[Bengalman]

I cant practice im renting the truck from the testing site

[Bengalman]

I just need to know do you just put it in drive like a car I need to know what to expect

[Uturn2001]

Originally Posted by Bengalman

I just need to know do you just put it in drive like a car I need to know what to expect

Pretty much. It may have a clutch but the only time you will need to use it is when you are at or coming to a complete stop.

Auto shift transmissions in trucks have Reverse, Nuetral, Drive, Hold, and sometimes Low settings on them.

You park the truck in Nuetral. The only time you use low is if you need to start in 1st gear and/or stay in 1st gear for a while.

Hold does just as it says. It keeps the transmission in what ever gear it is in and will not shift until you either return it to Drive or shift it manually.

[bigpapa7272]

correct me if im worng, in MD if you use an automatic for your test they just deduct 2 points off when you start. but you can get a license that unrestricted

[Fozzy]

Originally Posted by fuelman

Hopefully we can agree that it takes more awareness to drive a stick.

We agree for the wrong reason, it does take more awareness to drive a standard transmission. Having awareness in one area automatically takes awareness away in other areas. The Automatics are safer for everyone in most areas.. It's common sense. If you have to take even the slightest attention away from one task to do the other, usually one or both suffer to some degree.

I agree in principle with the standard transmission endorsement, but I would make it a graduated thing based on time, after a year of being in a truck or having a license, the restriction ought to go away. Unless we are ready to put endorsements for every type of transmission for all levels of driving then it's just silly.