To want DH to learn to drive Manuel?

[Lipsticktraces]

Neither DH or myself drive. We’ve decided this ridiculous state of affairs cannot continue any longer and we are both currently looking to book lessons. I had my last lessons about nine years ago and DH last had lessons last year.

DH is a nervous driver and says that he really struggles with gears. He wants to book automatic lessons instead and I’m not happy about the fact for the following reasons...

It’s my understanding that automatics cost more to buy/drive/insure/repair. We don’t have much money for any of these things.

I’ve been told it’s hard to learn to drive an automatic after learning in Manuel (I intend to learn to drive Manuel)

If DH ever gets offered a job with a company car etc he’s going to be buggered.

Automatic lessons cost more and we are on a budget.

Aibu to want us to both learn to drive Manuel? DH point blank refuses at this point!

Oh god, I’m crying with laughter, what a brilliant thread, well done, OP!

However. Back to your question. Just learn in an automatic, there’s really no reason not to.

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I passed my test in a manual car in 1995 and haven't driven one since. I love driving an automatic and would never go back.

OP: You must be typing about Faulty Towers a heck of a lot for your phone to autocorrect to Manuel?! Or is how you & your DH refer to his penis or something?

Just don’t mention the war when you discuss it.

You started it!

A naice ham-a sandawich!

To answer the original question (now I've moved on from Fawlty Towers with some difficulty), I confess to being something of a dinosaur who likes her manual Ford Fiesta! 

Hope you don't put Basil in the ratatouille.

We’ve just bought an automatic. It’s lovely to drive, very economical as the computer changes gear at the perfect moment. Ours was a good buy too as a 6mo ex demo from a dealer, they have autos for test drives but less people want to buy them so a cheaper price (certainly in the case of our make and model). Insurance seems competitive.

Let him learn in an automatic if it means he will pass. If electric cars go the way the government wants they are all automatics.

Automatic and electric are the future. Manual will be so old fashioned and outdated soon, so much so that the future generation won't believe we had to drive manuals. Also petrol and diesel filling up will be no more as all cars will eventually be electric.
It is safe to say if he passed his test in manual he can drive any car (manual or automatic) And if he just passes in automatic he is restricted to automatic only.
However he has already said he struggles with gears, so I'd let him learn to drive in automatic.
He's not missing out on not learning manual, not with where the future is heading.

I'm not sure if it's been nominated for classics but what a lovely tribute to Andrew Sachs. I hope he's somewhere knowing about this.

Yup, classics nomination coming up!

Thank you OP, best of luck with the twins.

I learnt to drive in a manual Ford Anglia well over 40 years ago and drove manuals for years. These days I choose to drive a Toyota hybrid automatic, with arthritis in my hips it is so much easier.

I need to drive a lot in order to hold down my job, it is a winwin for me and many others. The fuel economy is great and well worth the extra costs.

I’m licensed to drive a manual car but I drive automatics and have done for 30 of the 40 years I’ve been driving. All of the cars in the family are now automatic except one and we’ve had no trouble with any of them.

We have an automatic and manual. I love the automatic, so so easy to drive. I honestly think if you live rurally and both need to get driving quick just go straight for automatic lessons. Nowadays only having an automatic licence isn’t an issue.

Great thread! I've been driving for 30 years, mostly manuels! Currently behind the wheel of a 15 year old Volvo V70 Manuel and it's the best car I've ever driven. Safe, reliable, economical with great boot space and goes like shit off a shovel when you need to put the foot down. You put it in gear, point it in the right direction, sit back and let the work horse do the rest! Get your babies in one of these.....Just don't mention the war!!!

DH passed his test in an automatic for the same reason. I do get a bit annoyed by it sometimes as we only have one car so it is automatic and it is a bit more expensive . That is fine for when we are at home but if we go to Europe and need to hire a car automatics are much more expensive. Also there are many fewer available so we always end up getting a gear with me as the only driver. Apart from not wanting to do all of the driving on holiday, after 15 years of driving an automatic, getting used to a manual car, with a left hand drive and driving on the right as well all at the same time is no fun. I am therefore reluctant to hire a car while abroad which was never an issue for me before. It is just too many things to get used to all once.

I don't have any problems driving a gear in this country though so it is not too much of a problem on the whole.

I learn in a manual, but drove an automatic for about 3 months after, then went back to manual, it was fine. I only sent passed a few years ago & have driven lots of different cars in that time.

Surely if he's the one driving then it's up to him whether to go for auto or manual (I would definitely recommend auto) why if he is a nervous driver & struggles with gears, would you try to force him to drive a car with gears? Don't make it more difficult & nerve wracking for the poor man, just get him through his test ASAP, & the easiest way is auto.

It's not Manuel, it's automatic....I know nothing!!!

I’ve been told it’s hard to learn to drive an automatic after learning in Manuel

About a year after I got my licence, while in my first job, I was assigned a pool car that happened to be an automatic. I literally knew nothing about automatics, and had never thought about what was involved in driving one. As I drove myself and colleague along dual carriageway at speed, I commented that I'd never driven an automatic before. She said that the only thing I needed to remember was to use same foot for accelerator and brake. That comment and the prior few minutes of experience was literally all it took to learn to drive an automatic, for someone who could drive a manual.

(I wonder if you mean to write that comment the other way around?)

I think manuals are obsolete technology, nobody should be buying them in this day and age.

YABU! What’s the most important thing here? To me it would be getting one of you driving. So as DH (the chosen one) is a nervous driver, definitely get him driving an automatic. Otherwise he could be learning for years and all driving will fall to you if you pass.
(You sound quite demanding! Ordering him to pass his test in a manual is not going to help his nerves, just make it worse. It’s not like he’s pretending he hates gears, he was having lessons only last year so he knows what he’s talking about. Plus it must be hard too having twins to eventually drive around when you’re nervous. That’s a lot of pressure). Good luck to you both!

what max shouldnt be able to dirve a car?

thats alot of people then from arund the world who have never even seen a manual

Sorry, OP, we're all out of Waldorfs.

Please MN put this in Classics !!!

But don't ask Manuel ... he knows nothing 😂

I passed my driving test in a manual over 25 years ago. I haven't driven a manual since that day. It's been automatic all the way since then. This has never once been an issue, either in private or work cars.

Britain really needs to get over its obsession with manual cars and come into the 21st century like other countries.