History Main / DrivingStick

** In one episode, Mordecai and Rigby barrow Pops' car. Pops asks if Mordecai knows how to drive stick, which he does. Mordecai does ask what the ''second stick shift'' is for.[[note]]Some cars actually ''do'' have two "stick shifts", the second one usually being a much simpler forward or back pattern and controlling either 4WD versus 2WD or "overdrive" vs. "normal". They're usually labelled pretty clearly, though.[[/note]] Pops' reply was a clear example of GettingCrapPastTheRadar.

Perhaps the American tourist is picking up their European rental car at the airport, or perhaps the main character needs to park the [[TheAllegedCar old banger]] or the superpowered CoolCar. Either way, they'll take a look inside at the manual gearbox and then exclaim in horror "I can't drive stick!" - and then proceed to anyway. Usually used as an excuse to then laugh at some terrible driving (crunching gears and noisy, lurching stalls are a must) or as the setup for a "MyCarHatesMe", although it can also be used to provide justification for allowing one character to drive over another, more sensible choice (e.g., if you need TheDitz to come along for the road trip).

* In the Season 6 finale of 'Series/{{Mad Men}}'', Pete loses the coveted Chevrolet account (and accordingly the chance to run SCP's Detroit office) because he can't drive stick, and wipes out a Chevy showroom.

* Not strictly driving-related, but one of the Blog/ThingsMrWelchIsNoLongerAllowedToDoInAnRPG involved "trying to combine the best features of automatic weapons and manual transmissions." [[NoodleIncident No, we don't know how that came about either.]]

* BumperSticker: "Stay well back – I'm new at this stick shift stuff"

* The climax of the Creator/JackieChan film ''The Accidental Spy'' has a tanker that has to be kept above a certain speed in order to stop it from exploding. Jackie Chan's character offers to take over from the driver, but changes his mind when the driver tries to explain the tanker's complex gear system.
* In ''Film/TheSpyWhoDumpedMe''two American young women in Europe try to carjack a Jaguar, but have to abandon it after it turns out neither can drive stick.[[/folder]]

[[/folder]]

* Arianna of ''LightNovel/{{Campione}}'' made her first introduction driving a car with manual transmission. She didn't actually understand why the car had an extra pedal and compensated for not shifting gears by flooring the accelerator. She managed 80 kilometers per hour on a congested road in ''first gear''. This part was mostly ignored in the anime version, however[[note]]she ''does'' shift from reverse to first gear, but that seems to be [[OffModel more the fault of the animators]] than anything[[/note]].

For the most part this is a [[{{Eagleland}} US-only]] trope, as automatic transmissions are very widespread in the US and Canada, but aren't as popular elsewhere[[note]]Manual transmissions tend to be more fuel-efficient, cars are generally smaller where a manual transmission is better suited to extract power from less powerful engines, and gasoline is ''way'' more expensive in other countries than in North America. Even with automatics becoming more fuel-efficient, they're still more expensive to buy and maintain. In Latin America, even though automatic transmissions are more widespread than in the rest of the world, manual transmission is still considered the "good" transmission, and it is socially unacceptable to not be able to drive a manual transmission car.[[/note]] Another reason for it being uncommon in European shows is that most countries require a different class of license to drive a manual - if you take your test on an automatic, that's all you'll be legally driving. This system is also used in Japan, even though automatics are even more dominant there than in North America. In many other countries around the globe, the law even states that driver's education ''must'' be given on a manual transmission car. It should be also noted that people accustomed to a manual transmission can [[DamnYouMuscleMemory still have a hard time getting used to a car with a different gear layout]], especially with the reverse that may or may not require pushing the lever down or rising a retainer ring up before shifting.

For the most part this is a [[{{Eagleland}} US-only]] trope, as automatic transmissions are very widespread in the US and Canada, but aren't as popular elsewhere[[note]]manual transmissions tend to be more fuel-efficient, cars are generally smaller where a manual transmission is better suited to extract power from less powerful engines, and gasoline is ''way'' more expensive in other countries than in North America. Even with automatics becoming more fuel-efficient, they're still more expensive to buy and maintain. In Latin America, even though automatic transmissions are more widespread than in the rest of the world, manual transmission is still considered the "good" transmission, and it is socially unacceptable to not be able to drive a manual transmission car[[/note]]. Another reason for it being uncommon in European shows is that most countries require a different class of license to drive a manual - if you take your test on an automatic, that's all you'll be legally driving. This system is also used in Japan, even though automatics are even more dominant there than in North America. In many other countries around the globe, the law even states that driver's education ''must'' be given on a manual transmission car. It should be also noted that people accustomed to a manual transmission can [[DamnYouMuscleMemory still have a hard time getting used to a car with a different gear layout]], especially with the reverse that may or may not require pushing the lever down or rising a retainer ring up before shifting.

** In a similar comiotragic event, attendees of a 2008 Jeep enthusiast's club meeting in Maryland emerged to find that ''every one of their cars had been stolen except for the ones with manual transmissions''.

** {{Inverted|Trope}} in Brazil, in at least [[http://g1.globo.com/pr/parana/bom-dia-pr/videos/v/bandido-trapalhao-causa-acidente-por-nao-saber-dirigir-carro-com-cambio-automatico/2495408/ three]] [[http://piranot.xpg.uol.com.br/2015/06/28/noticias/brasil-noticias/estado-brasil-noticias/sao-paulo-brasil-noticias/localidade/piracicaba-e-regiao/piracicaba/ladrao-bate-carro-desiste-de-assalto-e-foge/ known]] [[http://g1.globo.com/sao-paulo/sao-jose-do-rio-preto-aracatuba/noticia/2016/06/ladrao-abandona-carro-automatico-apos-roubo-por-nao-saber-dirigir.html cases]]. Justified in that manual transmission is ubiquitous in the country, and automatic shift is not covered in driving school at all.

* Even as late as the 1970s many cars (and pretty much everything with a three-speed transmission) lacked synchronizers on first gear on the assumption that one would only use first to start out from a dead stop. It can come as a surprise for the unwary modern driver taking a classic for a spin.

* One thing to really watch out for is "[[FanNickname The Money Shift]]"; If you take your manual car racing, this can happen with poor shifting technique, by attempting to shift from third-gear to fourth, only to hit second-gear instead sending the [[ExplosiveOverclocking engine well past the red-line]]. This usually results in a severe engine failure, due to damage such as pistons crashing into the valves, and/or engine bearings being grossly over-loaded. It's called the "money shift" due to how expensive this mistake can be. This can also cause the driven wheels to lock. Anti-lock brake systems do not help in this case - it's not the brakes, but the engine which is braking the car. A car can easily spin out of control that way. A motorcycle will react even more unpleasantly. Back-handed shifting from third to fourth can greatly reduce the risk of this costly error.\\

For similar reasons, driving instructors in Germany will almost always insist on shifts from third up straight into fifth if the speed is sufficient (i.e. being on the Autobahn and already over [=100km/h=]). Apparently this so common that car mechanics can identify a driver's behaviour solely based on the wear-and-tear on the gears.
* Most Soviet cars had gears arranged typically. Except Zaporozhets, whose models had trunks swapped with hood and gears positions flipped upside-down. There's a [[UrbanLegend supposedly true story]] about thieves stealing a 15-years old run-down Zaporozhets in Lvov, Ukraine, around the year 2000. The sound of engine kept attracting police, the engine kept stalling and the car kept jumping in random directions. The thieves used 2nd gear instead of 1st and 3rd instead of reverse. Because of their hilarious driving and since the car [[TheAllegedCar cost its owner around a mere $50 in damages]] the thieves became the laughing stock and the car got nicknamed "Challenger".

* ''Disney/WreckItRalph'': The racing karts in ''Sugar Rush'' are stick-shift. As a result, Vanellope has a bit of trouble at first when doing practice runs with Ralph on a custom track in Diet Cola Mountain.

* In ''Series/TheWalkingDead'' Daryl is shown grinding gears trying to drive a manual transmission light truck. Daryl is a 40-year-old backwoods Georgia biker who can build his own motorcycle, so you'd think he could drive stick. [[/folder]]

[[folder:Pinballs]]
* ''The Getaway: Pinball/HighSpeed II'' uses a shifter with "shift up" and "shift down" positions in place of a traditional pinball plunger, both to launch the ball and to change gears. The latter is done by building up the RPM gauge. Among other things, you need to reach 5th gear in order to have a shot at [[WizardMode Red Line Mania]].

* Arianna of ''LightNovel/{{Campione}}'' made her first introduction driving a car with manual transmission. She didn't actually understand why the car had an extra pedal and compensated for not shifting gears by flooring the accelerator. She managed 80 kilometers per hour on a congested road in ''first gear''. This part was mostly ignored in the anime version, however[[note]]she ''does'' shift from reverse to first gear, but that seems to be [[OffModel more the animators fault]] than anything[[/note]].

--->''Pops:''' Carmanita's special parts should only be manipulated by a professional.

* In ''Series/TheWalkingDead'' Daryl is shown grinding gears driving a manual transmission in a light truck. Daryl is a bad-ass backwoods Georgia biker who can build his own motorcycle, so you'd think he could drive stick. [[/folder]]

[[folder:Pinballs]]
* ''The Getaway: Pinball/HighSpeed II'' uses a shifter with "shift up" and "shift down" positions in place of a traditional pinball plunger, both to launch the ball and to change gears. The latter is done by building up the RPM gauge. Among other things, you need to reach 5th gear in order to have a shot at [[WizardMode Red Line Mania]].
[[/folder]]

For the most part this is a [[{{Eagleland}} US-only]] trope, as automatic transmissions are very widespread in the US and Canada, but aren't as popular elsewhere[[note]]manual transmissions tend to be more fuel-efficient, cars are generally smaller where a manual transmission is better suited to extract power from less powerful engines, and gasoline is ''way'' more expensive in other countries than in North America. Even with automatics becoming more fuel-efficient, they're still more expensive to buy and maintain. In Latin America, even though automatic transmissions are more widespread than in the rest of the world, manual transmission is still considered the "good" transmission, and it is socially inacceptable to not be able to drive a manual transmission car[[/note]]. Another reason for it being uncommon in European shows is that most countries require a different class of license to drive a manual - if you take your test on an automatic, that's all you'll be legally driving. This system is also used in Japan, even though automatics are even more dominant there than in North America. In many other countries around the globe, the law even states that driver's education ''must'' be given on a manual transmission car. It should be also noted that people accustomed to a manual transmission can [[DamnYouMuscleMemory still have a hard time getting used to a car with a different gear layout]], especially with the reverse that may or may not require pushing the lever down or rising a retainer ring up before shifting.

* ''VideoGame/RigsOfRods'' zigzags this almost. Defaultly, the game is set for automatic, allowing a player to shift using Page Up or Page Down in a standard automatic pattern (R, N, D, 2 and 1 from top to bottom). Pressing Q will change the mode to a manual shift with an automatic clutch, using A to shift up and Z to shift down. The next is a manual clutch with sequential shift, using the Shift key to depress the clutch (even though the effect of pressing gas, brake and clutch using a keyboard is instant. Thankfully the game doesn't simulate engine, gearbox or clutch damage... yet). The last two is stick shift, designed for the Logitech G25/27 which they have a shift stick and clutch pedal. Finally, there is stick shift with ranges, designed when driving trucks in the game with more than 6 gears, allowing to switch up a range.
** This can result in oddness as you can drive manual in automatics and automatic in manuals (also, detailed cars will show the stick moving such as the Tatra T812 DAKAR and Gavril Bandit).

* One thing to really watch out for is "[[FanNickname The Money Shift]]"; If you take your manual car racing, this can happen with poor shifting technique, by attempting to shift from third-gear to fourth, only to hit second-gear instead sending the [[ExplosiveOverclocking engine well past the red-line]]. This usually results in a severe engine failure, due to damage such as pistons crashing into the valves, and/or engine bearings being grossly over-loaded. It's called the "money shift" due to how expensive this mistake can be. Back-handed shifting from third to fourth can greatly reduce the risk of this costly error.
** This can also cause the driven wheels to lock. Anti-lock brake systems do not help in this case - it's not the brakes, but the engine which is braking the car. A car can easily spin out of control that way. A motorcycle will react even more unpleasantly.
** For similar reasons, in Germany driving instructors will almost always insist that shifts from third up go straight into fifth if the speed is sufficient (i.e. being on the Autobahn and already over [=100km/h=]). Apparently this so common that car mechanics can identify a driver's behaviour solely based on the wear-and-tear done to the gears.

* ''Videogame/EuroTruckSimulator'' ups the ante by featuring {{Big Badass Rig}}s with ''twelve'' speed gearboxes mated to engines that barely rev to 2500 RPM and can't get past 25kph until they're in 6th gear. Driving with the manual transmission option on an H-pattern shifter necessitates either a ''second'' shifter for gears 7-12 or a button to flip the single shifter between 1-6 and 7-12. The [[GameMod multiplayer mod]] allows experienced drivers to laugh (or curse) at greenhorns who are struggling to find the right gear for going up a hill while carrying a load. Driving stick allows truckers to find the [[HardModePerks perfect gear for slopes, shift in anticipation of road conditions, and engine brake]].

For the most part this is a [[{{Eagleland}} US-only]] trope, as automatic transmissions are very widespread in the US and Canada, but aren't as popular elsewhere[[note]]manual transmissions tend to be more fuel-efficient, cars are generally smaller where a manual transmission is better suited to extract power from less powerful engines, and gasoline is ''way'' more expensive in other countries than in North America. Even with automatics becoming more fuel-efficient, they're still more expensive to buy and maintain. In Latin America, even though automatic transmissions are more widespread than in the rest of the world, manual transmission is still considered the "good" transmission, and it is not socially acceptable to not be able to drive a manual transmission car.[[/note]]. Another reason for it being uncommon in European shows is that most countries require a different class of license to drive a manual - if you take your test on an automatic, that's all you'll be legally driving. This system is also used in Japan, even though automatics are even more dominant there than in North America. In many other countries around the globe, the law even states that driver's education ''must'' be given on a manual transmission car. It should be also noted that people accustomed to a manual transmission can [[DamnYouMuscleMemory still have a hard time getting used to a car with a different gear layout]], especially with the reverse that may or may not require pushing the lever down or rising a retainer ring up before shifting.

For the most part this is a [[{{Eagleland}} US-only]] trope, as automatic transmissions are very widespread in the North American continent, but aren't as popular in Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, South Asia, or the Far East[[note]]manual transmissions tend to be more fuel-efficient, cars are generally smaller where a manual transmission is better suited to extract power from less powerful engines, and gasoline is ''way'' more expensive in other countries than in North America. Even with automatics becoming more fuel-efficient, they're still more expensive to buy and maintain[[/note]]. Another reason for it being uncommon in European shows is that most countries require a different class of license to drive a manual - if you take your test on an automatic, that's all you'll be legally driving. This system is also used in Japan, even though automatics are even more dominant there than in North America. In many other countries around the globe, the law even states that driver's education ''must'' be given on a manual transmission car. It should be also noted that people accustomed to a manual transmission can [[DamnYouMuscleMemory still have a hard time getting used to a car with a different gear layout]], especially with the reverse that may or may not require pushing the lever down or rising a retainer ring up before shifting.

Also tends to show up in any situation involving commercial vehicles above 25 tons, as heavy trucks are typically running nine to eighteen gears, sometimes without synchromesh even today.

* In a [[DuelingGames similar vein]], the ''Manga/InitialD Arcade Stage'' arcade games have options for both automatic and manual transmissions, although the ''Initial D'' cabinets use an up-down slap shifter instead of a full stick. In both cases, players may find themselves [[DamnYouMuscleMemory reaching with the wrong hand]] as the import-only and export arcade cabinets will often have the shifter on different sides compared to an actual (local market) car.

* Inverted in ''Machinima/RedVsBlue'': when [[TheDitz Caboose]] is asked if he can drive, he replies that he can only drive stick, not automatic. Washington starts to ask how that even makes sense, before deciding to just roll with it because they're in a hurry.
[[note]]Some drivers who "grew up" on the stick are extremely irritated by the automatic shifting patterns and the fact that they cannot control it. It could even made driving on automatic by all intents impossible for them. To say nothing of [[DamnYouMuscleMemory accidental left-foot braking.]][[/note]]

* In the ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' episode "Phases" you can see the stage hands pushing Giles' Citroen when he and Buffy arrive at the Bronze, because the actor, Anthony Stewart Head, couldn't master the unusual gear-changing system fitted to that kind of classic Citroen.

[[folder: Advertising ]]

[[folder: Anime ]]

[[folder: Comic Books ]]
* ''ComicStrip/KnightsOfTheDinnerTable'': Weird Pete discovers that Gordo can't drive stick during a road trip to [=GaryCon=] when he wakes up to to find Gordo is still driving in first gear. By the end of the trip, Gordo has mastered driving stick (with the aid of Squirrely) and is ecstatic.

[[folder: Film ]]

** Truman tries to leave his 'hometown' by taking a bus to Chicago. But of course, as his hometown is located in a giant studio (a fact that is kept hidden from him), the bus is operated by a walk-on, and cannot drive anywhere. To cover up this fault, the driver panics and grinds the gear instead of starting it, completely trashing the bus.

* ''Film/BatmanBegins'':
** The new Batmobile is manual transmission, and Batman makes a point of asking whether Jim Gordon can "drive stick" before letting him use it.
** It's actually controlled with a Throttle lever like that in a boat or plane. It's the same sort of joke, though.
* ''{{Film/RV}}'' has our main character trying to turn around a huge RV on his street. He manages to break the parking prawl during the gear grinding ordeal. Remember, this RV is a column shift ''automatic''. The RV rolling away on perfectly level roads becomes a RunningGag.
* ''Film/LittleMissSunshine'' - The manual transmission of the VW is given as the reason why the whole household needs to make the journey; the mother needs to look after her daughter, but can't drive a manual transmission, so her husband also needs to make the journey. Later, the clutch breaks down, necessitating the comedic rolling starts which appear throughout the film.
* In ''{{Film/Dogma}}'', not only does Jay not know how to drive stick, but he doesn't even understand what it is. This leads to:
-->(while Jay is driving Bethany's car about 65 MPH in ''first gear'')\\

(cut to the car with its hood open, copious amounts of steam and smoke billowing out)\\

* In ''{{Film/Buffalo 66}}'', Billy comandeers Layla's vehicle, but needs her to drive it. With disdain, he says he doesn't drive "shifter cars" because he drives fancy cars like Cadillacs, which "shift ''themselves.''" Of course, Billy is a pathological liar.

-->'''Sailor #1''': Where the hell is the clutch?!\\
'''Driver''': It's an automatic.\\
'''Sailor #1''': YOU'RE DRIVING!

* ''Disney/WreckItRalph'': The racing karts in ''Sugar Rush'' are stick-shift. As a result, Vanellope has a bit of trouble at first when doing practice runs with Ralph on a custom track in Diet Cola Mountain.

[[folder: Literature ]]

* In Creator/PiersAnthony's ''{{Literature/Killobyte}}'', a lack of ability to drive stick stymies one of the players of the virtual reality game when confronted with a Jeep.

* Creator/ViktorSuvorov wrote in one of his books how a man on television was given a Western and a Soviet tanks to drive, and stated that the Western is better because it has automatic transmission. Then Suvorov remarks it is very foolish of the driver not to understand the difficulties in wartime production and field repairs.
** Suvarov failed to understand that a properly designed heavy duty automatic is actually more "soldier proof" than a manual.

[[folder: Live Action TV ]]
* ''Series/{{Scrubs}}'' - J.D. accidentally destroys a parked car with a monster truck - he puts this down to the fact that "it's been a while since I drove shift!".

** Jeremy Clarkson to American [[strike: singer]] comedian Rich Hall (he's done some comedy singing before) before they showed the video of Hall driving the lap: "You can drive a stick shift car?" Rich Hall: "I can now"

** Lionel Ritchie, a notable exception who was doing well until [[spoiler:the driver side front wheel came away from the car at full speed]].
*** It happened on the first corner, so there wasn't much shifting going on yet. On his full run he drove nicely, but shifted messily, leading Jeremy to say, "apart from the gear changing, this is extremely good."

---> '''[[Series/DoctorWho Colin Baker (Sixth Doctor)]]:''' For an automatic, it was very noisy, I have to say that.\\

---> '''Tennant''': Third gear, come on! ''(grunts)''\\
'''Clarkson''': '''NO! FOURTH THROUGH THERE‼'''
*** David Soul (the American actor who played [[Series/StarskyAndHutch Hutch]]) broke ''two'' gearboxes because "the stick shift confused him" as Clarkson put it in [=S3E4=].

--> '''Ducky:''' Use the clutch. Good God man! USE the CLUTCH! ''(almost crying)'' You're stripping the gears!\\

* Season three of ''Series/IceRoadTruckers'' has two of the Canadian drivers from previous seasons come to Alaska to drive on the Dalton Ice Road. One of them has driven trucks most his life but the truck he is driving has an unfamiliar transmission setup and in the beginning he keeps shifting to the wrong gear. Considering they are driving over steep hills and along winding mountain roads covered in ice, shifting to the wrong gear could cause the truck to lose traction and go off the road. If that happens in the wrong spot, it can be deadly.

* ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000'' uses this in ''PodPeople''. A car is driving slowly and jerkily. Crow's comment is a disgruntled "You don't know how to drive a stick, do you?"

---> '''Amy''': It would've been like ''(makes screechy sounds)''\\
''[Jake groans.]''

[[folder: Machinima ]]
* ''Machinima/RedVsBlue'': Caboose can only drive stick, not automatic. It's easier to just go with it.
** Some drivers who "grew up" on the stick are extremely irritated by the automatic shifting patterns and the fact that they cannot control it. It could even made driving on automatic by all intents impossible for them. To say nothing of [[DamnYouMuscleMemory accidental left-foot braking.]]

[[folder: Pinball ]]
* ''The Getaway: Pinball/HighSpeed II'' uses a shifter with "shift up" and "shift down" positions in place of a traditional pinball plunger, both to launch the ball and to change gears. The latter is done by building up the RPM gauge. Among other things, you need to reach 5th gear in order to have a shot at [[WizardMode Red Line Mania]].

[[folder: Radio ]]
* ''Radio/OurMissBrooks'': In "Who's Going Where", Mr. Conklin insists on going to Crystal Lake and having Miss Brooks accompany him (and type out his reports while being a "guest" at his family cottage). Miss Brooks offers Mr. Conklin the use of his car. However, Mr. Conklin claims that he can't drive Miss Brooks' pre-World War II car, because of the unfamiliar gear shift system described above.
* ''Radio/CarTalk'' had Tom and Ray tell a story about how they'd just finished putting a new clutch in a car when an old friend came by for the day and asked to borrow a car. They lent her that car, but cringed when she said, "Oh, it's a stick...oh well! I can learn!" When she returned the car the same day, she told them, "You'd be so proud of me! I didn't stall out once!" And due to the fact that she never stalled out because she was constantly riding the clutch, the brand new clutch they put in lasted ''less than a day''.

[[folder: Tabletop Games ]]
* According to the 2nd edition rulebook for ''TabletopGame/VampireTheMasquerade'', anyone capable of driving stick should have 2 dots in driving as opposed to 1, which is the minimum to be able to drive cars with any skill at all. The implications that driving stick requires twice the skill of an automatic are, perhaps, best left untouched.
* Not strictly driving-related, but one of the Blog/ThingsMrWelchIsNoLongerAllowedToDoInAnRPG involved "trying to combine the best features of automatic weapons and manual transmissions." [[NoodleIncident No, we don't know how that came about either.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Video Games ]]

[[folder: Webcomics ]]
* Emily doesn't even know what that funny third pedal on Ash's car is in an early ''Webcomic/{{Misfile}}'' strip. She's a quick learner, though.

[[folder: Web Original ]]

* Ian of WebVideo/{{Smosh}} tries teaching his Smoshmate, Anthony. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UR89UpLlldE It goes about as well as you expect.]]
* Inverted in ''Machinima/RedVsBlue'': when [[TheDitz Caboose]] is asked if he can drive, he replies that he can only drive stick, not automatic. Washington starts to ask how that even makes sense, before deciding to just roll with it because they're in a hurry.

[[folder: Western Animation ]]
* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' - Homer murders the manual transmission of a truck in "Maximum Homerdrive".

* Happened in ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill'' during a flashback scene when Hank, Dale, and Bill are joyriding Boomhauer's car. Dale displays his inability to drive stick when it's his turn ("The left brake isn't working!") and causes the car to fall into the quarry. This is why the three help the environmentalists to protect the quarry from being drained; it would reveal Boomhauer's car and their lettermen jackets.

* In one episode of ''WesternAnimation/RegularShow'', Mordecai and Rigby barrow Pops' car. Pops asks if Mordecai knows how to drive stick, which he does. Mordecai does ask what the ''second stick shift'' was for. Pops' reply was a clear example of GettingCrapPastTheRadar.
-->"Carmanita's special parts should only be manipulated by a professional."
** Some cars actually ''do'' have two "stick shifts", the second one usually being a much simpler forward or back pattern and controlling either 4WD versus 2WD or "overdrive" vs. "normal". They're usually labelled pretty clearly, though.
** In "Benson Be Gone" Mordecai accidentally crashes Mr. Maellard's limo into the house and comments: "Remember when I said I can drive stick? Well, I'm a little rusty..."

[[folder: Real Life ]]

* Most Soviet cars had gears arranged like the on the left trope picture. Except Zaporozhets, whose models had trunks swapped with hood and gears positions flipped upside-down. There's a [[UrbanLegend supposedly true story]] about thieves stealing a 15-years old run-down Zaporozhets in Lvov, Ukraine, around the year 2000. The sound of engine kept attracting police, the engine kept stalling and the car kept jumping in random directions. The thieves used 2nd gear instead of 1st and 3rd instead of reverse. Because of their hilarious driving and since the car [[TheAllegedCar cost its owner around a mere $50 in damages]] the thieves became the laughing stock and the car got nicknamed "Challenger".