Stick shift lessons are generally not as difficult as most people make them out to be. The preparation is very minimal. The skill itself isn’t hard to grasp, it just takes time and repetition to develop finesse. The first most important part when it comes to stick shift lessons is the location.

Key points

• Avoid learning in parking lots or completely empty streets
• Start in an area with wide roads and light traffic
• Make sure there are streets where speeding up is acceptable
• Pick out an area that is mostly flat, but has a range of hills not too far by
• Make sure there are a lot of stop signs/lights around the area

Stick Shift Lessons

A lot of people want to start out in parking lots. People who are taking stick shift lessons already know the rules of the road and have general driving experience. The only way to really learn is to be put in a situation as realistic to actual driving conditions as possible. Taking away traffic or road rules is unrealistic! Look for wide, flat streets. Find an area that has hills and traffic signals close by. Hills are very important.

Make sure you’re comfortable in the place you’ve chosen. There are times when you’ll need to shift through the gears and practice down shifting. Have a long strip of road around for just that purpose. Progression should be made quickly. From starting to starting on hill, then downshifting and so on.


Stick shift lessons shouldn’t be done in very busy places. Even if it’s realistic, that’s an extreme. The idea is to keep yourself on your toes, not completely petrify you! You still need time to focus on what you’re doing, but still have the sensation of every day driving. Streets with cars parked on the is preferred because it makes learning parallel parking easier. Set the stages for your stick shift lessons and the rest will take care of itself!