Posted on 01/17/2014 5:58:35 AM PST by JoeProBono
SPRINGFIELD, Mass., Three men who attempted to steal a Massachusetts delivery driver's car found their getaway impeded by the manual transmission, police said.
Springfield police said the driver was stopped to drop off an order around 10:15 p.m. Tuesday when he was approached by three men, one of whom was armed with a knife, the Republican, Springfield, reported Thursday.
Sgt. John Delaney said the robbers took the food intended for the delivery and the driver's car keys.
"The trio jumped into his car and attempted to steal it, but not one of them knew how to drive a stick-shift car," he said.
Delaney said the men argued for a short time before fleeing on foot with the food.
Dolts.
CC
Ha! Ha!
I never really thought of having a manual as an anti-theft device, but I guess these days it is.
My family has a tradition of driving manuals — although my daughter, who drove a manual all through college, has yet to teach her husband to drive a stick. But it’s increasingly a skill confined to gearheads. Of my younger son’s large cohort of friends and associates, only one, who definitely qualifies as a gearhead, besides my son could drive a manual.
That shift pattern works unless it is 3 speed - in which case upper left is REVERSE!
(I learned from personal experience! LOL)
None of the big three even offer a manual in their ton and a half trucks. Only autos, what a crock.
I read recently that a manual transmission is the best anti-theft device you can have. I had my oil changed at a JiffyLube a while back. No one there could drive my vehicle (370Z) in or out of the bay. Had to do it myself, a violation of their safty rules.
My other half doesn’t have a clue how to drive a stick. But it’s nice to know she’ll never wreck my S10.
We have five drivers and five cars. The only car that is not a stick is my 2004 Yukon which does not have a third row seat and is just old enough that a thief might think it is not worth the effort.
My ‘97 Ranger had manual transmission. I miss it. My wife does drive stick (much), so my next car probably won’t either.
What the hell is MIT?
Fixed.
I don’t have to worry about my 5 speed getting ripped off. I’m wearing an air cast boot on my left foot. I’ve gotten pretty good at shifting without the clutch.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
CC
I had one with cruise control. I grabbed something on the passenger seat and somehow knocked the stick out of 5th. The RPMs started climbing, and I managed to hit the clutch before it went too high.
I love my manual transmission car and would definitely go for a manual transmission on my next vehicle. My kids however learned to drive with automatic transmissions and it was quite a project to teach my adult son how to drive a stick shift. My daughter just doesn’t have much mechanical sense and I have warned her husband not to even attempt to teach her to drive a stick shift.
I have two biological anti-theft devices for may car. The older one, who’s half pit and half black lab, weighs 85 lb. and the younger one is a 110 lb. Great Dane. Nobody’s tried to break into my Navigator while they’ve been there.
We taught our daughter how to drive in a manual then that’s what she drove for years. Recently she was telling me that none of her friends know how to drive one and laughed.
One the cretins there was going into his spiel
offering a transmission flush for $99
I told him “Idiot -its a manual tranmission.....”
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.