I have never driven stick shift before. I’m sort of regretting not learning when my mom offered when I was a teenager.

Although you can rent an automatic car, they cost about twice as much. I decided I needed to learn to drive a manual car.

First I tried to rent a manual transmission back home but there weren’t any in the area. The closest was Chicago and they were luxury cars. So the new plan was for my mom to teach me on a rental during our time in Strasbourg.

Well last night we went to pick up our car and the rental guy said he had substituted an automatic for us. “It’s easier and it no cost extra!”. Unfortunately, we weren’t looking for easier. Then he said he didn’t have a manual available. My mom strong-armed him into finding us a manual and away we went. Well not quite.

Luckily, he left us alone with the car on the top of a parking garage. After stalling about 30 times, I finally got it and was driving around, stopping and starting like a pro on the top level of the structure. I got us down from the structure too! And I did pretty well on the streets, even learning to shift up to second. I did stall at lights a few times, especially when I felt pressure because someone was behind me. Also, navigating tons of one way streets in a town we are only mildly familiar with was difficult. We went around in circles a bunch. I don’t think we broke any traffic laws but the signage is different here so that’s something to contend with as well. Finally after going around and around the city we were almost back to the parking garage by our apartment. There was a small hill we needed to go up (from a stop) first. I tried and the engine cut. Tried again, got a few feet and it died again. The smell of burning rubber filled the car. Finally got up it the hill and now we were on a flat stretch when it killed again. That’s when we realized I had in second gear, not first. Oops. Now I was pretty frazzled. We arrived at the parking garage and needed to go up to the 6th floor. My knees were shaking like crazy after the 2nd gear incident so my mom took over and got us in our parking spot in the structure.

After that I barely slept last night worried I already ruined the transmission and I was never going to figure it out.

Well, when you fall off your horse, you get back on again. So today I drove us around all day. I drove on the highway, in the city, and in heavy stop and go traffic. The engine only killed a few times. My gear shifts need some finesse but I can do it. I am so thankful for my mom who encouraged me and stayed calm (on the outside at least).

I obviously don’t have any pictures since we were both white knuckling (and using Google maps on my phone) so instead, here is a picture of the barricades that are up everywhere to stop drivers from driving on the sidewalk. Even with the barricades that seem to be almost everywhere, some drivers still come up on the sidewalks.