I can feel myself improving.<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n
I believe that once I get better at driving a manual, I’ll truly experience the full joy of it, but I haven’t reached that level yet.<\/p>\n
Still, the process of “gradually becoming able to drive a manual when I couldn’t at all before<\/strong>” is incredibly fun.<\/p>\n At first, I was so cautious with the clutch that I started off painfully slow, and I even got overtaken by an old man driving a Lexus LS. But recently, I’ve learned “where the clutch engages<\/strong>,” so I can start smoothly now.<\/p>\n Also, I used to feel quite a jolt when shifting gears and thought, “I’m so bad at this, the ride is rough<\/strong>,” but by consciously engaging the clutch gently, I’ve been able to shift without any shock lately.<\/p>\n Moreover, even my husband says, “This is a tough spot<\/strong>” about the hill near our home. At first, I often stalled when turning right there, but now I can sense how much to release the clutch and how much to press the accelerator to get through smoothly.<\/p>\n Each day, I improve a little more than the day before, and this process of overcoming what I couldn’t do yesterday feels like real personal growth<\/strong>, which makes me happy.<\/p>\n Thinking about it, I suddenly realized this feeling is a lot like playing Dragon Quest. (I sure like to compare things to Dragon Quest, huh? lol)<\/span><\/p>\n In Dragon Quest III, at first, I\u2019d get beaten even by slimes and had to restart at the church over and over. With low max HP and MP, I\u2019d fight a little, then immediately stay at the inn.<\/p>\n In that situation, I kept grinding levels in Alefgard until I could cross the bridge to the next village.<\/p>\n Before I knew it, I could easily defeat the “One-Horned Rabbit,” so I thought, “Maybe I can beat the boss too!?<\/strong>” Nervously, I challenged the cave boss (Porsche), but ran out of MP and healing herbs, got wiped out, and had to start over at the church.<\/p>\n It\u2019s like saying, “I\u2019ll level up more and next time I\u2019ll take on the boss (Porsche) fully prepared!<\/strong>”<\/p>\n As you get stronger, you can explore new continents, meet various companions, and equip better weapons\u2014the world keeps expanding.<\/p>\n Yes, the path to mastering manual driving is just like Dragon Quest.<\/p>\n The only difference is that no matter how much experience you gain practicing MT, you never earn any money… in fact, you probably spend more (lol).<\/p>\n On the other hand, automatic transmission (AT) cars feel like you start with a flying carpet, easily crossing mountains and seas to expand your world.<\/p>\n …For those who\u2019ve never played Dragon Quest, I\u2019m sorry if this makes no sense at all (-_-)<\/p>\n My husband often says, “For me, driving is a sport itself<\/strong>,” and I guess manual cars especially give that kind of feeling.<\/p>\n The other day, I told him, “It might be a bit early to say, but if I ever buy another car, I think I\u2019ll only buy a manual.”<\/p>\n He looked at me wide-eyed and said,<\/p>\n What?! What\u2019s gotten into you?! (\uff1b\uff9f\u0414\uff9f))<\/p>\n Honestly, I\u2019m the one most surprised by what I just said lol.<\/p>\n That said, it\u2019s not that I dislike automatics\u2014both AT and MT cars have their own advantages<\/strong>.<\/p>\n On Japanese roads, where you often drive on highways or get stuck in traffic jams, automatics are easier and less tiring.<\/p>\n Especially with cruise control, driving feels almost like autonomous driving. So even if you\u2019re not confident, you can drive safely and enjoyably, exploring many places.<\/p>\n If only manual cars existed, I probably would have given up driving early on and become a complete non-driver by now.<\/p>\n On the other hand, manuals can be a hassle in traffic jams with all the stop-and-go, and their fuel efficiency might be worse than automatics, but the feeling of controlling the car yourself is incredibly fun.<\/p>\n Also, with manuals, the same car can feel completely different depending on the driver, which is part of the appeal.<\/p>\n Both automatics and manuals have their own unique charms.<\/p>\n Wow, cars really are deep. I\u2019m reminded again how much I want to learn more, feel more, and deepen my connection with cars.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Driving a Manual Is Fun I’ve started to really enjoy driving a manual transmission (MT) car. At first, it felt like I had to force myself to drive every day for practice, but lately, I’ve found myself driving for no particular reason at all. I used to say, “There’s no way I can drive a manual,” but now, why do I find driving an MT car so enjoyable? I think it’s because I can feel...","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":11683,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_locale":"en_US","_original_post":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/?p=11656"},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/AB13BB22-D49A-4FB0-AD7C-44E63CF7ECA0-800x533.jpeg\")
<\/p>\nLearning Manual Is Like Playing Dragon Quest<\/h3>\n
Both Manual and Automatic Have Their Merits<\/h3>\n