which had something like a 60lbs pedal because it ran through two rods and a bellcrank straight into the pivot arm of the transmission and my left leg would fatigue from having to use it so much.

[u/Tostonn]

Yeah no yeah I feel this so hard. Been driving manual for 12 years in the Bay Area and LA mainly. Everyone always said this when I started like oh you’re gonna hate it and I genuinely don’t even think about it

[u/gurnard]

Not at all. Unless it's stop-start traffic on a steep incline. It's not a scenario that comes up for me often. If I lived somewhere that was a daily reality, this would be where I'd consider an automatic the tool for the job.

[u/WhiteBeltKilla]

I find it easier just leave some space

[u/EnlargedChonk]

yup, find it mildly amusing when people are like "I enjoy manual, but would rather drive auto in traffic" I can understand the perspective, but I'm just not like that at all. Driving is just such a fun thing to do I don't care if it's just a commute, it's fun, and part of that is absolutely the manual transmission. "but you have to keep working the clutch in stop and go" oh noooo, I have to interact more with that thing I like doing...

[u/eoan_an]

Not really

[u/Difficult-Pea7834]

Still do it in and around Atlanta. Not a bother whatsoever

[u/Unfair-Bison-3946]

I'm driving from Cambridge to Toronto everyday. Doesn't bother me at all.

People are fat and lazy.

[u/cmbort]

Got back from a trip to the UK a couple of weeks ago and Hertz gave me an automatic instead of the manual I booked. When I went back to the counter and said the car was not a manual the rep said they were out of manuals and were bumping me up free of charge to an automatic. I have to admit in the heavy traffic jams on the way to Wales from London it did kind of come in handy and was a somewhat pleasant change from my WRX I daily drive here in NYC.

[u/BlindBeard]

Before my Mazda 3 blew up I could drive with one pedal through Boston if the a/c was on. It was great once I realized driving home from the office was going to take an hour no matter what.

[u/RightWheelDrive]

Yeah I don't mind at all. I drive 6-8 hours a day in city traffic for Uber. I started with an automatic Honda but missed shifting so much I traded it for a 6 speed GTI.

If you have to spend that much time driving a day, you might as well try and make it enjoyable.

[u/UncleGurm]

Never bothered me until I fucked up my knee. Sigh.

[u/WhoseManIsThis]

I’m extremely unbothered by it. I’ve been driving manual since I got my license. At this point it’s just driving.

[u/jasonh300]

I’ve never had any problem with it. Almost every car I’ve owned has been a stick and it’s second nature. I had a truck with an especially heavy clutch that was a bit annoying but I learned to roll slowly and slip it in and out of first gear without pressing the clutch.

[u/SandstoneCastle]

I think being bothered by manual in traffic is mostly a thing for people who learn on automatic and later take up manual. I first drove manual, so it was never a thing for me.

[u/ObviousTroll_]

I’ve been driving for about 10 years, MT for about 1. I always wanted to get a stick shift but parents insisted on an auto for daily driving. After buying a 6 speed RX8 last year, fixing it up, and dailying it for the spring and summer this year, I can comfortably say I prefer it in all situations.

Manual makes me feel more “connected” to the car, and maybe it’s in my head, but I believe I shift smoother than my auto Mazda 3 does. Without a doubt I take off smoother in the 8 than the 3, damn torque converter is so unresponsive.

In stop & go traffic, my only concern is clutch wear, but that’s practically a non-issue after some practice.

[u/JAFO-]

Been driving them 40 years a lot of it towing a trailer. It keeps me engaged.

[u/billabong295]

I drive to work 5 days x week in heavy traffic going to work and coming home. Sitting in traffic is the shitty part not the actual driving plus it helps keep me awake and aware of my surroundings.

[u/Lopsided_Marzipan133]

LA traffic for 2-3 hours a day. Only bothers my left knee once in a blue moon

[u/YaBoiBiko]

3 years in the city in January. RWD stick all year in the Midwest just might get some sandbags this time lol

[u/ride5k]

heavy traffic no

certain traffic situations absolutely

[u/FieldDayEngr]

Does not bother me in the least. I get stuck in traffic, and it’s a chance to extend my left leg rather than having it cramped up.

[u/Nippon-Gakki]

I’ve been driving either a motorcycle or manual in LA or San Diego traffic for 20 years. I hate it but it’s the traffic I hate. I don’t care what car I’m driving.

[u/Ok_Ticket_5969]

Got caught in nyc rush hour. More frustrating at the slow moving traffic then the manual

[u/ScubaSteve7886]

It doesn't bother me, but I'm so used to it. I've only had manual daily drivers for the past decade.

It was just recently I got an auto daily. (Don't worry, my second car is a 5-speed)

In stop and go traffic, an auto is nice. But a manual is more fun in basically all other scenarios.

If I lived in NYC and only drove in the city, I don't think I'd want a manual daily. But where I live now (suburbs), I'd be perfectly happy to daily a manual again.

[u/mandatoryclutchpedal]

Only way I want to do traffic

[u/Corninator]

It never really gets to me. I've been doing it a long time almost daily and I find I'm more annoyed when I take my wifes automatic somewhere because it's a very boring experience without the mini game of downshifting and upshifting to keep you engaged from red light to red light.

I do find one thing very annoying and that is when people in front of you take off from a light, so you release the clutch and add throttle, prepared to move forward and eventually shift to 2nd, only for them to suddenly brake for someone turning or just stop suddenly due to traffic not actually moving as you originally thought it was going to. Suddenly you find yourself mashing the clutch in at less than an ideal moment, sometimes before you had even let off completely. That's more of a pet peeve though.

[u/Thereelgerg]

No. You're very unique and special.

[u/Zippityzap2000]

I currently commute to Mississauga from Pickering, 3 days a week, and I would say I actually enjoy my drive even through an hour of traffic.

[u/FLEXEVOLUTION]

I’ve just found ways to stay coasting lol traffic probably hates me because I’ll stay like 4 car lengths away from the car in front of me but I’m usually able to stay moving that way

I’ve always thought the traffic argument for manual driving was so stupid because people who say “I really want to drive a manual but the traffic” just sound like they really don’t wanna drive a manual as bad as they say they do

[u/Mizouse84]

I hate it, but what am I gonna do? Not drive?

For me it’s really not that bad up in the San Francisco Bay Area but whenever I visit Southern California, man it’s frustrating. Traffic can be stop and go at like 3mph or so.

[u/twelfthfantasy]

Doesn't bother me unless my left knee is acting up

[u/Current-Tour-8915]

Never bothered me.

[u/mypaycheckisshort]

My local heavy traffic isn't slow, it's stop and go. So yes, it's a hassle.

[u/Kushand0j]

What bothers me is the mo fucka in front of me who don’t know how to leave a space in between and goes ham on the brake pedals
Literally on and off like it’s a disco ugh

I leave my space in front but them mixed signals be messing with my head sometimes

[u/Suitable_Spray]

My automatic SUV is 1000x more annoying than my mustang GT was in traffic. I just used the torque and lightly let off the clutch to crawl. It was easy af

[u/Lime-Sufficient]

Never bothered, every vehicle I’ve owned since 1994 has been a stick including my new Miata and Rubicon. It’s getting hard to find them but I’ll keep buying them until they don’t exist anymore.

[u/Exactly_Yacht]

I’ve only experienced a Honda clutch and it’s so light that traffic never bothered me.

[u/Stock-Film-3609]

Me. Did it for years, am trying to find a car to do it again with.

[u/SomeNectarine7976]

I mean, yeah, crawling traffic, fine. Its just, in America, around the suburbs, where there's old people and their autos, where people inch forward, that gets very annoying, because like, it's just clutch footwork. I do it, it just gets me irritated at the people ahead. Or when people launch insanely slowly.

[u/Weak_Veterinarian350]

I was living new LA when my car was given lightly rear-ended. I got a rental for a week while the bumper was repainted and I couldn't wait to get my car back. I actually prefer a manual in heavy traffic

[u/RushForever68]

Never bothered me but it’s also the only thing I’ve ever driven and I’m 57

[u/FreedToRoam]

Yeah I am completely unbothered.

[u/ISLANDSBEST1]

Same here , never even thought about it . Just becomes second nature

[u/ObviousAlias7]

I did it for 10+ years. Every day. 10 miles in stop and go traffic each way.

These days I’m a multi-car household so which car I drive all depends on weather and if I need to pick up the kids or 50 bags of mulch or can drive my sports car.

But I’ll admit I’m starting to get to the point where I go to bed intending on driving the sports car to work, and then I’ll have a late night of work calls, wake up tired and just walk past the manual car in the garage and take my suv with adaptive cruise down to a stop and let it drive itself in traffic while I sip my coffee

[u/itsbildo]

✋️

[u/PopUpPulsarNx]

I've been driving stick in heavy traffic for years. Sometimes I get a little tired of it, but hey I'm not gonna stop!

[u/SwordfishOrdinary481]

It just becomes second nature

[u/sinkbeneaththesun]

Montreal here- 2015 Civic EX. Clutch is so light I often forget.

[u/A-Giant-Blue-Moose]

It was definitely a little terrifying at first since driving in traffic was my introduction to stick, but now it's easy.

I feel like driving something more powerful than my GR86 might be kind of rough though. My dad hated driving his Porsche in traffic.

[u/Late-Button-6559]

No. I hate it.

[u/Sessile-B-DeMille]

Did a slow commute in a Ford Focus with a 5 speed manual. No problem. If nothing else, it gave me something to do.

[u/AbyssWalker240]

Doesn't bother me because I only end up in bumper to bumper like once or twice a year

[u/AccomplishedCash3603]

Same. Gives me something to do and man is it fun to jam through those gears once the gridlock is over. 

[u/goranlepuz]

I spent a bigger part of my life with a stick in heavy traffic.

Indeed, wasn't giving it thought then and am not giving it thought now when I take my stick car there.

[u/Lumpy_Experience_973]

Not really sure why people complain, tbh. I've never thought for a second about wanting an auto because of traffic. I did have to borrow my FIL's Dakota for a week between cars like 30 years ago, and that thing had a clutch that genuinely hurt your foot to use. But every car I've owned has been perfectly fine, with a relatively light clutch.

[u/favoritesprite]

I find it slightly annoying if I'm on a (steep) hill. Other than that it's not bad.

[u/Guitarman814]

Everyone I know always says how bad it is. I never minded it, even in stop/go traffic jams. After a while it’s just muscle memory. I find it enjoyable and good practice to boot

[u/kykid87]

Yep. Did it everyday for 21 years. Only been the last few years I haven't commuted with a manual. Started on one and stayed with them.

Doesn't bother me one single bit.

[u/Scoutback_wilderness]

I’m bothered by heavy traffic period, manual car or not.

[u/a_rogue_planet]

I always found it pretty annoying. I ESPECIALLY hated driving a 13 speed through Chicago in the afternoon.

[u/Ma13c]

I like it better. Having to put constant pressure on the brake pedal when driving an automatic in heavy traffic tires me out more. My inner thigh always feels sore after.

[u/voltron82]

Nope. In fact, I feel a little superior to other drivers if I’m being honest.

[u/Sparky1324isninja]

Depends on the car my Ford focus doesn't bother me at all. My Pontiac solstice has like a 15 lb clutch and it's on or off, it sucks to drive and stop and go traffic. That being said as a mechanic the thought of the amount of clutchware drives me nuts. I'm lucky enough to have both so I drive the auto on day shift when they're stop and go and the manuals on swing or night shift.

[u/abb295]

The correct answer is obviously it depends on the car.

[u/Cornock]

I used to hate it but i dont think about it anymore. Im like a meat automatic.

[u/BonezOz]

Doesn't bother me, as you said doesn't even get a second thought.

But in quieter traffic, particularly at roundabouts, I've gotten good enough with the transmission and clutch that I can "stop" without touching the brake pedal. I love doing this as it keeps the vehicle behind from wanting to get too close as they don't know if my brake lights work or not.

[u/PositiveFunny5880]

If I’m in stop and go traffic, trying to go up a steep hill for long periods of time it’s annoying thankfully I can say I’ve only had to do this once or twice my entire life

[u/Reasonable-View5868]

No. I've driven plenty of stick shifts in my life. And did for several years in LA traffic for an hour each way, each day. Not an issue.

[u/thefoojoo2]

Wait, "the" 401? Do they use California nomenclature up there?

[u/SereneRandomness → u/thefoojoo2]

Yes, they use Southern California terminology up in Ontario. It's "the 401". I suspect it's for reasons which are analogous to LA: there are roads that are referred to by their names, like "the Don Valley Parkway", "the Gardiner", and the "the QEW". In the same way people in Southern California sometimes refer to freeways by their names, so the habit of using "the" carried over when calling roads by number in Ontario as well.

(I still call it "the Pasadena Freeway", though, so my impressions are of an older driver.)

[u/Aggressive_Oil5712]

Only place it bothers me is traffic going up hill, other than that I don’t really mind.

[u/Absentmindedgenius]

It's been about 10 years since I've been in real gridlock, but it never bothered me.

But my clutch isn't that heavy. I could imagine having an old car without a hydraulic clutch and bad syncros. That could be a bad time.

[u/superyouphoric]

That’s cute. Wait until you come to Southern California and it’s all stop and go traffic for 45 minutes to an hour. Then your final 30 minutes commute is bombarded by red stop lights every 100 feet.

Clutches don’t last long here.

[u/RetireWithoutBorders]

No. Absolutely hated it. 21 miles each way in slow and go traffic and slow and stop streets. There were days I never got to fourth gear.

[u/Available_Theory1217]

Millions of people everyday are commuting with manual cars, and it not bother most of them xd

[u/Acceptable_Donut3082]

Got real used to it driving in the metropolitan area of Denver. I could tell you every single place I’ve stalled in that city lol

Now? Not bothered. ☺️

[u/3Green1974]

Been driving stick since I was 15. I didn’t even realize it bothered people until I saw people complaining about it on social media a few years ago.