[catron1]

A pair of would-be teen carjackers were foiled in Nashville last week by what’s become one of the most effective theft deterrents in recent years…a manual transmission.

Nashville police report that the boys, 15 and 17, first tried to pull a woman out of her parked car on Tuesday evening, but fled when she started screaming and honking her horn.

About an hour later they approached another woman in a Kroger parking lot in the city’s Hillsboro neighborhood, grabbed the keys out of her hand, got into her vehicle and were gone in less than 60 seconds.

Not with the car, but on foot. Police said the car had a stick shift and the juveniles didn’t know how to use it, so they gave up.

It’s not an unusual scenario anymore as only about 3 percent of cars are sold with manual transmissions today, according to Edmunds, while a recent U.S. News and World Report study found that less than 18 percent of Americans can drive them.

The Nashville teens didn’t make a clean getaway. Police spotted and arrested them soon after the incident and charged with robbery/carjacking, theft of property, and attempted theft of a vehicle.


http://www.foxnews.com/auto/2018/08/...nsmission.html

[BlackTalon]

They will probably learn to drive MTs on the prison work trucks, and when they get out they will be able to carjack MTs as well as autos.

[VaSteve]

Originally Posted by BlackTalon

They will probably learn to drive MTs on the prison work trucks, and when they get out they will be able to carjack MTs as well as autos.

Talon always see the bright side.


My car was in for paint work. They couldn't shuttle it around because the porter didn't know how to drive stick.

[catron1]

This is a sudo joke...Can we get a discount on insurance???

[Trak Ratt]

Originally Posted by BlackTalon

They will probably learn to drive MTs on the prison work trucks, and when they get out they will be able to carjack MTs as well as autos.

Military started switching to auto even for tanks back in '80s because of this.

[Jazzbass]

I'm very proud of the fact that I taught both of my kids to drive manual shortly after the got their licenses. Now, if they ever need to carjack someone, they'll be prepared unlike these amateurs.

[smdubovsky]

Originally Posted by Trak Ratt

Military started switching to auto even for tanks back in '80s because of this.

Well, thats because the M1 is a turbine. Harder to make that work w/ a manual transmission due to severe lack of low end torque. Even the old chrysler turbine car was auto trans.


The HMMWV is automatic somewhat due to its torque biasing diffs (vs limited slip.) You need to left foot brake to get them to work on loose surfaces. Plus being able still drive them w/ one leg if you are injured is a good idea too.

[BlackTalon]

Originally Posted by smdubovsky

Well, thats because the M1 is a turbine. Harder to make that work w/ a manual transmission due to severe lack of low end torque. Even the old chrysler turbine car was auto trans.


The HMMWV is automatic somewhat due to its torque biasing diffs (vs limited slip.) You need to left foot brake to get them to work on loose surfaces. Plus being able still drive them w/ one leg if you are injured is a good idea too.

That's a good point.

[Trak Ratt]

Originally Posted by smdubovsky

Well, thats because the M1 is a turbine. Harder to make that work w/ a manual transmission due to severe lack of low end torque. Even the old chrysler turbine car was auto trans.


The HMMWV is automatic somewhat due to its torque biasing diffs (vs limited slip.) You need to left foot brake to get them to work on loose surfaces. Plus being able still drive them w/ one leg if you are injured is a good idea too.

All true, and all good points.... Now explain why all the others are too. Plus DoD admits lack of skills drove these?? Had to drove an old Duce & 1/2 in the late '80 cause no one else could.

[DonNewton]

You know, when I was a young "e" in the Army, there were no such things as automatic transmissions in any field-going vehicle. Don't ask me about tanks, because my job was to leave a perfectly flying (except for the flying coffin, the Chinook) airplane and peacefully float to earth carrying ~85lbs in extra weight. I guess staff cars were auto, but I never saw the inside of one. . .