Everyone should learn to drive manual transmission cars at some point in life.

<> Thank you for accepting the challenge, Yraelz. It's always a pleasure. < > There are benefits for some, but not everyone. Blind people wouldn't benefit from learning how to drive a manual transmission car, for instance. In fact, they would be a danger to others on the road. < 1. You can now drive just about any vehicle. This means that when your girlfriend takes you out horseback riding and drives her manual truck you are not stuck should something happen to your girlfriend. For example if your girlfriend fell and got a concussion, you would be able to drive her home. (Real life example from me! ) I realize the chances of such instances are rather unlikely, but non-the-less beneficial. >> Perhaps it would've been better to wear helmets while you ride horses. Also, I doubt that you have the proper medical training to know if it were safe to move your girlfriend or not, so it might have been better to use a cell phone to call for trained medical assistance in that situation and many others of that nature. <<2. Avoiding cops. You know that day when you're late for work and you're going 10 mph over the speed limit to get there. Then you see that cop coming down the street at you, now all you have to do is down shift. No incriminating break lights or anything. Good idea! >> Police officers are trained to notice such tricks. If a car is traveling at unsafe speeds, then suddenly the back end of the car rises and the front end lowers and speed is reduced, I think anyone would notice what has been done. Though you may think it is a good idea to drive at unsafe speeds that exceed the speed limit and then try to get out of the consequences for such an action, I do not feel the same way, and I think others would agree with me. <<3. Avoids slipping on ice. Where as an automatic transmission in many instances must apply break in order to slow down, in a manual transmission one can simply down shift to make the wheels spin slightly slower thereby slowing down. This avoids sliding on ice and can prevent wrecks. >> This is a myth. Even four-wheel drive vehicles experience slips on icy roads. I am one who drives stick and have been in more fishtails while driving clutch, than I have when I have driven an automatic. <<4. They are so much more fun. A person who can drive a manual better owns any automatic at race. Manuals can stay in gear for as long as possible thereby revving higher and accelerating faster. Automatics simply flip when they hit so many rpms. This is obnoxious. >> This is also a myth. I know of many automatic transmission cars that can triumph over a manual transmission. An automatic Ford Mustang could easily win in a race over a manual Toyota Corolla. However, this is all illegal activity and puts lives in jeopardy, so I urge against such activity. <<5. Everybody looks more cool driving a manual. You know it the moment you get in a car with someone who has one of those nice leather stick shifts they are most definitely a cool person. Manuals are cool to drive, drivers are cool. >> This is superficial and untrue. I know many dorks and geeks that drive manual transmissions; it hasn't helped their social status in any way. I am also pretty sure there are many cool persons that drive automatics, so this is really irrelevant. <<6. Learning to drive a manual can be a bonding experience with someone you like. Just have one of your good friends teach you, bonding time, yeah! >> It can also be expensive, as I learned when teaching my sister to drive stick. She grinded every gear and wore out my clutch. The expensive part came when she side-swiped a car, as she was looking down at the shifter to see where 'third gear' was located. Thankfully, my parents paid it right away so that the neighbor from a couple blocks away wouldn't be able to deduce that it was my car that caused his car the unclaimed damage. < > People should learn things that are necessary in life. However, with so many automatic transmission available, this is not one of the necessities. Also, I don't know how I feel about all physically challenged or mentally challenged people learning to drive manual transmission cars. I think some people are better suited to walking or public transportation. I've learned many things in life that I haven't utilized, when I could've been learning useful skills/knowledge. Learning to drive clutch is not something everyone should learn to do. It should remain as it is now -- something to learn if one is interested. Thanks for the debate, Yraelz.