I read a statistic the other day that totally floored me. In the United States, less than 10% of the population knows how to drive a manual transmission. Wow, only one out of every ten people is capable of driving a car with a stick shift? To me, that’s like saying that only one out of every ten Americans knows how to cut their own meat. When exactly did we become automotive sloths?
Sadly, the 10% who can stir a manual gearbox are likely over 40. I suppose you can’t blame today’s youth entirely. How many entry-level cars can you buy in the United States nowadays with a manual transmission? Hmmm, none. I hate to sound like the old geezer by the cracker barrel, but back in my day, the majority of cars you could learn to drive on were stick shift.
Become a Member & Get Ad-Free Access To This Article (& About 6,000+ More)
Access to the full article is limited to paid subscribers only. Our membership removes most ads, lets you enjoy unlimited access to all our premium content, and offers you awesome discounts on partner products. Enjoy our premium content.