AIBU to think learning automatic is enough for a new (unconfident, adult) driver?

[Lexibletheflexible]

Woman in her 30s (not me, I can drive!) is wanting to learn to drive. Very little experience. What experience she has had lessened her confidence more (her dad, and a BF tried to teach her in her teens/20s, she never got the gist of it).

I think that it's fine for her to just do automatic. I think the UK is heading the same way as the much of the world.

Partner thinks that she should learn manual, because automatic only will be insufficient in the long term.

Who is right?
YABU- Him
YANBU- Me

Our neurodiverse daughter struggled with a manual but was great on an automatic passing her license first time.

I don’t know why people act like a manual is needed … she’s been non driver all her adult life makes sense having an automatic license is better than no license at all.

100% go auto. Manuals are slow disappearing. EVs are the future and even a lot of new petrol/diesel cars are only been made as autos these days- we have a petrol mini as a little run around and even that only came as an auto! Yes there will be a bit less choice on the second hand car market but not to point where it will actually cause you problems, there are plenty of second hand autos for sale. Then yes you’d have to pay more for a hire car but if you’re a non driver in your 30s you’re probably not doing the type of holidays that need a hire car and as for work, you’ve likely found a career that doesn’t need you to drive so that isn’t a concern either, besides all of the fleet cars at my work are electric and automatic which can’t be uncommon these days. And I doubt you’re a classic car enthusiast or anything like that if you’ve left it this long to learn! There really is zero need to learn manual- I haven’t driven one since 2017 and probably never will again, just because the opportunity is unlikely to ever present itself.

I wanted to learn automatic in the first place but let myself be bullied into doing manual. Did all my lessons in a manual and was completely test ready. No problems with the gears. I then failed my test due to a completely flukey gear error. Given the insane backlog on driving tests, I decided to do my second attempt in an auto and passed easily.

So that’s another thing to weigh up- driving tests are not easily available. If she doesn’t enjoy gears in the first place, does she want to spend time getting good at them but still have that extra element that could set her learning time back by 2+ months each time if you have some bad luck or nerves on the day.

I have a manual license but got used to driving automatics while living abroad in a country where everyone drives automatic. That was more than 25 years ago and I would never go back to manual now!

I haven't ever found it to be a problem. Sure, automatic cars are slightly more expensive and your options are a bit more limited when buying, but not to the extent that I've ever found it to be a problem - I would have gone back to manual if I had needed to.

Given that the future with electric cars is clearly auto in any case, then I wouldn't be worried about someone only having an automatic license. Far better to be able to drive something than nothing at all!

My husband has had an automatic only license for 30 years. It's fine. You just buy automatics!

Unless you have a disability then I think everyone should learn to drive manual. Driving and changing gear is so easy I simply cannot fathom how someone couldn't do it. If you can't change gear you shouldn't be driving.

Because it’s not necessary.

Automatic cars are brilliant. Our EV is and before that we had a 2016 Sharan which had been my dad's previously. He had kicked himself for not getting an automatic sooner as it helped so much driving with less than perfect mobility and gave him new freedom. I couldn't believe how great it was to drive having been only in the clunky older automatics before.

Our DDs both learned manual but that's more to do with the choice of instructor than anything. I don't think learning auto only would be too restrictive today.

I learnt in an auto 15 years ago and I can honestly say its the best thing I ever did...never been a problem either .

My son is learning to drive in an automatic. He really struggled with gears in a manual and it was knocking his confidence. His driving instructor has said that generally more new drivers are going auto. After 30 odd years of driving manual cars I’ve recently bought an automatic and will never got back to manual. It’s so much easier!

But why do you think everyone should learn to drive manual?

I mean, I did learn to drive manual and I agree that it really isn't that difficult, but I don't feel that having learned to drive a manual car made me a better driver or improved my life in any way.

If someone learning to drive finds it easier to have one less thing to think about, then what's the issue exactly?

What a silly statement....the Americans or Canadians dont appear to have a problem !

It is not easy for alot of people . Stop being a smarty pants.

It can be a bit limiting but I guess you will probably just buy an automatic and drive that and if you have to hire a car it will be automatic. You don't sound like you are going to be wanting to drive umpteen different cars and vans when you pass so I would probably do the automatic test.

I see it's not you but same applies

Absolutely. I learned in an automatic in my 30s after several unsuccessful attempts at learning in manuals when younger. I would never have finally learned to drive if I hadn’t switched to auto. It does limit you car choice somewhat but so do lots of factors. Hybrids are also automatic (I have a self charging hybrid which is very fuel efficient for the driving I do), so wouldn’t need to be a fully electric car. DH who has had a manual license since he was 18 - and was initially against me learning auto only as “limiting” - has been converted to the use of automatics since I’ve had mine and he went for a hybrid for his car this time too. For me it was definitely a case of driving in an automatic or never driving at all, which is significantly more limiting than only driving automatic.

I drove an auto for about 10 years. Much preferred it to manual. Sadly I can’t drive atm for medical reasons, but if I’m cleared to go back on the road it’s auto all the way.
Many learners use auto now, in fact DS who failed twice on manual may just try for an auto license when he gets back to it at some point! it seems to be harder to find a manual instructor now anyway.

I’ve driven manual cars for 40 odd years but recently switched to electric. Much prefer it and it is the future

Couldnt she learn in an automatic and then just retKe the test in a manual... I'm sure it's not that hard to get to grips with the gears once you're confident on the road...

It’s easy for you. We all have different skills and abilities. You seem to be lacking in the empathy department. Showing a bit of empathy is so easy I just don’t understand how someone can’t do it.

Driving an automatic is slightly less accessible than a manual but more accessible than not driving at all. DH and I can both drive manual (we have one manual and one automatic), we both prefer driving the automatic. When buying both cars we didn’t really pay much attention to the transmission because we can drive both but the manual is the commuting car and so is in stop start traffic and we’d both prefer it was automatic. I don’t think our DC will learn manual and I think when we replace the manual, we will have a serious conversation about whether we deliberately look for an automatic.

I drove an automatic for years, but then I moved to Spain where most cars are manual and automatics are about 20% more expensive to buy or rent. I now drive a manual (which I like and there’s less traffic here so it’s not an issue) so I’m glad I learnt in a manual. It’s no harder than an automatic either really.

I learned auto about 15 years ago and my first car cost £1200. I've had several cars since which have all been cheap and never paid more to fix them than my husband's manual. If you look on Autotrader for used cars you'll see that there are now more autos available than manual.

On the one occasion I hired a car they had plenty of autos. I also work somewhere with pool cars and we pretty much don't have manuals left anymore. The only time you'd have an issue is if you really needed to borrow a friend's manual car, or if you wanted to drive ambulances or police cars for a living (although these are increasingly autos too!).

The idea that driving automatics limit you isn't true. It wasn't all that true 10-15 years ago.

Yes I passed doing automatic at 29, recently. Required minimal hours, not too much to think about and got me where I needed to be. Only issue I found was I didn’t have a lot saved for a car (£2,000) so the choice was limited, automatics seem to sell more expensive than manual

It's a great way to get on the road and pass your test.

But.... it restricts your choice of cars to buy to a degree, automatics are generally higher spec and more expensive. It also will limit your access to instructors with automatic cars.

It's never hindered me so I'd say go for it.

People will put forward general arguments for a manual license but the only relevant question is whether they apply to her.

Manual gearboxes are a declining technology but of course they will continue alongside automatic gearboxes for decades, a bit like horse drawn vehicles were still being used by some tradesmen well into the 1950s. But very few people were intentionally learning to use horse-drawn technology by that time, unless they specifically needed it or wanted to do so for fun.

But I never understand why people get so concerned about this. I have a manual license but have driven auto for 20+ years. I hired a car in the UK recently and it cost oh an extra £20 to specify that I wanted an automatic. That was at a tiny regional airport. It’s really not an issue.

Or should she learn to use a choke or a crank starter because some cars still exist with those technologies?

I passed my automatic only test 20 years ago. Needed to get driving quickly and it was easier. Said at the time I'd do my manual test later on.

Not once since have I had any inclination to retake my test. Just not been needed. When I buy a new car I've just looked at the auto options and it's not been an issue. Plenty to choose from and range of choice has increased hugely over the last 5 years.

She should do what's right for her.