Difference between an automatic and manual (to drive)

[Witchend]

Dd2's missing her left hand, which means she'll be able to drive, but an automatic will probably be easier.
Having spoken to someone who's just changed over, she says she's really struggling to manage.
I'd kind of assumed it would be the same without gears, how is it different to drive?
Thanks.
(she's about to learn to drive a F24 Greenpower racer, so comparisons to that, might also be useful if anyone knows that)

Automatics are so easy.

You don't use your left foot. You use your right foot to stop and go. That's it.

If you're used to driving manual I can see why it might take time to adjust, but autos are brilliant.

The only difficulty I found on the odd occasion I drove an auto was trying to depress the non-existent clutch all the time.

Somebody told me to tuck my left foot under my seat & that did the trick

Driving an auto is great, especially in stop-start traffic.

Driving an auto is very easy. Some of the newer cars have odd (to me) electronic/automatic handbrakes etc, which take some getting used to.

Just googled the f24 greenpower thing. If most of them are manual then driving an auto in competition might be a bit of a disadvantage as you can't use the gears the same way - you can kickdown to change gear, but it's not as quick IME (at least it wasn't 40 years ago! Might be better now but you need specialist advice on that)

I think she's struggling to start, said she keeps stalling.
I thought it would be a case of just pressing the accelerator, which seems to be what you're saying.
Is she then doing something wrong?

Yes I swap between a manual and an automatic, sometimes daily. There's the first quiet junction where I sometimes feel the judder as I forget to put the clutch down in the manual and then I'm fine.
Automatic gearboxes these days are great and have an increasing share of the market.

If you learn manual then switch, it might seem difficult to manage the changes. But if you've only ever driven manual, it'll be fine. I drive an automatic and I love it. I've no idea why people drive manuals.

I think the Greenpower cars are without gears.
She's having the car adapted so she can use it as usually they're hand controls only.
I don't know if driving that will be helpful or not.
She's got a number of years before it becomes relevant anyway!

You can't stall an auto. As soon as you take your foot off the brake it starts to crawl forwards. Then you put your foot on the gas.

I think it's virtually impossible to stall an automatic, I love mine. It's like driving a sofa, you just put it into drive and accelerate, then brake, it's great.

Cross post

You can't stall an auto. All cars have gears it just depends if the gearbox is automatic or not.

I got used to driving an automatic when living abroad and now can't believe anyone would ever want to drive a manual.

Hill starts are so easy. It's like driving a dodgem car.

Automatic driving is just manual driving without the clutch or gear changes.

The only downside is that if automatics break down, you can't try a push start or even push them out of the road.

@ like driving a sofa

The hand controls thing has bamboozled me completely, OP - no idea at all!

Good for her though - wish her luck & I hope once she's got the hang of it they all have to eat her dust

Just read a bit further - the cars are all electric?

I have switched from manual driving to an automatic. Agree with the dodgem car and sofa analogies . I always think it's like going from getting up to switch the tv channels on the telly to have a remote control. The sigh of relief when life becomes just that little bit easier.

Could the 'stalling' she reports be that irritating, new-fangled, stop-start technology that is supposed to save petrol and the planet?

I had that on an automatic hire car recently and it drove me bonkers. It's not quite as responsive as it needs to be.

So driving an automatic is a cross between driving a sofa and a dodgem.

I'm glad you said dodgem not bumper car.

I wonder if my friend has an issue with the car rather than her driving of it (which is what she's assuming)

For F24: I think the hand controls are like a motorbike, but she's got permission to put a foot accelerator in, but they don't allow foot brakes. I think they don't have gears, but although I'm hearing a lot about the adaptions, I haven't been told too much about that. She's very excited about it.

Thanks for all the help.

I was in a car with my friend, her first time in automatic and she was kind of 'stalling' it - more like bunny hopping. Problem was she had left foot resting lightly on brake out of habit (instead of clutch) and right on accelerator and the car was jumping forward. Was fine when I told her put her left leg away. Could that be similar to what your dd is doing?

Sorry your friend.

Low yes it's endurance test rather than totally speed. they have to continue with a particular battery (provided at the race). So they have to play off between going too fast at the start and running out of battery at the end or going not fast enough and battery finishing.
They get up to about 30/35mph.
They've designed and built the car themselves and finished in the top 10 in the world. (although I'm not sure how many other countries do it!) Encourage your schools to do it (it's aged 11-16yo).

autos are a dream to drive, all those wasted years of pressing clutches and changing gears. Would never go back. Not sure why the person you spoke to is struggling.

Yes Manumission, I've got that stop start thing on my car, it's quite weird at first, but have got used to it now, as soon as you take your foot off the brake it starts up again, so you can drive off easily.