Stick-shift vs automatic for learner

if you can afford it I'd get a cheap manual runaround for them to learn on. In 10 years time, hardly anyone will be driving manual, and it's certainly more practical to have an auto-only license now that it was 10 years ago, but it would probably still be useful for them to know how to drive a manual. Also you may not want them constantly borrowing your fancy EV.

I was in the same situation with my child and we just used driving school with manual cars and then paid extra to get instructor car for the exam.

Thing is now you need 12 lessons with an instructor before you can apply so most of the pre work could be covered with a couple of hours of initial practice before the instructor

I wouldnt bother teaching them in a manual today. Never mind that in a few years the majority of cars will be automatic, if you consider the failure rate and then the time it takes to do a retest; I'd recommend just passing the test in an automatic and then worry about the stick shift later on at some stage.

Will it be relevent to know how to use gears in 5 to 10 years time?

Very much depends on where the offspring find themselves in 5 or 10 years' time, and whether or not they're the "adventurous" type.

My niece has just done the "automatic only" lessons and test because it's the future, and knowing how much of a "city girl" she is, I can see the logic. But immediately, she's become the only one of all the cousins who cannot visit me, out in the sticks, and take advantage of the spare car - if she wants to be independently mobile, she'll have to rent an automatic herself.

Similarly, there's no point in me recommending the tiny independent self-drive safari company that did me a really great deal, because they only have old-tech manual transmission vehicles ; she'll have to go with one of the cartel companies, or get herself driven around like a regular tourist (which is probably what she'd do anyway … )

And again, there are many people and organisations I work with or have on/off dealings with. If ever a vehicle is made available to me, it's always the cheap, old, manual spare that was got for that very purpose because it was cheap and old. I would think that "I can't drive that, it'a a manual" would be a terrible handicap.

Worrying about the stick shift later on will be a pain if they pass in an auto because they will have to do an entire new test to get a manual license.

Another possible reason to learn in a manual car:

As far as I know (please someone correct if I'm wrong), if they ever go on to get a truck or bus licence in the future, even if they pass the truck/bus test in an automatic vehicle (which most of them are), the fact that they have a manual car licence then covers them for manual truck/bus

Even for insurance a small engine auto is probably the best starter car option.

Good question! I don't know but I do know from experience as a dad that not having to deal with the clutch and gears makes it easier for the kids to focus on the other things needed to pass.

Agreed!

MODS Please Delete; I was trying to reply to a reply, seems not to work

Absolutely. Best learn in a manual for many reasons. You can then drive what you want, as opposed to doing it in auto.

Its worth the effort to get a manual licence, specially if traveling and getting manual cars in other countries for holidays or work.

Advantages of knowing how to drive a manual car:

Travelling - You might never know what cars are available to hire, or borrow, or in a different culture.

Emergency - The only sober one, accident, rush to hospital - Any number of situations you might have only one option.

Classics - I'm a classic car guy, I take great delight in being able to hop into any vehicle I come across without worry.

Vans/Trucks - I'm a driver, the truck I was driving today was an auto, tomorrow will be a split manual, Saturday will be whatever is loaded and available. Most people end up behind the wheel of a van at some point in their lives, even if they don't want to do so regularly.

Being adaptable and capable will always beat being restricted and limited if you can make that choice.

There have been personal vehicles since Roman times. The horseless carriage (car) was a successor to the horse-drawn carriage which was a successor to the horse-drawn cart and the chariot.

The Great North Road between London and Edinburgh was originally a medieval coaching route.

Where is the vast network of public transport, outside of Dublin, that will render personal vehicles totally redundant in this country? It's just not happening anytime soon, if ever.