As my blue Mazda rolls toward the traffic light, my heart starts to beat faster. Being a fifteen-year-old newly-permitted driver who was not yet confident in the art of driving a stick shift, stops like this were a minor source of anxiety. As the red light flicks to green, it’s time to focus. I slowly let up on the clutch and accelerate, but the car jerks and sputters to a halt — turning off. Not again. In the passenger seat, my mom calmly encourages me to try again. Under pressure of the line of cars impatiently waiting behind me, I take a deep breath and turn the key. As I let up on the clutch and press the gas, this time the car jerks but comes to a slow glide. I let out the breath I had been holding. I did it. For the first time, I successfully made it through a stoplight in a manual car.
While this may seem simple, I felt that I had accomplished something great in those two minutes. Hours of practice in empty parking lots and quiet neighborhoods let me gain a feel for the car. It didn’t matter if the car stalled because I didn’t have to worry about being in anyone’s way, but on the real road, it’s a different story. For most beginner drivers, having too much confidence is a common, yet dangerous problem, but for me, I didn’t have nearly enough. Finding the perfect balance of letting go of the clutch and pressing the gas pedal is the trick to driving stick shift. First gear is always the hardest, but after that, it’s a piece of cake.
I spent hours with the soon-to-be-mine hand me down car and each time I practiced, I felt more comfortable. With my 16th birthday approaching , I still felt a little nervous, but nevertheless excited to be driving on my own. Unlike many of my classmates and friends, I didn’t get to chose my first car. Realizing my first car would be manual, I was annoyed–it felt like an inconvenience. Not being able to simply press the gas pedal after coming to a stop and making sure to be in the right gear was frustrating at first, but has forced me to become a more careful driver.
This experience showed me the value of practice and perseverance. I thrived on the moments when I failed, because they were opportunities to challenge myself – and I crave challenge. My blue Mazda is a daily reminder on my willingness to adapt to situations, no matter what they are.
If you are interested in learning how to drive a stick shift, here are a few links to instructions:
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-drive-stick-shift/
Georgia's Blog 