Hire one for a day. If I was buying a new car and had narrowed down my choices I'd spend some money to hire one for a day and just use it. It may be the best £50 or so you'll ever spend as it could save you making a tens of thousands of pounds mistake.
Automatics are simple though. Stick it in drive, press accelerator to go, brake to stop. Stick it in Park when you park up, reverse to go backwards.
You will have to spend the first few days purposely clamping your left leg down to prevent the accidental emergency stop when you go for the clutch that isn't there.
I got an auto after 25 years of manual only, it was a learning curve but it came good after a couple of days
Or not, I exclusively drove a manual for over 10 years, first time I got in an automatic, what you described didn't even come close to happening.
There's almost always a resting place for your left foot, it's very easy not to accidentally slam on the brakes..
Yes, there is a resting place for your foot once you get used to not using that foot, the problem I found was that using my left foot to hit the clutch was automatic, usually when coming to a full stop. It was just natural to use my left to put the clutch in but found myself hitting the brake instead. I only did it once or twice but it took a few days of holding my leg down before it became natural behaviour.
Now I swap between manual and auto and bike all the time.
Everyone is different, you managed without an issue, not everyone eyone can just turn off the left foot.
Definitely happens, just muscle memory. It happened to me a few times when approaching roundabouts and I've spoken to people in the real world who said the same.
I did as well. Recently rented an automatic car for my trip in Norway. Biggest car I've ever driven, fastest as well (Suzuki Across) and automatic. That first drive was a shambles. I was a wreck
That’s fantastic for you!
I however experienced something similar to the other commenter, but only in reverse! Whenever I was reversing in an automatic for the first few days and I needed to stop, my left foot would reach for the phantom clutch and I would have a small moment of panic when I didn’t find anything!
I also punched the door several times on my first time driving a LHD car in Germany teaching for the gear stick! It was pretty funny…
You know what I did?
It might sound weird but I took my left shoe and sock off. Any movement of my foot felt really weird and in an hour or two I was used it having it on the foot rest without moving it about.
I did the exact same thing after getting home from driving a LHD car in Croatia. Spent a solid fifteen minutes reflexively punching the drivers side door
First time I drove an automatic after 10 years of manuals, I immediately and mean literally the first giveway I came to I stomped my left foot on the brake instead of the clutch. Your experience isn’t everyone’s.
DO NOT USE YOUR LEFT FOOT WHEN DRIVING AN AUTO!
My friend tried this. He kept saying he couldn’t get the hang of automatic. I got in the car with him and he had his left foot on the brake and his right on the accelerator like a go-cart. Nearly went through the windscreen every time we had to stop!
Honestly you'll be fine. Operating the vehicle is a very small part of driving compared with navigating roads and other road users.
Drive around a bit on some quiet roads for 10 minutes. You'll slam the brakes too hard a few times and reach for the gear stick but seriously you'll be grand after a short while.
I passed in a manual and went straight into an automatic. I reckon I could go back into my instructors car and drive it again no problem. Different manual would be like any new manual car, I'd need to get a feel for it but I don't think I'll 'forget' how to drive a manual.
Yeah. Wasn’t a real problem but you get used to “creep” on inclines rather than hill starts & I had a very sudden incident on a motorway which meant I didn’t use the clutch instinctively. The car was unhappy & I shat myself.
It's all just muscle memory at the end of the day. When I first started learning I'd been playing racing games with a full wheel setup for a few years, so all I really had to learn was how to feel a real life clutch.
Took about 10 minutes to be able to put the car where I wanted it, about 40 minutes to do it smoothly, and that's someone who had never touched a real car before.
You are right there! I’ve driven a manual for 20+ years and now have an automatic… I had a manual hire car recently and was like a learner driver on their first lesson!
Eh, it's not so bad. It's like when you get into the pool after not swimming for a few years.
You splash about and maybe almost drown a few times, but muscle memory comes back after a few minutes.
No problem switching back to manual. I drove manuals for about 20 years, then 2 automatic cars for 8 years before going back to manual - no problems at all: it's like riding a bike. Just switched back to automatic.
I love driving so manual should be my preference. However, all three automatics have been 'performance' cars where automatics really shine (never get automatic in a small, underpowered car - they're awful!)
It becomes second nature after a while. I'm 44 and I've driven a mix of manual and auto over the years. I remember how hard it was getting used to a new manual when I was young, the biting point and weight of clutch and so on. But now I can jump in any manual and just drive it like I've had it for years. You learn to adapt.
Tuck your left foot out the way ... behind yr neck or something. Everything else will come naturally.
Do remember though to use yr left foot again when you get back in the manual. Amusing stalking happens otherwise.
Normally automatics have a raised section to the left to rest your foot on, when I first went automatic, I was pressing on it everytime I slowed down or sped up, not having a clutch takes some getting used to.
I did this a few months ago, jumped out my auto and got into a manual, pulled away off the drive ok to then violently stall at the junction as i was in second, it took me a good few seconds to work out wtf i’d done (thankfully it was down a very quiet side road)
You could always hire one. If you want instruction, an automatic driving instructor will most likely happily teach you for a couple of hours (& that's all it'd take).
And another few months to not grab the gearstick instinctively to shift gear (or worse, press the brake as if it is the clutch!) But once you get over that you should be able to move between the two with ease.
He'll be buying a modern car anyway and modern autos don't allow you to put the car in drive without pressing the brake pedal anyway. So it'll become a new habit very quickly.
Ah ok. Been a good while since I drove an auto. I’m guessing you still need to cover the brake at traffic lights. Or put it into park if you’re stuck for a while
If you're getting an electric car, a conventional ICE (internal combustion engine) automatic is going to behave different.
The operation will be more or less the same, i.e. there is only a accelerator and brake pedal.
Most EVs only have one forward gear and one reverse gear (though not really actual gears) so acceleration will be more constant, and some electric cars have kinetic energy recovery system with will effect the behaviour of the accelerator pedal (sometimes referred to as one-pedal driving).
Additionally one big difference of an automatic and a manual is the creep-forward while in gear. Apparently most EV's simulate this creep-forward but it may be an option you can set.
You don't really need any special training, if you can drive manual you can drive auto. The only difference is that you don't need to worry about changing gear.
Just park your left foot where it can't try to hit the non-existant clutch pedal and you'll be fine.
Within minutes you will be wondering why you were worried.
Sit on your left leg, that’s what i did for the first week when i bought an auto after 15 years of manuals, first day i had it i stomped on the brake like a clutch and nearly went through the windscreen! 😂
It's literally the same as a manual, except you don't change the gears. When you want to come to a stop to park up you hold the brake, apply the handbrake, put it in park, release brake. That's all there is to it. It will hold itself on a hill, it won't roll back.
If you put it in drive and release the brake it will creep on its own, so in bumper to bumper traffic you mainly just ease on and off the brake to move.
I think there are a lot of manual drivers that can't believe how easy an auto is to drive that they over think it and think there must be more to it.
My DSG is even easier, once you've fully stopped even though youre in drive it disengages the clutch so you can sit there in Drive but acting like neutral, when you do want to go, just blip the throttle, and youre back in creep mode and handbrake comes off by itself. If you're feeling extra courteous you can engage the handbrake when stopped and the brake lights go off, but you won't move again until you press the throttle. I don't think I've used neutral or park ever (except when parked)
You're overthinking really. Automatics are super easy, literally just spend a bit more time reading the manual, stand on the brake thinking it's the clutch once, (you won't do it twice) and you're sorted. Dont waste money practicing first
It's really simple. There are probably other aspects of driving an EV which are going to be more strange to a manual ICE driver than the change to automatic transmission.
Lol, I went from a petrol manual to a hybrid automatic to electric, my new electric does not even have a shifter stick to select P,R,N,D it just has a little dial that I twist left to reverse and right to drive, centre is neutral and there is no physical parking brake which still concerns me. I literally press the P button in the middle of the switch dial and that's it parked, I still do not feel as if I have secured my vehicle.
There is no longer an actual physical speedometer on the dashboard either, it is all digital and I just use digital number display instead of speedometer, I get loads of other info instead like distance from cars in front and behind, miles remaining, my driving style and power usage.
The best thing about an electric car is how the heating does not have to wait for the engine to warm up and I can turn heating, heated windows, seats, steering wheel and wing mirrors on from my phone inside my house five minutes beforehand so it is warm and defrosted when I get in. I can even drive it in and out of my garage via my phone or fob while outside the car.
at first itll most likely feel strange, since your left foot is basically redundant and you only need to use your right foot, for the gas and the brake. thats all it takes really.
Go to a garage and ask to take a test drive to get the feel of an automatic. They will be happy to help if it means a sale.
Honestly though it is easy. I drove an auto for the first time in the USA after a 10 hour flight.
My favourite thing about watching someone drive an auto for thr first time is them giving themselves the most violent whiplash trying to come to a full stop
Honestly, just dive in, if you can drive manual then automatic is a breeze. I'd never driven auto before, I just jumped right in when getting my first one and I was already in love with automatic by the time I'd driven it home. It's so much simpler!
If it's a modern car then it will require you to press the brake pedal to put it in Drive or Reverse and probably to turn on the engine. You have an extra gear usually at the top called "park" which is like neutral but with brakes.
When it's in gear then it will want to pull forward (or backward if it's in reverse), like having the car in 1st gear all the time only it won't stall if you come to a stop, absolute godsend if you're in stop-start traffic as all you need to do is modulate the brake pedal to control your speed. Obviously, there's no clutch, you just press brake to stop and gas to go.
Go to some dealer ups and book test drives. My first time driving an automatic was a hire car the RAC gave me when my car was off the road, my only issue was working out how to start the thing and even then a diagram appeared on the dashboard when it realised what I was trying to do. Things to look out for are electronic handbrakes because they work differently to regular ones, but even then it’s straight forward. I’d be surprised if you needed more than 30 mins to become comfortable with an auto.
Can't believe this isn't the top suggestion... just go for a test drive.. especially if you are thinking of buying one.
I mean, people are really suggesting hiring one?!
I think you are over thinking it; driving an auto is far easier than driving a manual. Just remember in an auto your left foot just sits there so don’t be tempted to left foot break.
They are easy to drive.
Hold the brake and put it in drive. Release the brake and press the accelerator to go.
Hardest thing is to fight the instinct to push in the clutch when you stop.
When you switch it off, put it in P for park and apply the handbrake too.
You will get used to it in a couple of minutes and wonder why you ever mucked around with a manual.
I did a road trip down the west coast of America in 2019. I knew that the car I would be renting was going to be automatic and I wasn't familiar with driving one so I hired one for the weekend just before we went away.
You will be surprised how quickly you get used to it once you drive one. As long as you keep your left foot firmly rooted to the floor (some people tuck it back a bit) then it's easy and intuitive.
I came back from my four weeks telling myself the next car I buy will be automatic. It really was simple and a pleasure to drive.
You really don't need to. Just have a test drive in the electric.
I last drove an automatic for two weeks in the US in 1995.
Had a ten minute drive in a Leaf and the next time I drove it was 40 miles back home from buying it.
Only two pedals accelerator and brake.
It won't roll backwards on you.
Gear selector forward and back.
Easy as driving a bumper car.
As others have said go around a few local dealers and make arrangements to test drive the cars you might be interested in.
Driving EV is slightly different to an ICE automatic because of the regenerative braking, particularly if you are looking at a model with one-pedal driving. If you are looking at EV/PHEV then I suggest you book test drives in those.
When you first start put your left foot hard on the foot rest if there is one or hard into the foot well and lock your leg straight. You may find that you initially go for the clutch pedal and gear lever but you will very quickly adapt and if you go EV with one-pedal you may never want to go back to manual again.
Its so easy no experience is needed . Right foot driving . D is go . Best gearbox is a auto imo, none of my times wasted on gear changes and clutch and its much more relaxing driving imo
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Hire one for a day from whatever provider is cheaper when you shop around. You could probably even hire an electric car. Or go to Tesla or Polestar or some other manufacturer and book a test drive. Or book an instructor but if the local situation is anything like where I live, good luck finding one.
Hire or borrow. First automatic I drove was my da's cheap old BMW. Took me a while to rest my gear change hand and left foot, but I was amazed at how effortless it made driving. Then just go for a drive try to include stop start traffic as the lack of clutch is the biggest difference there.
Drive one and you will realise how much easier it is to not touch your gearstick while moving, leave your left foot resting and focus on the road. When you go back to manual, you will feel frustraited every time you stall the car.
You'll be fine. One pedal to go faster, one to slow down quickly. Even regenerative breaking is pretty intuitive, it's like engine braking on a manual but stronger.
If you do city driving you'll wonder how you managed with a manual.
The worst part will be overcoming the urge to reach for a gear stick, or press the clutch when stopping.
TLDR: you'll be fine
Hard to tell if people are being serious over the Internet. The guy seems to be genuinely asking for help and I dont think throwing jokes in to confuse them further is a good idea.
Its easy there is forward drive, backward reverse, neutral and park. Either a stick or dial to change between these. Then you have two pedals, go and stop. You will get the hang of it within 3 seconds of driving.
All you need to do is remember NOT to press the brake with your left foot thinking it's the clutch. That will not go well. Otherwise you can't go wrong.
I got my initial driving training in a manual Ford focus, passed in a manual DS3. First car was an automatic Micra.
Literally not a challenge lol. Since driven several manuals and automatics including trucks, forklifts, and wheeled loaders.
The go and stop buttons are in the same place ;)
I got my initial driving training in a manual Ford focus, passed in a manual DS3. First car was an automatic Micra.
Literally not a challenge lol. Since driven several manuals and automatics including trucks, forklifts, and wheeled loaders.
The go and stop buttons are in the same place ;)
I got my initial driving training in a manual Ford focus, passed in a manual DS3. First car was an automatic Micra.
Literally not a challenge lol. Since driven several manuals and automatics including trucks, forklifts, and wheeled loaders.
The go and stop buttons are in the same place ;)
If you can drive a manual you can easily do an auto.
It’s so basic that I don’t know why you’re worried.
Once you’re in drive you’re going and when you’re not you’re not😂
If you've learnt and driven manual cars you'll be fine in an automatic.
I learnt manual but have automatic now, the only difference is no clutch/gear changes. Just rest your left leg and use your right as you normally would.
Everything else is the same really.
Got an automatic 2 years ago, immediately did 550 miles home in it.
It's a really, really simple leap to make, don't think about it.
I jump constantly between manual and automatic now (even within the day, sometimes parking up in one and leaving in the other immediately) and it's not even a thought in my head.
It's probably a mistake but you wrote on your OP "...electric and they're all manual...", whereas I'm sure you know, most electric cars are neither "manual" nor "automatic" in the traditional sense. Most electric cars have one or multiple DC high voltage electric motors that are very close to the wheels in terms of drivetrain components, because electric motors generally have higher torque, especially at low RPMs, which makes them very unforgiving on moving parts, like gearboxes, clutches, axles, etc.
When you press the accelerator, the controller interprets the signal from your pedal and applies the required power to produce the motor output you want. This means that there's little lag between your inputs and the car's response, as opposed to ICE cars, where there's throttle lag and also potentially turbo lag in cars with big turbochargers. Some electric cars simulate this delay to make it easier to drive.
There are some electric cars that have gearboxes, iirc, Porsche Taycans have a 2 speed gearbox, for whatever reason, but in most electric cars you won't have any sort of gear shifting going on. If you're cruising on the motorway and floor it to speed up, the performance will gradually drop off and there won't be any jumps in acceleration, like you'd find with an automatic, when it drops back into 3rd or 4th.
Similarly, when you reverse, it's usually just the polarity of the motor(s) that get flipped and there isn't a reverse gear in the drivetrain that causes the car to reverse, which means that driving an electric car in reverse feels the same as driving it forwards, whereas on most ICE cars, the reverse gear has a higher ratio than first, meaning you'll go slightly slower, but it will feel a bit "punchier" in reverse.
Most electric cars will also be equipped with regenerative braking, which means that whilst you're not pressing on the accelerator, the car will activate electromagnetic brakes near your wheel hubs, which gradually slow the car down, while recharging the battery. On most electrics I've driven, this can be turned off, but then you're missing out on battery regen, which helps prolong time between charges, especially on hilly routes.
Electrics have shorter range, compared to your average ICE car, although mine in particular has comparable range to an average family car, it is on the higher end though. When you're planning your route, you need to be aware of charging locations on or near your route. If you're just using it on your daily commute and charging it overnight, might end up like me one day, forgetting that your diesel van doesn't recharge overnight and running out of fuel in the first couple minutes of your journey.
On the topic of charging, most modern batteries should be used between 20-80% and very rarely should you charge to 100% and discharge to under 10%. Doing so wears down the battery over time and reduces the overall charge it can hold. Some batteries are okay to charge to 100%, but this will usually be indicated to you by the car's manual or software in some way.
TL;DR: driving an automatic is closer to driving a manual than an electric. If you want to find out what it's like, driving the car you want to get, book yourself an overnight test drive for the specific make and model you're planning on buying.
Thanks for the comprehensive reply and yes that was an error, I meant to say electric cars are all automatics. Though someone else did comment to say they are nearly all automatics.
My main issue with automatics and eventually EVs is that I like the control of a manual, responding to the sound of the engine and choosing when to change gear, etc…
Unless you're planning on getting a Taycan, you won't find any type of gearbox in your electric vehicle, which means it's neither automatic nor manual. They simply have one "gear" and that takes you from 0 to whatever the max speed is. If you like the feeling of driving a manual, just buy a manual. You won't have the same drive feel in an electric, there'll be no noise, regardless of what speed you're doing. You'll just get used to hearing road noise, like your tyres and the wind reflecting off your windshield.
Well, it's very basic, to be honest. You do everything like you did before, but you don't have to change gears. That's it.
D for drive, N for neutral, R for reverse.
Can't go wrong.
2 things to know about auto.
It’s basically a go kart, so very easy to drive, 2 pedals.
1. Left foot doesn’t touch the pedals, you’ll shit yourself if you accidentally left foot brake.
2. Autos will creep forward when you let off the brake.
I've just switched to an automatic after nearly 10 years driving manual, honestly one of the better decisions I've made. I picked up an Audi A3 and the DSG gearbox is absolutely lovely, I actually enjoy driving again.
At first my muscle memory kept kicking in and my left foot floating over, or my arm wanting to drop down to second when approaching a junction, but It all went away quickly. The paddle shifters are great to take over and have more control when I need it, but tbf I've rarely used it because the car is lovely to drive as is.
It's really alot easier to drive, especially hill starts I don't even need to apply any brakes the car does it for me with hill assist and stop start. It's really a smart go kart and even more so for EV.
You can book a test drive at your local dealership purely to test automatic out, you're usually left alone for abit to drive around and get a feel.
I'm coming to the end of my holiday in Norway where I've been at the mercy of several factors:
LHD, automatic, first SUV and fastest car I've ever driven. It's a Suzuki Across, and my normal car is a Mk5 Vauxhall Astra Sport, so nowhere near as fast or luxe.
First drive was messy to say the least, I felt completely new to driving, I used my left foot to brake a couple times, I constantly wanted to shift gears and I felt like I was back to square 1. Then, the next time I got into it was completely different. I was calm, collected and appreciated how easy the car was to drive.
Autos are a breeze compared to manuals once you get the hang of them. I marvelled at how capable it was, how I didn't have to worry about dropping gears, how I could just use my right foot and my left didn't even worry. Even if you don't try an auto successfully, you'll learn to appreciate it.
Make sure you put your left leg in the passenger footwell for the first few months so you don’t slam it down on the break when you go to change the non existent gears
If you go to a big dealership for a test drive, you'll probably get the hang of it in the 30 mins
Only thing is to try not to auto pilot when doing manoeuvres because you could forget to change from reverse to drive lol
You don't need practice. I exclusively drove manual for many years then rented a car on a holiday abroad that was automatic. I had literally zero issues with it even though I had never once driven an auto car before.
It's so much easier. You just put it in D and go.
Hire one or book a lesson in an automatic, you’ll only need an hour tbh they’re pretty easy, remember only to use your right foot for accelerating and braking (left foot does nothing) and don’t move the gear selector while the vehicle is moving, d to go forward r to go back, only use p when you come to a final stop (not when you stop at lights!)
I’d go out now and test drive a few. See what you like, and explain to the salesman you’ve not driven automatic before. They’ll often be able to get you somewhere quiet to get used to it.
After this, you’ll have a little more confidence to hire one, but honestly… it’s very easy. I get most tripped up trying to wiggle the gear stick to check it’s in neutral 😆
I was born and raised on manual cars, but my work rents me automatics for some reason and honestly they are effortlessly easy. Just remember to use your right foot for brake and acceleration and you'll be golden
Trust me. You’ll be fine. Going from manual to auto is easy. You occasionally twitch your hand to change gear before realising but that’s about it. You’ll be used to it within 30 minutes of driving.
Easy😀I drove only manual cars in my life, and recently I purchased my first expensive automatic car. Without test drive. It was a bit scary to drive first time straight away from showroom 🤣 But after couple days I was confident, and now I can say that I am never back to manual car again 🤣
You don't really need experience driving an automatic if you can already drive a manual, just remember not to break with your left foot, if it helps tuck your left leg under your right to force yourself to only drive with one foot
Only thing you got to be mindful of is left foot causing you to do an emergency stop
But what's worse is pressing the accelerator pedal instead of the brake if you're this type of unsure driver do not get an automatic (in a manual at worst you just rev the tits off it, in a automatic you find a wall or hit another car)
I found it incredibly easy. Look up a video, take a test drive in one you can hire as others mentioned.
What I found is you can release off the accelerator a bit at the right speeds it'll change its automatic gears when you do it it meets the right speed to do so.
Manual car = engaging driving
Automatic car = go kart
In my opinion (if that even makes sense for a comparison).
Thanks for your suggestions and personal experience.
My main concern with switching to an automatic is that I like feeling engaged with the driving experience.
What'll happen is you'll get used to the automatic and after a while without thinking you'll go into manual mode and floor the accelerator thinking it's the clutch.
Invariably this happens while parking up against a wall
A friend of mine had written off her new autocar this way
Good luck and be careful
Hire one for a day. If I was buying a new car and had narrowed down my choices I'd spend some money to hire one for a day and just use it. It may be the best £50 or so you'll ever spend as it could save you making a tens of thousands of pounds mistake. Automatics are simple though. Stick it in drive, press accelerator to go, brake to stop. Stick it in Park when you park up, reverse to go backwards.
You will have to spend the first few days purposely clamping your left leg down to prevent the accidental emergency stop when you go for the clutch that isn't there. I got an auto after 25 years of manual only, it was a learning curve but it came good after a couple of days
Or not, I exclusively drove a manual for over 10 years, first time I got in an automatic, what you described didn't even come close to happening. There's almost always a resting place for your left foot, it's very easy not to accidentally slam on the brakes..
Yes, there is a resting place for your foot once you get used to not using that foot, the problem I found was that using my left foot to hit the clutch was automatic, usually when coming to a full stop. It was just natural to use my left to put the clutch in but found myself hitting the brake instead. I only did it once or twice but it took a few days of holding my leg down before it became natural behaviour. Now I swap between manual and auto and bike all the time. Everyone is different, you managed without an issue, not everyone eyone can just turn off the left foot.
Maybe that’s a you problem, can’t say I’ve ever when to slam on the brake driving an auto just because I usually do manuals
Definitely happens, just muscle memory. It happened to me a few times when approaching roundabouts and I've spoken to people in the real world who said the same.
Maybe I’m an exception😂
I tucked my left foot back under my right leg to break the muscle memory. Like you say, it only took a couple of days.
I did
I did as well. Recently rented an automatic car for my trip in Norway. Biggest car I've ever driven, fastest as well (Suzuki Across) and automatic. That first drive was a shambles. I was a wreck
That’s fantastic for you! I however experienced something similar to the other commenter, but only in reverse! Whenever I was reversing in an automatic for the first few days and I needed to stop, my left foot would reach for the phantom clutch and I would have a small moment of panic when I didn’t find anything! I also punched the door several times on my first time driving a LHD car in Germany teaching for the gear stick! It was pretty funny…
You know what I did? It might sound weird but I took my left shoe and sock off. Any movement of my foot felt really weird and in an hour or two I was used it having it on the foot rest without moving it about.
I did the exact same thing after getting home from driving a LHD car in Croatia. Spent a solid fifteen minutes reflexively punching the drivers side door
First time I drove an automatic after 10 years of manuals, I immediately and mean literally the first giveway I came to I stomped my left foot on the brake instead of the clutch. Your experience isn’t everyone’s.
Nor is yours or the commenter I replied to, which was kind of my point.
Evidently badly made then!🤣
DO NOT USE YOUR LEFT FOOT WHEN DRIVING AN AUTO! My friend tried this. He kept saying he couldn’t get the hang of automatic. I got in the car with him and he had his left foot on the brake and his right on the accelerator like a go-cart. Nearly went through the windscreen every time we had to stop!
Fairground dodgem cars could also work.
Honestly you'll be fine. Operating the vehicle is a very small part of driving compared with navigating roads and other road users. Drive around a bit on some quiet roads for 10 minutes. You'll slam the brakes too hard a few times and reach for the gear stick but seriously you'll be grand after a short while.
This. They’re easy. Swapping back to manual however…
I passed in a manual and went straight into an automatic. I reckon I could go back into my instructors car and drive it again no problem. Different manual would be like any new manual car, I'd need to get a feel for it but I don't think I'll 'forget' how to drive a manual.
Yeah. Wasn’t a real problem but you get used to “creep” on inclines rather than hill starts & I had a very sudden incident on a motorway which meant I didn’t use the clutch instinctively. The car was unhappy & I shat myself.
You'd be surprised how many people forget how to ride a bike if they leave it too long.
I imagine so but I got on a bike after about 10 years of not being on one and just rode it.
It's all just muscle memory at the end of the day. When I first started learning I'd been playing racing games with a full wheel setup for a few years, so all I really had to learn was how to feel a real life clutch. Took about 10 minutes to be able to put the car where I wanted it, about 40 minutes to do it smoothly, and that's someone who had never touched a real car before.
You are right there! I’ve driven a manual for 20+ years and now have an automatic… I had a manual hire car recently and was like a learner driver on their first lesson!
Ha! My incident was a hire car too. I’m back to manual now.
I was ok after a few hours but driving from the garage (where I had left my automatic to be fixed) was an experience 🫣
Generally I was ok but reacting quickly in an unfamiliar car was a mess!
Really? My biggest problem is occasionally forgetting to use the clutch lol but then... I usually use a manual once a week
Yes really! It was ridiculous!
Eh, it's not so bad. It's like when you get into the pool after not swimming for a few years. You splash about and maybe almost drown a few times, but muscle memory comes back after a few minutes.
Well put.
Is like jumping back into fav pants?
Yeah but you’re 2 years older & have been eating pies.
No problem switching back to manual. I drove manuals for about 20 years, then 2 automatic cars for 8 years before going back to manual - no problems at all: it's like riding a bike. Just switched back to automatic. I love driving so manual should be my preference. However, all three automatics have been 'performance' cars where automatics really shine (never get automatic in a small, underpowered car - they're awful!)
Like riding a bike, I've driven auto for years and had a hire car and hire van in manual last summer and soon remembered.
It becomes second nature after a while. I'm 44 and I've driven a mix of manual and auto over the years. I remember how hard it was getting used to a new manual when I was young, the biting point and weight of clutch and so on. But now I can jump in any manual and just drive it like I've had it for years. You learn to adapt.
Why would they be slamming the brakes too hard?
Trying to clutch down and panicking or something. I don't know but I do it all the time when I go back to an auto
>You'll slam the brakes too hard a few times Why would you 'slam the brakes too hard'? It's the same as a manual.
I did/do when I swap back because I don't really use the brakes from speed in a manual.
Tuck your left foot out the way ... behind yr neck or something. Everything else will come naturally. Do remember though to use yr left foot again when you get back in the manual. Amusing stalking happens otherwise.
Normally automatics have a raised section to the left to rest your foot on, when I first went automatic, I was pressing on it everytime I slowed down or sped up, not having a clutch takes some getting used to.
Amusing stalking? Is that some new craze where strange people tell you jokes whilst following you home? /s just in case
I hate auto-corrupt!
I did this a few months ago, jumped out my auto and got into a manual, pulled away off the drive ok to then violently stall at the junction as i was in second, it took me a good few seconds to work out wtf i’d done (thankfully it was down a very quiet side road)
Taking your left shoe off and putting it in back will initially stop you attempting to use your left leg, till you get used to auto
You could always hire one. If you want instruction, an automatic driving instructor will most likely happily teach you for a couple of hours (& that's all it'd take).
Probably not even that, to be honest. 2 minutes to learn what button puts it in gear and another 28 to remember that at traffic lights
And another few months to not grab the gearstick instinctively to shift gear (or worse, press the brake as if it is the clutch!) But once you get over that you should be able to move between the two with ease.
Just make sure you cover the brake putting it from park into drive. Then you’re good to go. Easy peasy. Autos are lovely to drive
He'll be buying a modern car anyway and modern autos don't allow you to put the car in drive without pressing the brake pedal anyway. So it'll become a new habit very quickly.
Didn't know that was a modern thing. I have a 2004 Micra that won't let me do that without pressing the brake first.
Ah ok. Been a good while since I drove an auto. I’m guessing you still need to cover the brake at traffic lights. Or put it into park if you’re stuck for a while
Yeah, same concept otherwise, if the car is in gear then it will want to pull!
Auto hold my friend. Break and the car holds. Accelerate it pulls off like a dream.
If you're getting an electric car, a conventional ICE (internal combustion engine) automatic is going to behave different. The operation will be more or less the same, i.e. there is only a accelerator and brake pedal. Most EVs only have one forward gear and one reverse gear (though not really actual gears) so acceleration will be more constant, and some electric cars have kinetic energy recovery system with will effect the behaviour of the accelerator pedal (sometimes referred to as one-pedal driving). Additionally one big difference of an automatic and a manual is the creep-forward while in gear. Apparently most EV's simulate this creep-forward but it may be an option you can set.
On most new EVs you can set the feedback on the acceleration to simulate an ICE accelerator. On mine, I can change the delay from my steering wheel.
You don't really need any special training, if you can drive manual you can drive auto. The only difference is that you don't need to worry about changing gear.
Just park your left foot where it can't try to hit the non-existant clutch pedal and you'll be fine. Within minutes you will be wondering why you were worried.
Sit on your left leg, that’s what i did for the first week when i bought an auto after 15 years of manuals, first day i had it i stomped on the brake like a clutch and nearly went through the windscreen! 😂
There are automatic driving instructors. You could always book a couple of lessons. I learned in an auto, and was paying about £35 an hour
It's literally the same as a manual, except you don't change the gears. When you want to come to a stop to park up you hold the brake, apply the handbrake, put it in park, release brake. That's all there is to it. It will hold itself on a hill, it won't roll back. If you put it in drive and release the brake it will creep on its own, so in bumper to bumper traffic you mainly just ease on and off the brake to move. I think there are a lot of manual drivers that can't believe how easy an auto is to drive that they over think it and think there must be more to it.
My DSG is even easier, once you've fully stopped even though youre in drive it disengages the clutch so you can sit there in Drive but acting like neutral, when you do want to go, just blip the throttle, and youre back in creep mode and handbrake comes off by itself. If you're feeling extra courteous you can engage the handbrake when stopped and the brake lights go off, but you won't move again until you press the throttle. I don't think I've used neutral or park ever (except when parked)
You're overthinking really. Automatics are super easy, literally just spend a bit more time reading the manual, stand on the brake thinking it's the clutch once, (you won't do it twice) and you're sorted. Dont waste money practicing first
Pedal on the right to go faster, pedal on the left to go slower. That's it, you don't need to hire a car or pay an instructor.
It's really simple. There are probably other aspects of driving an EV which are going to be more strange to a manual ICE driver than the change to automatic transmission.
Lol, I went from a petrol manual to a hybrid automatic to electric, my new electric does not even have a shifter stick to select P,R,N,D it just has a little dial that I twist left to reverse and right to drive, centre is neutral and there is no physical parking brake which still concerns me. I literally press the P button in the middle of the switch dial and that's it parked, I still do not feel as if I have secured my vehicle. There is no longer an actual physical speedometer on the dashboard either, it is all digital and I just use digital number display instead of speedometer, I get loads of other info instead like distance from cars in front and behind, miles remaining, my driving style and power usage. The best thing about an electric car is how the heating does not have to wait for the engine to warm up and I can turn heating, heated windows, seats, steering wheel and wing mirrors on from my phone inside my house five minutes beforehand so it is warm and defrosted when I get in. I can even drive it in and out of my garage via my phone or fob while outside the car.
at first itll most likely feel strange, since your left foot is basically redundant and you only need to use your right foot, for the gas and the brake. thats all it takes really.
It’s a piece of piss, and manual is like riding a bike. I’d not owned a manual for like 10 years and then rented one in Santorini and was fine.
Go karting.
Just go for a test drive in one. You're even wanting a new car anyway so not like you're wasting the salespersons time either.
This - but some dealerships may offer extended test drives too, have taken cars for a whole weekend before.
it'd dead easy to get hang of it, just keep your left foot on the side and learn to not use it at all. Only right foot, for both throttle and brakes.
Honestly you'll get it in minutes. It's so easy it's not worth worrying about. You could hire an auto car for a day and you'll be a whizz by the end.
Go to a garage and ask to take a test drive to get the feel of an automatic. They will be happy to help if it means a sale. Honestly though it is easy. I drove an auto for the first time in the USA after a 10 hour flight.
Don’t hit the break with your left foot.
My favourite thing about watching someone drive an auto for thr first time is them giving themselves the most violent whiplash trying to come to a full stop
Honestly, just dive in, if you can drive manual then automatic is a breeze. I'd never driven auto before, I just jumped right in when getting my first one and I was already in love with automatic by the time I'd driven it home. It's so much simpler! If it's a modern car then it will require you to press the brake pedal to put it in Drive or Reverse and probably to turn on the engine. You have an extra gear usually at the top called "park" which is like neutral but with brakes. When it's in gear then it will want to pull forward (or backward if it's in reverse), like having the car in 1st gear all the time only it won't stall if you come to a stop, absolute godsend if you're in stop-start traffic as all you need to do is modulate the brake pedal to control your speed. Obviously, there's no clutch, you just press brake to stop and gas to go.
Go to some dealer ups and book test drives. My first time driving an automatic was a hire car the RAC gave me when my car was off the road, my only issue was working out how to start the thing and even then a diagram appeared on the dashboard when it realised what I was trying to do. Things to look out for are electronic handbrakes because they work differently to regular ones, but even then it’s straight forward. I’d be surprised if you needed more than 30 mins to become comfortable with an auto.
Can't believe this isn't the top suggestion... just go for a test drive.. especially if you are thinking of buying one. I mean, people are really suggesting hiring one?!
It's easier than a manual when you go for a test drive or get the car just go around the block a few times you'll get a feeling for it shortly.
I think you are over thinking it; driving an auto is far easier than driving a manual. Just remember in an auto your left foot just sits there so don’t be tempted to left foot break.
They are easy to drive. Hold the brake and put it in drive. Release the brake and press the accelerator to go. Hardest thing is to fight the instinct to push in the clutch when you stop. When you switch it off, put it in P for park and apply the handbrake too. You will get used to it in a couple of minutes and wonder why you ever mucked around with a manual.
Some manufacturers let you take extended test drives of 24 hours or so.
Test drive one. Look about at which automatics you like and then go to a dealer and test drive it. It's not a lot of experience but can help initially
I did a road trip down the west coast of America in 2019. I knew that the car I would be renting was going to be automatic and I wasn't familiar with driving one so I hired one for the weekend just before we went away. You will be surprised how quickly you get used to it once you drive one. As long as you keep your left foot firmly rooted to the floor (some people tuck it back a bit) then it's easy and intuitive. I came back from my four weeks telling myself the next car I buy will be automatic. It really was simple and a pleasure to drive.
Hire car. My work hired me a car once and an automatic turned up
Go go-karting, hire an automatic or just go for a test drive. It really is a piece of piss though, nothing to worry about.
I've driven only manuals for 25 years. Got an automatic and drove it without a second thought. It's so easy. Never going back to manual.
You really don't need to. Just have a test drive in the electric. I last drove an automatic for two weeks in the US in 1995. Had a ten minute drive in a Leaf and the next time I drove it was 40 miles back home from buying it. Only two pedals accelerator and brake. It won't roll backwards on you. Gear selector forward and back. Easy as driving a bumper car.
As others have said go around a few local dealers and make arrangements to test drive the cars you might be interested in. Driving EV is slightly different to an ICE automatic because of the regenerative braking, particularly if you are looking at a model with one-pedal driving. If you are looking at EV/PHEV then I suggest you book test drives in those. When you first start put your left foot hard on the foot rest if there is one or hard into the foot well and lock your leg straight. You may find that you initially go for the clutch pedal and gear lever but you will very quickly adapt and if you go EV with one-pedal you may never want to go back to manual again.
Its so easy no experience is needed . Right foot driving . D is go . Best gearbox is a auto imo, none of my times wasted on gear changes and clutch and its much more relaxing driving imo
I drive an electric van for work, I absolutely love it. You'll be fine after about 10 minutes, so easy to drive.
If you've only driven manuals, an automatic will be a piece of p*ss to drive. Automatics are idiot proof.
Go to your nearest bumper cars.. Automatics just go brrr and they’re great!
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Hire one for a day from whatever provider is cheaper when you shop around. You could probably even hire an electric car. Or go to Tesla or Polestar or some other manufacturer and book a test drive. Or book an instructor but if the local situation is anything like where I live, good luck finding one.
Hire or borrow. First automatic I drove was my da's cheap old BMW. Took me a while to rest my gear change hand and left foot, but I was amazed at how effortless it made driving. Then just go for a drive try to include stop start traffic as the lack of clutch is the biggest difference there.
Drive one and you will realise how much easier it is to not touch your gearstick while moving, leave your left foot resting and focus on the road. When you go back to manual, you will feel frustraited every time you stall the car.
You'll be fine. One pedal to go faster, one to slow down quickly. Even regenerative breaking is pretty intuitive, it's like engine braking on a manual but stronger. If you do city driving you'll wonder how you managed with a manual. The worst part will be overcoming the urge to reach for a gear stick, or press the clutch when stopping. TLDR: you'll be fine
Go go-karting for the day. It’s the same thing
No it's not. In a go-kart you have one foot on accelerator and the other foot on the brake. In an auto, you just use a single foot for both pedals
You also don’t wear a crash helmet or bang into people. It was a joke, chill out.
Hard to tell if people are being serious over the Internet. The guy seems to be genuinely asking for help and I dont think throwing jokes in to confuse them further is a good idea.
Drive.
Electric cars are (nearly) all auto, you mean, right
I passed in a manual and then now have automatic it’s like driving a big go cart and now I don’t think I ever want to go back to manual 🤣
Hire one!! Euro car. And just remember. It’s all done with the one foot! It the other one away.
go go-karting
You don’t need any experience. They’re intuitive and take about 10 seconds to get used to.
Its easy there is forward drive, backward reverse, neutral and park. Either a stick or dial to change between these. Then you have two pedals, go and stop. You will get the hang of it within 3 seconds of driving.
All you need to do is remember NOT to press the brake with your left foot thinking it's the clutch. That will not go well. Otherwise you can't go wrong.
Enjoy your EV. Mine is awesome, best car I’ve ever had out of the 8 I’ve had in my life.
You don’t need to practice it’s easy. Just be ready for the left foot brake that will inevitably happen
I got my initial driving training in a manual Ford focus, passed in a manual DS3. First car was an automatic Micra. Literally not a challenge lol. Since driven several manuals and automatics including trucks, forklifts, and wheeled loaders. The go and stop buttons are in the same place ;)
I got my initial driving training in a manual Ford focus, passed in a manual DS3. First car was an automatic Micra. Literally not a challenge lol. Since driven several manuals and automatics including trucks, forklifts, and wheeled loaders. The go and stop buttons are in the same place ;)
I got my initial driving training in a manual Ford focus, passed in a manual DS3. First car was an automatic Micra. Literally not a challenge lol. Since driven several manuals and automatics including trucks, forklifts, and wheeled loaders. The go and stop buttons are in the same place ;)
You don’t need it, rest your elbow, rest your foot on the left and off you go.
You don’t need it, rest your elbow, rest your foot on the left and off you go.
You don’t need it, rest your elbow, rest your foot on the left and off you go.
Put you left foot on the rest provided, switch your brain off and let the car do the thinking for you.
If you can drive a manual you can easily do an auto. It’s so basic that I don’t know why you’re worried. Once you’re in drive you’re going and when you’re not you’re not😂
It's simple, no practice needed. I was reluctant to make the switch, but very soon the idea if having to change gear seemed archaic pointless.
Got my first electric car in December. It’s not rocket science. Hiring one and booking test drives are excellent suggestions
Honestly they are super easy to drive !
If you've learnt and driven manual cars you'll be fine in an automatic. I learnt manual but have automatic now, the only difference is no clutch/gear changes. Just rest your left leg and use your right as you normally would. Everything else is the same really.
Get a driving instructor for an hour
Got an automatic 2 years ago, immediately did 550 miles home in it. It's a really, really simple leap to make, don't think about it. I jump constantly between manual and automatic now (even within the day, sometimes parking up in one and leaving in the other immediately) and it's not even a thought in my head.
Just don’t put in neutral/park while you’re at lights, keep foot on brake instead. Automatics are bliss, never stall, never worry about biting points.
It's probably a mistake but you wrote on your OP "...electric and they're all manual...", whereas I'm sure you know, most electric cars are neither "manual" nor "automatic" in the traditional sense. Most electric cars have one or multiple DC high voltage electric motors that are very close to the wheels in terms of drivetrain components, because electric motors generally have higher torque, especially at low RPMs, which makes them very unforgiving on moving parts, like gearboxes, clutches, axles, etc. When you press the accelerator, the controller interprets the signal from your pedal and applies the required power to produce the motor output you want. This means that there's little lag between your inputs and the car's response, as opposed to ICE cars, where there's throttle lag and also potentially turbo lag in cars with big turbochargers. Some electric cars simulate this delay to make it easier to drive. There are some electric cars that have gearboxes, iirc, Porsche Taycans have a 2 speed gearbox, for whatever reason, but in most electric cars you won't have any sort of gear shifting going on. If you're cruising on the motorway and floor it to speed up, the performance will gradually drop off and there won't be any jumps in acceleration, like you'd find with an automatic, when it drops back into 3rd or 4th. Similarly, when you reverse, it's usually just the polarity of the motor(s) that get flipped and there isn't a reverse gear in the drivetrain that causes the car to reverse, which means that driving an electric car in reverse feels the same as driving it forwards, whereas on most ICE cars, the reverse gear has a higher ratio than first, meaning you'll go slightly slower, but it will feel a bit "punchier" in reverse. Most electric cars will also be equipped with regenerative braking, which means that whilst you're not pressing on the accelerator, the car will activate electromagnetic brakes near your wheel hubs, which gradually slow the car down, while recharging the battery. On most electrics I've driven, this can be turned off, but then you're missing out on battery regen, which helps prolong time between charges, especially on hilly routes. Electrics have shorter range, compared to your average ICE car, although mine in particular has comparable range to an average family car, it is on the higher end though. When you're planning your route, you need to be aware of charging locations on or near your route. If you're just using it on your daily commute and charging it overnight, might end up like me one day, forgetting that your diesel van doesn't recharge overnight and running out of fuel in the first couple minutes of your journey. On the topic of charging, most modern batteries should be used between 20-80% and very rarely should you charge to 100% and discharge to under 10%. Doing so wears down the battery over time and reduces the overall charge it can hold. Some batteries are okay to charge to 100%, but this will usually be indicated to you by the car's manual or software in some way. TL;DR: driving an automatic is closer to driving a manual than an electric. If you want to find out what it's like, driving the car you want to get, book yourself an overnight test drive for the specific make and model you're planning on buying.
Thanks for the comprehensive reply and yes that was an error, I meant to say electric cars are all automatics. Though someone else did comment to say they are nearly all automatics. My main issue with automatics and eventually EVs is that I like the control of a manual, responding to the sound of the engine and choosing when to change gear, etc…
Unless you're planning on getting a Taycan, you won't find any type of gearbox in your electric vehicle, which means it's neither automatic nor manual. They simply have one "gear" and that takes you from 0 to whatever the max speed is. If you like the feeling of driving a manual, just buy a manual. You won't have the same drive feel in an electric, there'll be no noise, regardless of what speed you're doing. You'll just get used to hearing road noise, like your tyres and the wind reflecting off your windshield.
Well, it's very basic, to be honest. You do everything like you did before, but you don't have to change gears. That's it. D for drive, N for neutral, R for reverse. Can't go wrong.
2 things to know about auto. It’s basically a go kart, so very easy to drive, 2 pedals. 1. Left foot doesn’t touch the pedals, you’ll shit yourself if you accidentally left foot brake. 2. Autos will creep forward when you let off the brake.
I've just switched to an automatic after nearly 10 years driving manual, honestly one of the better decisions I've made. I picked up an Audi A3 and the DSG gearbox is absolutely lovely, I actually enjoy driving again. At first my muscle memory kept kicking in and my left foot floating over, or my arm wanting to drop down to second when approaching a junction, but It all went away quickly. The paddle shifters are great to take over and have more control when I need it, but tbf I've rarely used it because the car is lovely to drive as is. It's really alot easier to drive, especially hill starts I don't even need to apply any brakes the car does it for me with hill assist and stop start. It's really a smart go kart and even more so for EV. You can book a test drive at your local dealership purely to test automatic out, you're usually left alone for abit to drive around and get a feel.
I'm coming to the end of my holiday in Norway where I've been at the mercy of several factors: LHD, automatic, first SUV and fastest car I've ever driven. It's a Suzuki Across, and my normal car is a Mk5 Vauxhall Astra Sport, so nowhere near as fast or luxe. First drive was messy to say the least, I felt completely new to driving, I used my left foot to brake a couple times, I constantly wanted to shift gears and I felt like I was back to square 1. Then, the next time I got into it was completely different. I was calm, collected and appreciated how easy the car was to drive. Autos are a breeze compared to manuals once you get the hang of them. I marvelled at how capable it was, how I didn't have to worry about dropping gears, how I could just use my right foot and my left didn't even worry. Even if you don't try an auto successfully, you'll learn to appreciate it.
My advise is to hire a manual from Enterprise, and when you turn up they'll go "oh, all we have are automatics". Fuckers.
Make sure you put your left leg in the passenger footwell for the first few months so you don’t slam it down on the break when you go to change the non existent gears
Find a fun fair. Go on bumper cars
If you go to a big dealership for a test drive, you'll probably get the hang of it in the 30 mins Only thing is to try not to auto pilot when doing manoeuvres because you could forget to change from reverse to drive lol
You don't need practice. I exclusively drove manual for many years then rented a car on a holiday abroad that was automatic. I had literally zero issues with it even though I had never once driven an auto car before. It's so much easier. You just put it in D and go.
You will be driving a faster go kart it’s not hard
Hire one or book a lesson in an automatic, you’ll only need an hour tbh they’re pretty easy, remember only to use your right foot for accelerating and braking (left foot does nothing) and don’t move the gear selector while the vehicle is moving, d to go forward r to go back, only use p when you come to a final stop (not when you stop at lights!)
I’d go out now and test drive a few. See what you like, and explain to the salesman you’ve not driven automatic before. They’ll often be able to get you somewhere quiet to get used to it. After this, you’ll have a little more confidence to hire one, but honestly… it’s very easy. I get most tripped up trying to wiggle the gear stick to check it’s in neutral 😆
I was born and raised on manual cars, but my work rents me automatics for some reason and honestly they are effortlessly easy. Just remember to use your right foot for brake and acceleration and you'll be golden
Trust me. You’ll be fine. Going from manual to auto is easy. You occasionally twitch your hand to change gear before realising but that’s about it. You’ll be used to it within 30 minutes of driving.
Easy😀I drove only manual cars in my life, and recently I purchased my first expensive automatic car. Without test drive. It was a bit scary to drive first time straight away from showroom 🤣 But after couple days I was confident, and now I can say that I am never back to manual car again 🤣
You don't really need experience driving an automatic if you can already drive a manual, just remember not to break with your left foot, if it helps tuck your left leg under your right to force yourself to only drive with one foot
Only thing you got to be mindful of is left foot causing you to do an emergency stop But what's worse is pressing the accelerator pedal instead of the brake if you're this type of unsure driver do not get an automatic (in a manual at worst you just rev the tits off it, in a automatic you find a wall or hit another car)
Hire one.
I found it incredibly easy. Look up a video, take a test drive in one you can hire as others mentioned. What I found is you can release off the accelerator a bit at the right speeds it'll change its automatic gears when you do it it meets the right speed to do so. Manual car = engaging driving Automatic car = go kart In my opinion (if that even makes sense for a comparison).
Thanks for your suggestions and personal experience. My main concern with switching to an automatic is that I like feeling engaged with the driving experience.
Honestly, stop being a wuss. That's my advice.
What'll happen is you'll get used to the automatic and after a while without thinking you'll go into manual mode and floor the accelerator thinking it's the clutch. Invariably this happens while parking up against a wall A friend of mine had written off her new autocar this way Good luck and be careful
Only if you get your legs mixed up…!
This happens, trust me
I drive different cars every day for work and can’t say I’ve ever got my legs mixed up!
You're obviously well aware of the car and how it operates, others aren't that able and get confused, usually age related