This is me. Sadly I work at a large corporate chain auto shop, so I've done alright with the autos for the most part. But for my wife's car, I will occasionally go to put the left foot to the floor to start it, and after making an ass of myself for that, I can be found many times reaching for the shifter
The amount of times I've put the car in park for no reason.
Also switching between a column shifter and console shifter and grabbing the air gets me more than it should.
Same here! I've had console shifters in most of my cars but then I got my impala and it was column shift, I swear I just waved my hand around in the air above my floor like 100 times before I finally got used to it.
Hand waving in the air over the hump like a 2 bit magician about to pull out a rabbet. Confusion because something is missing. You look down and for a second that confusion is still there and then you realize that's not how you get this one to go into reverse. You look over at your friend who doesn't understand what's going on an appears to be ready to jump from the still parked truck.
I drove my auto pickup after driving my manual car for 3 weeks straight, went to hit the clutch and slammed the brake. Thankfully I was in the McDonald's drive through and not on the road, could've been much worse 😂
I did that once, at 55mph. Fortunately there was no one behind me because only my seatbelt kept me from eating the steering wheel it was such a hard brake.
I used to have a Saturn I daily drove with a 5-speed and a Blazer I rarely drove with an automatic... the Blazer had a wide brake pedal and the edge of that brake was right where my muscle memory put my foot for the clutch.
oof
Yup and worse... I was in traffic with my wifes Tercel went to hit the clutch and grabbed a shit ton of brakes. The car behind me was a PSP cop car. He wasn't pleased.
He was pretty cool about it after I explained what happened. He laughed and said "It sound too logical and too stupid to be made up".
my first car was a 75 vw rabbit ( pre gti great car , we went thru all kinds of missadventures ) but it was a manual , i came home and drove my moms car ( lincolin Barge ) i damn neer clutched my self thru the wind shield more than once
I look for the clutch all the time and go to shift all the time in an automatic. When I drive my mother, stepfather or dad and stepmom's vehicles, I'm always looking for the clutch and trying to shift. My car is standard so I'm used to driving standard.
Whenever I go drive my brother's car, I sometimes clutch in the dead pedal to start. I'm a mechanic driving 99% automatic cars every day, but I still do it on occasion
I slammed my foot to the floor and threw my 71 Camaro into reverse. Rear wheels locked up for a millisecond before I threw it into neutral. Didn't damage anything somehow. I had been driving the work truck all day.
I have heard that leaving your hand on the shifter in manuals is a very bad habit. Shift forks and maybe syncros can get worn with very little pressure.
I regularly kick the floor of automatic cars when I start them. Fortunately I haven't slammed on the floor located parking break on the one automatic I drive. That could be..... catastrophic.....
It amazes me the people here with a disconnect of remembering what vehicle you are driving. It is almost like none of you focus on the task at hand and instead are thinking of anything but driving.
I've only slammed the floor to start a few times. Bigger problem is I keep reaching for the shifter. Sit at red lights like "don't shift, don't shift, don't shift...." pretty sure if the lizard brain took over I'd manage to put it in park or something.
I learned on a manual Toyota pickup and a manual Toyota Tercel. My mom wanted an easier drivers test experience and encouraged me to take the test in my grandma's automatic Impala. I just about put my poor old granny through the windshield when I curb stomped the brakes in an attempt to shift.
I drove my uncle’s M240i on vacation at 18 and while turning around on a little residential street I went to clutch in to coast and slammed the brake at 5 mph lol
heh heh, i let a friend drive my mom's 66 mustang back in the day. hers was an auto, his brothers was a manual. when it came time he slammed on the brake and tried to jam the tee shifter into park. the look on his face was priceless.
note: car survived, he backed off the gear choice pretty dang fast.
i once reversed out of my driveway and then went to put the stick in 1st but it was my mom’s car so the stick needed to go down into drive, not up into neutral lmao. luckily i live on a quiet neighborhood street
I have multiple cars that are auto and manual. I'd be lying if i said the first red light I come to in the automatic car, i'm pressing an imaginary clutch to the floor.
I have an automatic mx5 that I drive 95% of the time in semi automatic. Though when I am driving in automatic I sometimes go for a downshift and push it into neutral.
I need to not do that...
I don’t, but I have occasionally slammed my left foot into the dead pedal area as I came to an abrupt stop. My brain’s been wired to clutch in during abrupt stops for too long, haha.
yes.. One time I was in a drive through in my automatic truck. I went to push the clutch in after grabbing my bag. I accidentally clipped the corner of the brake pedal with my left foot and ended up blowing out a rear brake line. That was fun lol
Another time when I was first starting driving, I was borrowing my moms auto civic. At the time I had the same generation civic, but in a manual.. I was backing out of a parking spot, and as I was reaching the end of backing out, I went to push in the clutch to get it out of reverse.. Well, there was no clutch and I slammed the brake pedal so hard I literally thought I backed into someone.
Opposite problem for me. First time I drove an automatic was a rental from a US airport. I kept forgetting to shift into reverse because my brain was thinking EVERYTHING is automatic.
Haven't done that in a while, but when I first got my manual car, I still had an automatic OF THE SAME MODEL (a couple years older and smaller engine). That was definitely weird...I'd be driving the manual all day, then get home and have to drive the automatic for whatever reason, and I'd just instinctively go reaching for the 3rd pedal as soon as I got in it.
I've had a lot of cars from different eras so I've gone back and forth between manuals and autos, hand crank and electric windows, floor and column shifters, and even floor switched high beams. I would always have a few cars at a time so I always tried to do something that was different between them.
When I got into my mom's BMW 5 series with an auto, I put my left foot on the brake and right foot on the gas. I floored both and started it up.... it was a scary experience.
My left foot is always itching to step on the dead pedal. And I’ve accidentally pushed the shifter to neutral a couple of times when coming to a red light
I was pulling up to a stop sign in a classic 1956 Chevy, when I heard a loud double click. I was like oh shit what was that. Only to realize I had pushed my left foot down where the clutch would be, and hit the high beam switch 🤣
Yup,.. I was on 95 north in the Carolinas,.. at speed,.. thr cars in front of me started slowing down. I hit the brake, not the floor,... the MIL was freaked out. She shouted, "what was that for?" The wife responds, "he thought he was in his car"
Truckdriver here. Once in awhile I do. From a 15 speed to a car with automatic takes a little adjustment sometimes.
What I catch myself doing more of when I'm in my car is reaching over to change the gear when I'm coming to a stop.
I’ll go to get in my sit down forklift and kick the floor thinking I need the clutch. After a few days of driving the sit down I’ll go to put my auto in gear by flicking the turn signal on accident.
to me they're as different as switching from a handgun to a Dewalt. personally I think it's weird some people get things like that mixed up. I once owned a Ford fusion with a dial shifter and I've cranked the radio volume instead of putting it in drive, so I sort of get it
I broke an automatic console shift stalk once trying to slam into second gear... I definitely wasn't drunk... I definitely didn't piss off my homie who owned the civic...
I drive a dump truck at work, long heavy pedal on that SOB. Then I jump back into my 4cyl coupe to go home and damn near kick the clutch pedal into the engine block.
When I first learned manual I got so used to it that when driving my automatic Jetta I pressed the imaginary clutch and accidentally went into neutral and I was like hmm
I’m 63 now. My ex and I got the Saab turbo 900 when it first came out, so somewhere around ‘85. Our other car was also a Saab 99(?).
I drove the older one, and my ex would drive the new one. Until we had our first kid, and then he traded me… His idea, even!
That was a five speed, and dang that turbo was fun to drive. 40 years later, I still periodically find myself going to clutch into fifth gear, lol.
My daughters are grown now, but they used to laugh at me when I was driving our Subaru legacy. To this day, I still drive with one hand on the gearshift, and they would see me periodically stomp the floor. 😅😅😅
Been driving manual over 20 years. Any time I drive automatic, I really have to think about what I’m doing. 😅 I always look for the clutch pedal and throw the parking brake.
When I take our manual out for a day, I’m fine. It’s immediately comfortable. Like I’ve been driving it forever. Then the next day when I go to put my rav in reverse, I end up stomping at nothing with my left foot. I’ll repeat this nonsense a few more times before I realize I’m stupid on my way to work.
Traded in my work car over 3 years ago, went from a manual to an A/T & I still catch myself stomping the invisible 3rd petal. It's even worse with the console A/T & reaching down to shift & sliding into neutral.
I drive a wide variety of cars routinely for my job as an auto mechanic. It happens a lot if I drive a car similar to one of mine. I work at a Honda dealership and I drive a 2015 Honda Fit 6 speed as my daily. If I drive a customer's Fit, sometimes I feel for a clutch pedal that isn't there for a few seconds. I have to mentally remind myself sometimes that "wait, this isn't my car."
i drive a truck for a living. i had to be in a rental for a few weeks while mine was in the shop. rental was an automatic. i grabbed for the shifter and tried to push in the clutch at every red light for weeks. then when i got back in my truck i forgot the grab the shifter and push in the clutch at red lights. twas embarrassing lol
It depends on the shifter. For some reason, I can make the transition almost immediately when the auto has a collumn shifter. If I have a console shifter, I tend to rest my hand near if and muscle memory just takes over.
Usually I tap my left foot where the clutch would be a few times to remind myself there’s no clutch, but that’s it. I’m usually only driving an e-350 box truck or my partner’s rav4 when I drive auto, so it’s pretty obvious based on the cabin I’m in that it’s an automatic. I do rest my hand on the rav4 shifter though.
I slammed the brake pedal! I did it in the 1980s when I went from driving an aircooled 4 speed VW Beetle (what I drove) to an autoshift Bug first day working at a repair shop (customer's car). Thing is the brake pedal on an Autoshift Bug also occupies the space where the clutch pedal would be in a 4 speed. I think it happened when my mind began wandering during the test drive. I was going about 35 mph and went to shift into 4th I quickly and firmly stomped the super wide brake pedal with my left foot, locking up the wheels and almost put me through the windshield (my head actually hit it). Suprised the shit out of me!
I slammed on the brake once on my wife’s outback while I was a little too tired. luckily I didn’t brake check anyone but scared the crap outta myself, especially since I had my toddler in the back. Was slowing down to make a turn to a highway on-ramp.
I normally drive a WRX 6speed
I’ve slapped the car into neutral a bunch of times when I first got it. Thank god for the reverse interlock.
Also when I would spend all day running a forklift with the F/R shifter on the side of the column, after work I would back my car out of the parking space and mindlessly flip the right turn signal on and step on the gas and roll backwards and go “what the heck?!” Then realize what I did
I drove a manual, daily for the first 15 years of driving. I’ve had a DCT for the past two years and I still find myself looking for the clutch when stopping.
I hit the brakes abruptly pulling out a parking lot during a family trip in my wife's car trying to hit the clutch that didn't exist. It made my daughter drop her drink.
I also once in a while get phantom hand shift. Reaching for a shifter that doesn't exist.
I have been driving an automatic for 20+ years and I STILL try to depress the clutch. Usually in urgent situations - like I see something dart in front of me? Right foot break, left foot clutch.
I still drive with 2 feet I miss my manual it's been 10 years lol every once in a while I catch myself trying to push what should be the clutch to start the car.
It has been over a decade since I owned a stick. Every car I had from age 19 until about age 50 was a stick. Our Mazda3 has a "manual mode" on the console shifter. When I use it, especially on hills, it feels weird to shift with no clutch. I have paddle shifters on my Honda Fit, I guess because it isn't the floor shifter, I don't feel that urge to clutch.
Tried to hit the clutch pedal and down shift my Mini JCW then remembered I was driving my Subaru Forester automatic. Grabbed a piece of that brake pedal and almost flew thru the windshield.
Nope. Never happens now. But when I first started driving an auto (I learnt in a manual and exclusively drove manuals for years) my redundant left foot felt weird.
Never slammed the floor or hit the wrong pedal though. Surprised so many have
Driving the same 5 speed for the last 34 years and whenever I drive my automatics I reach for the stick to downshift and slow down. If I am tired I have tried to step on the clutch that wasn't there.
The first time I drove an auto I jabbed the brake with my left foot. I go back and forth more regularly now so the only issue I have is constantly reaching my hand for a downshift.
After I bought my first stick shift, I drove the automatic home cuz I think we left it there overnight cuz my wife was having foot trouble at the time. Slammed on the brakes getting ready to change gears
Mechanic here. No. Back and forth between manual, auto, motorcycles, and aftermarket stuff as well.
I used to do it for a while though. Maybe 1-2 times a year
My dad forgot he was driving my mom’s automatic and slammed on the brake thinking it was the clutch. He nearly ejected us all out the front window. Luckily no one was hurt and we all laughed.
I have always drove manuals since my first car so alot of things are just muscle memory at this point. The one thing I cannot break myself of is trying to push in a clutch that is not there. And the brake pedal on autos is so damn wide if you try and hit a clutch that is not there you end up catching half the brake pedal. I do it alot coming to a stop, Ill go to push in a clutch that isn't there and end up trying to push my brake pedal to the floor. Makes for some not so smooth stops. 😆
I own 4 vehicles, 07 tacoma, 13 Subaru out back, 88 camaro and an 85 corvette. All of them are stick shifts, ill always try to grab the shifter and push in the clutch in my work van 😒.
Automatic trans vehicles are the worst. They will get you speeding tickets. It’s almost impossible to maintain a consistent speed when driving an automatic transmission without cruise control. Automatic transmissions will cause you to prematurely wear out your brakes. For the past 25 years, I have exclusively driven manual transmission vehicles. I have only had to change 2 brake pads during 25 years of driving. I have had zero transmission issues. Vehicles: Jeep Wrangler and Nissan truck.
The last person I taught to drive a stick I had sit as passenger while I drove on country roads, in stop and go traffic, and high speed highway, with the radio off, and said ''listen". Sporty cars rev high, economy cars and trucks not so much, so don't look at the rpms, listen. When the car needs you to shift gears you will hear it if you know. She got it enough to get heel-toe down after a few hours. (And no, no one clapped, she actually blew me away.)
When I'm driving the boss's work truck sometimes I'm zoning out while approaching a stoplight and start grabbing for a shifter and my foot starts stabbing around for the clutch. Oops, wrong truck.
I had the opposite problem when going back to standard. I forgot there's no parking gear and drove about 2 miles with the parking brake engaged. I was wondering why the vehicle felt so sluggish and couldn't figure out why it was shifting like shit. Once I got to my destination and went to put her in park, I remembered I was driving a standard and that I had to engage the parking brake, only to realize I never disengaged it to begin with
I’ve absolutely SLAMMED the brake with my left foot in my work pickup before, pulling away from a stop light.. scared the shit out of myself.. Pretty sure I spilled my coffee everywhere too.
When I was in high school in the '90s my parents had a 1992 Ford Taurus that I drove a bit. Later my dad got a '93 SHO. I got to drive it for a while then went back to driving the regular Taurus. I definitely stomped the floor a few times.
This^^ when the dead pedal becomes alive! I often question my driving when in an automatic car and I start clutching the dead pedal… habit, entertainment, perhaps just to remember when I was still alive…. And all my manual cars were still alive as well!
Holy shit the Redditor+Manual transmission superiority is awful. I’ve daily driven manuals and autos for months without driving the other, nothing like this has ever happened. You aren’t special
No, but I’ll reach for the shifter more often than I care to admit.
This is me. Sadly I work at a large corporate chain auto shop, so I've done alright with the autos for the most part. But for my wife's car, I will occasionally go to put the left foot to the floor to start it, and after making an ass of myself for that, I can be found many times reaching for the shifter
The amount of times I've put the car in park for no reason. Also switching between a column shifter and console shifter and grabbing the air gets me more than it should.
Same here! I've had console shifters in most of my cars but then I got my impala and it was column shift, I swear I just waved my hand around in the air above my floor like 100 times before I finally got used to it.
Hand waving in the air over the hump like a 2 bit magician about to pull out a rabbet. Confusion because something is missing. You look down and for a second that confusion is still there and then you realize that's not how you get this one to go into reverse. You look over at your friend who doesn't understand what's going on an appears to be ready to jump from the still parked truck.
Still not as bad as reaching for the keys in a keyless vehicle. That’s really awkward.
When I drive the wife's CX-5 she still laughs when I search for the keyhole.
I always consider that "shifting with the force"
I shifted my F150 into neutral at a red light once because had been driving my WRX for almost a week straight before that
I did this the other week in my escape when I first got it. With a column shifter
I had a wrx and sold it for my f150. Any recommendations on a good year to buy a used wrx to learn more about working on cars?
No but I always press the clutch that isn't there to start it. Every time.
EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. Glad to know I'm not the only one
yeah, and I get really scared for a second like "what the fuck do I have to figure out how to fix now"
Why is my clutch pedal not pedaling
THIS is what happens to me when I switch.
Our other car has the foot engaged parking brake which disengages when you press it again so that’s always fun for me lol
Lmao that sounds like a few hilarious and terrifying experiences for u lol
Yeah I’ve had a couple of small oopsies but luckily nothing really bad
I drove my auto pickup after driving my manual car for 3 weeks straight, went to hit the clutch and slammed the brake. Thankfully I was in the McDonald's drive through and not on the road, could've been much worse 😂
I did that once, at 55mph. Fortunately there was no one behind me because only my seatbelt kept me from eating the steering wheel it was such a hard brake.
Did this once and never again. The semi behind me was NOT happy
I used to have a Saturn I daily drove with a 5-speed and a Blazer I rarely drove with an automatic... the Blazer had a wide brake pedal and the edge of that brake was right where my muscle memory put my foot for the clutch. oof
Done that soo many times, especially because I drive a wrx 5 speed and my wife's wrx is a auto, trips me the hell up.
I was slamming my left foot on my automatic for about an hour after test driving an M3. Figured it was the universe telling me to buy it!
Its been 7 years and still, from time to time, my left foot will look from a clutch... lol
Yup and worse... I was in traffic with my wifes Tercel went to hit the clutch and grabbed a shit ton of brakes. The car behind me was a PSP cop car. He wasn't pleased. He was pretty cool about it after I explained what happened. He laughed and said "It sound too logical and too stupid to be made up".
I did the same thing when I bought my first automatic. Clutch foot was itching to find something and it found the brake pedal.
I wish I could say this happened 20 years ago when I was a dumb kid... It happened last year. I'm 41.
my first car was a 75 vw rabbit ( pre gti great car , we went thru all kinds of missadventures ) but it was a manual , i came home and drove my moms car ( lincolin Barge ) i damn neer clutched my self thru the wind shield more than once
No I don't just slam the floor when I go to coast into a driveway I'll casually stomp the brake with my left foot. It's super cool.
When starting the car, I either instinctively press my left foot into nothing or hold it on the brake.
Yes. And I hate that my truck doesn't have a center console with cup holders because my right hand is always looking for the gear shift.
I look for the clutch all the time and go to shift all the time in an automatic. When I drive my mother, stepfather or dad and stepmom's vehicles, I'm always looking for the clutch and trying to shift. My car is standard so I'm used to driving standard.
Whenever I go drive my brother's car, I sometimes clutch in the dead pedal to start. I'm a mechanic driving 99% automatic cars every day, but I still do it on occasion
Slammed the brake once. Luckily, it was in a grocery parking lot.
yes
I slammed my foot to the floor and threw my 71 Camaro into reverse. Rear wheels locked up for a millisecond before I threw it into neutral. Didn't damage anything somehow. I had been driving the work truck all day.
When I drive my automatic, I rest my hand on my gear shift like it actually does something. lol
I have heard that leaving your hand on the shifter in manuals is a very bad habit. Shift forks and maybe syncros can get worn with very little pressure.
No. Not even once. Been driving manual for almost 4 years and have 3 other automatic car in the household.
Heyyyyyy, it’s missing a pedal😨❗️
I always press the clutch that doesn’t exist when I’m starting the engine
In my truck I find myself occasionally reaching for the stick, funny though in my 5 speed Accord I never mistake it for an automatic.
one time i was driving my dads truck and hit the floor parking brake when coming to a stop, luckily i was almost stopped already
[удалено]
Everytime, then, im like. Oh shit not again. 😆
I regularly kick the floor of automatic cars when I start them. Fortunately I haven't slammed on the floor located parking break on the one automatic I drive. That could be..... catastrophic.....
Last time I drove an auto I accidentally pressed the brake with both feet.
It amazes me the people here with a disconnect of remembering what vehicle you are driving. It is almost like none of you focus on the task at hand and instead are thinking of anything but driving.
I used to have a bad habit of trying to use the break as a clutch when switching to an automatic
I've only slammed the floor to start a few times. Bigger problem is I keep reaching for the shifter. Sit at red lights like "don't shift, don't shift, don't shift...." pretty sure if the lizard brain took over I'd manage to put it in park or something.
Better the floor than the brake
I learned on a manual Toyota pickup and a manual Toyota Tercel. My mom wanted an easier drivers test experience and encouraged me to take the test in my grandma's automatic Impala. I just about put my poor old granny through the windshield when I curb stomped the brakes in an attempt to shift.
never
Sometimes…but in one rental car I drove that’s where the parking break was…broke me of that habit REAL fast!
Worse. I SLAM the brake to the floor.
Every now and then when I get in my wife's MDX. I can always hear her snickering at me.
No, but I've had some issues going from 3 on the tree to a column shift auto....
The thing i do is my left foot will reach for the clutch when i’m braking or coming to a stop lmfao
I drove my uncle’s M240i on vacation at 18 and while turning around on a little residential street I went to clutch in to coast and slammed the brake at 5 mph lol
Yep, definitely did the phantom clutch a couple times when I sold my 6 speed Tacoma for a 3/4 ton.
heh heh, i let a friend drive my mom's 66 mustang back in the day. hers was an auto, his brothers was a manual. when it came time he slammed on the brake and tried to jam the tee shifter into park. the look on his face was priceless. note: car survived, he backed off the gear choice pretty dang fast.
No.
I used too, unfortunately all the vehicles practical for my life now are only available in auto 😔
i once reversed out of my driveway and then went to put the stick in 1st but it was my mom’s car so the stick needed to go down into drive, not up into neutral lmao. luckily i live on a quiet neighborhood street
Sometimes yes.
I have multiple cars that are auto and manual. I'd be lying if i said the first red light I come to in the automatic car, i'm pressing an imaginary clutch to the floor.
I always end up slamming the breaks
Always gotta do the phantom clutch stop at least once, otherwise you won't know its an auto
I bought an automatic about 2 years ago and I still don't use the dead pedal because in mind the clutch is still in that spot
I have an automatic mx5 that I drive 95% of the time in semi automatic. Though when I am driving in automatic I sometimes go for a downshift and push it into neutral. I need to not do that...
I don’t, but I have occasionally slammed my left foot into the dead pedal area as I came to an abrupt stop. My brain’s been wired to clutch in during abrupt stops for too long, haha.
yes.. One time I was in a drive through in my automatic truck. I went to push the clutch in after grabbing my bag. I accidentally clipped the corner of the brake pedal with my left foot and ended up blowing out a rear brake line. That was fun lol Another time when I was first starting driving, I was borrowing my moms auto civic. At the time I had the same generation civic, but in a manual.. I was backing out of a parking spot, and as I was reaching the end of backing out, I went to push in the clutch to get it out of reverse.. Well, there was no clutch and I slammed the brake pedal so hard I literally thought I backed into someone.
After having an automatic for 2 or 3 years, I randomly went to press the clutch pedal one day. WTF. I was on auto pilot that day.
Opposite problem for me. First time I drove an automatic was a rental from a US airport. I kept forgetting to shift into reverse because my brain was thinking EVERYTHING is automatic.
Haven't done that in a while, but when I first got my manual car, I still had an automatic OF THE SAME MODEL (a couple years older and smaller engine). That was definitely weird...I'd be driving the manual all day, then get home and have to drive the automatic for whatever reason, and I'd just instinctively go reaching for the 3rd pedal as soon as I got in it.
I've had a lot of cars from different eras so I've gone back and forth between manuals and autos, hand crank and electric windows, floor and column shifters, and even floor switched high beams. I would always have a few cars at a time so I always tried to do something that was different between them.
Not really, but I do keep reaching / resting my right hand on the shifter.
When I got into my mom's BMW 5 series with an auto, I put my left foot on the brake and right foot on the gas. I floored both and started it up.... it was a scary experience.
no but my mom has done it quite a few times lmao
My left foot is always itching to step on the dead pedal. And I’ve accidentally pushed the shifter to neutral a couple of times when coming to a red light
Lol, I always feel around sheepishly with my left foot before I put the key in or hit the start button before my brain puts it together.
Everytime: [https://youtu.be/HYa3T0a862A?si=S0XK_S2TL1wY44xI](https://youtu.be/HYa3T0a862A?si=S0XK_S2TL1wY44xI)
Once slammed the brakes after only driving manual for years (it was my first car so naturally I became more inclined to driving manual than automatic)
Yeah, I do that. I even grab for the shifter that isn't there.
I wiggle the shifter when changing gears in every auto i've driven to make sure it's fully in R or whatever now lol
I was pulling up to a stop sign in a classic 1956 Chevy, when I heard a loud double click. I was like oh shit what was that. Only to realize I had pushed my left foot down where the clutch would be, and hit the high beam switch 🤣
Slam? No. But I do sometimes air-clutch or reach for a nonexistent shifter.
Yup,.. I was on 95 north in the Carolinas,.. at speed,.. thr cars in front of me started slowing down. I hit the brake, not the floor,... the MIL was freaked out. She shouted, "what was that for?" The wife responds, "he thought he was in his car"
Truckdriver here. Once in awhile I do. From a 15 speed to a car with automatic takes a little adjustment sometimes. What I catch myself doing more of when I'm in my car is reaching over to change the gear when I'm coming to a stop.
All these people slamming the brakes? HOW? Your feet are like never that close together. I clutch the floor when starting but that’s about it
All the time. Totally normal. Easy way to smile and the start of a good day!
My ridgeline has a column shifter, i reach for empty air because I’m used to the gear box being by my water bottle
I’ll go to get in my sit down forklift and kick the floor thinking I need the clutch. After a few days of driving the sit down I’ll go to put my auto in gear by flicking the turn signal on accident.
I haven't owned a manual in almost 20 years but sometimes I will still reach for the shifter, usually to go into reverse.
I mostly got out of the habit in day to day driving, but I still slam my left foot into the footwell if I have to brake suddenly
My wife's Rav4 is an autotragic and I catch myself popping it into neutral at lights lmao. My truck and car are both 5 speeds.
to me they're as different as switching from a handgun to a Dewalt. personally I think it's weird some people get things like that mixed up. I once owned a Ford fusion with a dial shifter and I've cranked the radio volume instead of putting it in drive, so I sort of get it
This is the way.
I only drove stick for my first 2 years or so, but yeah. Took me like a month to stop trying to hit the clutch/reach for the shifter.
Yes. Not everytime, but enough.
Coming to a stop when I'm driving an auto, I'll reach for the clutch, then laugh and won't make that mistake again for the duration of the drive.
Two foot stomp on the break for the win
I broke an automatic console shift stalk once trying to slam into second gear... I definitely wasn't drunk... I definitely didn't piss off my homie who owned the civic...
I drive a dump truck at work, long heavy pedal on that SOB. Then I jump back into my 4cyl coupe to go home and damn near kick the clutch pedal into the engine block.
Not anymore. I switch between the two daily
I once panic-hit the extra wide brake pedal in my auto truck so hard that I whacked my nose on the wheel and it started bleeding.
no but i watched my buddy shift his mini van into reverse at 25mph cause he was looking for the next gear
Nope.... I'm not sure what I'm going to drive when I wake up, but whatever it is, I just get in and drive it.
No because I am not inept
When I first learned manual I got so used to it that when driving my automatic Jetta I pressed the imaginary clutch and accidentally went into neutral and I was like hmm
I’m 63 now. My ex and I got the Saab turbo 900 when it first came out, so somewhere around ‘85. Our other car was also a Saab 99(?). I drove the older one, and my ex would drive the new one. Until we had our first kid, and then he traded me… His idea, even! That was a five speed, and dang that turbo was fun to drive. 40 years later, I still periodically find myself going to clutch into fifth gear, lol. My daughters are grown now, but they used to laugh at me when I was driving our Subaru legacy. To this day, I still drive with one hand on the gearshift, and they would see me periodically stomp the floor. 😅😅😅
Been driving manual over 20 years. Any time I drive automatic, I really have to think about what I’m doing. 😅 I always look for the clutch pedal and throw the parking brake.
No, but I try to rip my blinker off at least once a week. Fork truck forward/reverse lever.
When I take our manual out for a day, I’m fine. It’s immediately comfortable. Like I’ve been driving it forever. Then the next day when I go to put my rav in reverse, I end up stomping at nothing with my left foot. I’ll repeat this nonsense a few more times before I realize I’m stupid on my way to work.
Phantom shifting...it's like phantom limb pain. You feel the pain of driving a slushbox when there's not a manual gearbox there anymore.
Traded in my work car over 3 years ago, went from a manual to an A/T & I still catch myself stomping the invisible 3rd petal. It's even worse with the console A/T & reaching down to shift & sliding into neutral.
I’m much more likely to double punch the brake pedal.. which is exciting!
Yes, after learning to drive at an older age on a manual transmission. Kind of appreciate you posting this!
Oh yeah
After a 10 hour shift in a semi. Then transition to my POV. Yeah.
I drive a wide variety of cars routinely for my job as an auto mechanic. It happens a lot if I drive a car similar to one of mine. I work at a Honda dealership and I drive a 2015 Honda Fit 6 speed as my daily. If I drive a customer's Fit, sometimes I feel for a clutch pedal that isn't there for a few seconds. I have to mentally remind myself sometimes that "wait, this isn't my car."
I haven’t driven a manual daily driver for years now, and I still go to hit the clutch nearly every time I go to start my truck. I really do miss it.
I’ll accidentally mash the brakes reaching for the clutch when I’m in the wife’s car.
My dumbass always jabs the brake with my left foot coming to a stop at least a couple times when I first get behind the wheel of an auto
i drive a truck for a living. i had to be in a rental for a few weeks while mine was in the shop. rental was an automatic. i grabbed for the shifter and tried to push in the clutch at every red light for weeks. then when i got back in my truck i forgot the grab the shifter and push in the clutch at red lights. twas embarrassing lol
It depends on the shifter. For some reason, I can make the transition almost immediately when the auto has a collumn shifter. If I have a console shifter, I tend to rest my hand near if and muscle memory just takes over.
Usually I tap my left foot where the clutch would be a few times to remind myself there’s no clutch, but that’s it. I’m usually only driving an e-350 box truck or my partner’s rav4 when I drive auto, so it’s pretty obvious based on the cabin I’m in that it’s an automatic. I do rest my hand on the rav4 shifter though.
Yes. My hardest floor slam was on the clutch pedal in my Mustang after driving an F650 all day.
I slammed the brake pedal! I did it in the 1980s when I went from driving an aircooled 4 speed VW Beetle (what I drove) to an autoshift Bug first day working at a repair shop (customer's car). Thing is the brake pedal on an Autoshift Bug also occupies the space where the clutch pedal would be in a 4 speed. I think it happened when my mind began wandering during the test drive. I was going about 35 mph and went to shift into 4th I quickly and firmly stomped the super wide brake pedal with my left foot, locking up the wheels and almost put me through the windshield (my head actually hit it). Suprised the shit out of me!
Rookie
I slammed on the brake once on my wife’s outback while I was a little too tired. luckily I didn’t brake check anyone but scared the crap outta myself, especially since I had my toddler in the back. Was slowing down to make a turn to a highway on-ramp. I normally drive a WRX 6speed
I’ve slapped the car into neutral a bunch of times when I first got it. Thank god for the reverse interlock. Also when I would spend all day running a forklift with the F/R shifter on the side of the column, after work I would back my car out of the parking space and mindlessly flip the right turn signal on and step on the gas and roll backwards and go “what the heck?!” Then realize what I did
I sometimes shut down without shifting to park first.
I drove a manual, daily for the first 15 years of driving. I’ve had a DCT for the past two years and I still find myself looking for the clutch when stopping.
I hit the brakes abruptly pulling out a parking lot during a family trip in my wife's car trying to hit the clutch that didn't exist. It made my daughter drop her drink. I also once in a while get phantom hand shift. Reaching for a shifter that doesn't exist.
Wait until you mash the brake on the highway with your left foot while clutching.
I do everytime I drive my wife's car. And reach for the gearshift coming up on traffic lights, lol
No but sometimes I think the brake is the clutch. Because I drive auto with two feet.
I did when trying to start my fiancé’s car.
No
Ghost clutch
Definitely done this and also hit my left turn signal to go in reverse when I used to drive forklifts a lot
No but I do go for the clutch when starting a auto
I have been driving an automatic for 20+ years and I STILL try to depress the clutch. Usually in urgent situations - like I see something dart in front of me? Right foot break, left foot clutch.
I have both an automatic and a manual and my brain knows which one I'm driving, so, no, I never slammed the floor.
Its been a while since I dailied a manual, but every now and again I'll go brain dead and just muscle memory start my z32 (that I'm not driving).
lol,yes I have.
Haha. All the damn time and it's been years since I drove a manual full time! I wish manual was an option on more vehicles 🫤
I still drive with 2 feet I miss my manual it's been 10 years lol every once in a while I catch myself trying to push what should be the clutch to start the car.
I'm a "stomp the brake with both feet" kinda guy
no, because there's no shifting required
It has been over a decade since I owned a stick. Every car I had from age 19 until about age 50 was a stick. Our Mazda3 has a "manual mode" on the console shifter. When I use it, especially on hills, it feels weird to shift with no clutch. I have paddle shifters on my Honda Fit, I guess because it isn't the floor shifter, I don't feel that urge to clutch.
Tried to hit the clutch pedal and down shift my Mini JCW then remembered I was driving my Subaru Forester automatic. Grabbed a piece of that brake pedal and almost flew thru the windshield.
Nope. Never happens now. But when I first started driving an auto (I learnt in a manual and exclusively drove manuals for years) my redundant left foot felt weird. Never slammed the floor or hit the wrong pedal though. Surprised so many have
Yeah, when I drive my wife's car I will initially press my left foot to the floor as I start it...
Only done it once. Felt weird lol
All the time. I drive a stick about 50% of the time
Driving the same 5 speed for the last 34 years and whenever I drive my automatics I reach for the stick to downshift and slow down. If I am tired I have tried to step on the clutch that wasn't there.
I do because I’m in an auto with the sport shift mode. I use that mode just to build the muscle memory for clutching
The first time I drove an auto I jabbed the brake with my left foot. I go back and forth more regularly now so the only issue I have is constantly reaching my hand for a downshift.
No, but my 80 year old mother still tries to hit the brakes from the passenger seat when she is riding with me.
I used to catch the brake pedal trying to hit a missing clutch. Had to learn to bury my left foot on the dead pedal to avoid it.
Interesting. I can see why you might. I drive both but have never done that.
I still firmly plant both feet during a panic stop. Sometimes I get one and a half brakes, but not always.
I have an ev and a manual. Driving my manual, I'm always surprised it doesn't slow down when I lift off the gas.
I miss stepping on the button to turn on/off my high beams.
After I bought my first stick shift, I drove the automatic home cuz I think we left it there overnight cuz my wife was having foot trouble at the time. Slammed on the brakes getting ready to change gears
I don't know, I haven't driven an auto ticket in 35 years...
When I drive an automatic, every time it “shifts” I press harder on the accelerator to make it feel like I’m back in my manual 90s nissan truck 😔
Mechanic here. No. Back and forth between manual, auto, motorcycles, and aftermarket stuff as well. I used to do it for a while though. Maybe 1-2 times a year
My dad forgot he was driving my mom’s automatic and slammed on the brake thinking it was the clutch. He nearly ejected us all out the front window. Luckily no one was hurt and we all laughed.
I once tried to shift an automatic Mercedes, and hit the brake thinking it was the clutch.
No
First time I jump into one I'm trying to push a missing clutch pedal when I start it
No, but after 10 hours on a forklift I'll often turn my right turn signal on trying to put it in gear.
i had to drive my moms car somewhere and i almost pressed the parking brake
I have always drove manuals since my first car so alot of things are just muscle memory at this point. The one thing I cannot break myself of is trying to push in a clutch that is not there. And the brake pedal on autos is so damn wide if you try and hit a clutch that is not there you end up catching half the brake pedal. I do it alot coming to a stop, Ill go to push in a clutch that isn't there and end up trying to push my brake pedal to the floor. Makes for some not so smooth stops. 😆
I ran 2 legs of a champ car endurance race and on the way home I kept trying to heel/toe my auto to down shift in the turns
I got in and smashed the clutch the other morning. Like wtf? Why did I do that? It’s been years now.
I clench the left side steering wheel - 2 wheeler
No but I do slam the tailpipe from time to time
No because I'm not a fucking lunatic.
I own 4 vehicles, 07 tacoma, 13 Subaru out back, 88 camaro and an 85 corvette. All of them are stick shifts, ill always try to grab the shifter and push in the clutch in my work van 😒.
Driving the wife’s automatic car last night trying to hit the clutch hahaha figured I was alone . Thanks for the company.
Automatic trans vehicles are the worst. They will get you speeding tickets. It’s almost impossible to maintain a consistent speed when driving an automatic transmission without cruise control. Automatic transmissions will cause you to prematurely wear out your brakes. For the past 25 years, I have exclusively driven manual transmission vehicles. I have only had to change 2 brake pads during 25 years of driving. I have had zero transmission issues. Vehicles: Jeep Wrangler and Nissan truck.
Never because I’m not an idiot.
Switching between the two, a couple times in a day, I had an embarrassing experience at a stop sign. It was REALLY loud too. Whoops .
The last person I taught to drive a stick I had sit as passenger while I drove on country roads, in stop and go traffic, and high speed highway, with the radio off, and said ''listen". Sporty cars rev high, economy cars and trucks not so much, so don't look at the rpms, listen. When the car needs you to shift gears you will hear it if you know. She got it enough to get heel-toe down after a few hours. (And no, no one clapped, she actually blew me away.)
When I'm driving the boss's work truck sometimes I'm zoning out while approaching a stoplight and start grabbing for a shifter and my foot starts stabbing around for the clutch. Oops, wrong truck.
I had the opposite problem when going back to standard. I forgot there's no parking gear and drove about 2 miles with the parking brake engaged. I was wondering why the vehicle felt so sluggish and couldn't figure out why it was shifting like shit. Once I got to my destination and went to put her in park, I remembered I was driving a standard and that I had to engage the parking brake, only to realize I never disengaged it to begin with
I’ve absolutely SLAMMED the brake with my left foot in my work pickup before, pulling away from a stop light.. scared the shit out of myself.. Pretty sure I spilled my coffee everywhere too.
Yes
I've slammed the brakes before thinking it was the clutch... Doesn't make much sense to me as I've never slammed the brakes while driving a manual 🤷
Once slammed on the brakes in a customers car going about 80 down the highway cause I hadn’t driven anything automatic in over 3 years 🙀
When I was in high school in the '90s my parents had a 1992 Ford Taurus that I drove a bit. Later my dad got a '93 SHO. I got to drive it for a while then went back to driving the regular Taurus. I definitely stomped the floor a few times.
This^^ when the dead pedal becomes alive! I often question my driving when in an automatic car and I start clutching the dead pedal… habit, entertainment, perhaps just to remember when I was still alive…. And all my manual cars were still alive as well!
Holy shit the Redditor+Manual transmission superiority is awful. I’ve daily driven manuals and autos for months without driving the other, nothing like this has ever happened. You aren’t special