AIBU to go automatic only for daughter's driving lessons?

[flawless234]

My daughter's only just started her driving lessons, and we've opted for automatic exclusively. Why, you ask? Well, it just seems obvious to me.
A few of her friends are learning manual too, and they're clearly in the majority, which my daughter feels. But, logically speaking, and I'd be interested to know what you all think, I'm thinking that we're seeing more automatic cars on the roads these days. Plus, with the rise of electric cars, they're automatic anyway. I, for one, haven't driven a manual since 2016 since I switched to an automatic then and honestly, I'm never going back.
I've found that getting an automatic instructor is a bit of a challenge, simply because there are fewer of them. So, I'm just wondering, what's the logic behind the newer generation, or kids now, starting to learn manual? Does it really make much of a difference? I don't think it will.
In my opinion, learning manual seems like more of a hassle. You're trying to master driving and controlling the car, and then on top of that, you're learning all about road safety and everything else. It just seems like too much fuss, if you ask me.
AIBU to think that learning automatic is the more sensible option these days?

I can only drive an automatic now (for physical reasons) and I've suggested to my children they learn on an automatic too. They are a lot easier to drive so I'm guessing they will need fewer lessons before passing. I don't really get the argument that you can't hire automatic abroad. I've always been able to. I think it's safer to drive an automatic if you're on the right side of the road rather than the left anyway. Manuals will cease to exist in the future.

being a confident and competent driver is more about road awareness, experience and anticipating what another driver may do, rather than the mechanics of the vehicle.

You can have more control over the vehicle in a manual though. You can use the gears to slow down or accelerate more quickly, which you can't in a full automatic.

Driving like that can also mean that you're paying more attention to the road and other drivers, because you're looking at what they're doing to see if you need to do something other than hit the brakes or the accelerator.

I currently drive an automatic, by the way, I'm not being a manual purist. It's just a fact that you have more control over what the car is doing.

In my opinion, the more you can learn from something, the better. Auto only drivers have less skills, simple as that, and I don't think I'd allow that for my children.

Driving an auto is great and I own an auto but it's a brain out experience I admit. I think in your formative years of driving it should be a challenge and you should have to concentrate

UK insurance to drive other cars is usually only 3rd party isn’t it? And you’d be mad to drive on that except in an emergency so whilst I do have that on my policy I consider it the same as not being insured basically!

Was your US experience recent? Very few cars sold there are manual (sub 1%)- we found when we were car shopping over there that most companies don’t even make them any more. In fact that’s why I first switched- because I couldn’t really buy anything else unless I wanted either a mini cooper or a performance mustang 🤣

For a relatively inexperienced driver it's easier to be aware of what's going on on the road if you're not having to bother with a clutch, particularly if abroad and driving on a different side of the road.

For us it was looking at the cost of second-hand cars that wouldn't bankrupt us to insure our teenagers on. I mean even a very small engine manual was crazily expensive to insure them on but we spent hours looking at insurance on different models (manual, automatics etc) and it was definitely more affordable to insure on manual car.

I was worried about my (anxious, autistic) daughter learning to drive in a manual but she gave it a go and we decided if it wasn't achievable for her, she'd switch to automatic and live with the consequences but she did absolutely fine and passed first time.

Because getting a manual license means you can drive an automatic, but you can’t the other way. It’s cheaper to rent a manual on holiday (bar the US where I’m sure there are probably very few). Plus it feels like you’re actually driving. It’s better fuel efficiency (though with new technology this gap is closing).
I’d say about half my kids’ friends are learning on automatic cars, and most of my friends drive automatics. But I think it leaves options open to get a manual license. Also, my son is looking to buy his first car and it’s probably going to be about 15 years old.

Yes, i used to hire cars quite a lot in the US 30 years ago and even then most cars were automatic.

Limits your choices in terms of cars still. There are a lot of cheap small manual cars around.

Automatic gearboxes are complex and expensive. If it fails it is going to cost a lot to fix.

I also worry somewhat that if someone does not have the coordination skills to master a manual, what spare cognitive capability does it demonstrate they have in terms of driving ?

I read (maybe on here) from someone who claimed automatics are better because "they give you one hand free to control kids in the back". Not a great recommendation for driving an automatic IMO.

My son is learning in a manual and I think his friends are too. I wouldn't have advised an automatic as it limits options. If he gets a car it will be an old one, definitely not an electric.

Road deaths are relatively (when normalised for population) a lot higher in the US than the UK.

Is that because they are worse drivers ?

Incredibly silly.

It's pretty easy to go from a manual to an automatic- less so going from an automatic to a manual.
Why wouldn't you want to give your daughter more options rather than less?

I agree it seems like automatic will dominate the landscape in 10 years or so the way it has done in the USA for a long time. However until then it just doesn't seem to make sense to limit your options.

With manual licence you have access to everything: cheaper cars to buy, courtesy car when your is getting fixed, borrowing a friend/family member's car, hiring a car, using a work pool car, hiring a van to move house, etc, etc, etc.

I live in the suburbs of a city and have a drive so electric wouldn’t be a problem for me.

i can’t imagine electric charging infrastructure to keep pace with time so I suspect that there will be areas of the country that “go electric” years after cities.

I don’t buy new cars either. A car is a practical item to get me to get from A to B so I wouldn’t want to spend extra on maintenance, insurance, car etc.

It will probably work out fine - many people drive automatics for decades without any regret and if manual and autos cost the same then maybe more would go for autos so they could reach test standard faster but with test wait times being what they are, I think that many would cover future possibilities and go for manual.

Three things to consider. Firstly, automatic cars are more expensive to buy and older versions are much less common, so in 5 years time if your daughter can only afford an older car she has completely limited herself.

Second, if she get a job that provides a car, they may only provide manuals, or get a job that involves driving a mini bus, etc it's likely they could be manual

Thirdly, to drive an automatic safely, you may need to switch to a different gear/semi auto mode to cope with hills (this protects the gear box and provides better breaking as the engine does some of the work) experience of manual gears and their effect on the vehicle makes doing this easier...perhaps not that relevant for the uk, but important should she drive in the alps.

My daughter is learning to drive manual... we've just picked up a lovely 2nd hand car for her.
Very very few 2nd hand first- time- driver cars are automatic... you're restricting her somewhat.
Plus what if she needs to hire a car?
Drive someone else's in an emergency?
Very short sighted.
I'm not biased- I currently drive an auto and I love it but in my mind... you need the manual skill.
I

I'm struggling to see how it's a "better choice"?
It's a choice that will probably suit her needs enough in future though.

But it's a choice that involves a limitation. So how could it be better? The biggest issue she will probably face is the increased costs of buying an automatic car. Maybe that's not her issue if you're planning on paying for everything? I'm assuming you won't do that for the rest of her life though.

It does sort of sound like the push to go automatic only lessons has come from you and she's just gone along with it though. If she's happy to learn manual why not just let her learn manual?

I have an automatic only license (learnt to drive in 2011) because I was very nervous and struggled with manual. I always planned to do auto (i needed to learn to drive so i could go to college) and then come back and do manual but have never done it as i've never needed to.

I've never found it limiting tbh, and I have had hire cars abroad and a few years ago had a job which frequently required me to have hire cars for work travel - it's never caused me any issues I just request auto on the booking.

Likewise my first car was a rattly old ford - didn't cost me any more than my brothers who had manual licenses, and i've never really struggled with buying cars since.

I think as long as shes aware there may be occasions she might have to consider it (such as if shes getting a hire car, remembering to request an auto) it's not a big issue.

Bit silly to limit herself.

Mastering gear changes is simple.

It's actually driving that's a never ending learning curve.

Yes definitely worse drivers. I’d blame that more on the fact that the driving test was going round on a few cones in the car park than the preference for autos though! Also it’s a far bigger country with very little public transport outside of the major cities so I imagine that way more journeys are taken by car than here.

If that becomes an issue she'll easily be able to pass after years of experience driving.
I'd definitely prefer my DC to at least start out driving automatics whilst getting experience for safety reasons. Less to focus on.

I understand your logic that more and more cars are likely to be automatic, but wanted my kids to know how to drive a manual to actually give them more to think about - it is good for their brain (if able) and confidence (they can drive either) and gives them not only the option when buying a car, but if they ever need to drive a manual for work (esp if going abroad) or in an emergency if they should need to drive someone else's car.

Of course it’s not silly: it’s a perfectly valid choice. And I say that as someone with a manual licence.

My logic is why learn only part of something? It’s like only learning to tell the time on Digital clocks and not bothering with analogue.