Anybody here drive stick?

[ruth]

I know I'm just a week post op but I'm already dreaming of hopping into my little convertible and going for a spin.

Here's the catch. It's stick shift, with a modified short throw transmission. Once I'm allowed to drive again, will I be able to drive my little car? I'm concerned about getting it into reverse and 5'th where there's like a "catch" that you have to push through to reach these gears..... Or being in traffic, switching gears a lot and starting to ache.

I have a right side thoracotomy incision between my right ribs and other than typing all I do with my right arm so far is clutch my heart pillow. Maybe arm exercises?

Knightfan, anyone, have experience with stick shift after OHS? Please don't tell me I have to drive an automatic, I just won't know *WHAT* to do with my left foot.

TIA all,
Ruth

 

[ChuckVSP]

It may not take too long!

It may not take too long!

Greetings!

After my first AVR in February 1982, I was given the OK to drive after about 6 weeks. That was good for me, but my vehicle was a 15 year old Chevy Pickup with manual steering and a 3 on the tree (three speed on the steering column). The first time in that rascal was bad.... so I traded with my dad for about 6 or 8 more weeks. His Pontiac was so much easier to handle (automatic tranny with power assist steering). After taking my truck back, I still took it easy for a while til I could build up more power of my own. I drove that old truck til 1990, and about 450,000 miles!

When I had AVR and MVR in March, 2001, I had the good fortune to have my loving wife switch vehicles with me for a while (at 460 pounds it was a lot easier for me to deal with her Dodge Caravan than try to get in and out of my Buick Lesabre). Six years later and 200 pounds lighter, I can drive basically anything I want. I still teach driving classes for Fire and Emergency Medical response vehicles... what a hoot!!

 

[Lotti]

Brmm brrm

Brmm brrm

England here. Most of us are manual, or stick shift as you over there say!

I had to wait 4 - 6 weeks post op before I was insured again. All I can advise is don't go far the first few times. It hurt. You are right that 5th and reverse are the hardest, but my tip is to lean forward slightly off the back of your seat when doing 5th ( I don't know why it helps, but it does) and use both hands for reverse. Obviously dont use both hands for 5th as hopefully one will be on the wheel.
Please dont try too soon, as one of my friends opened their chest wound by going too far too soon.
Also watch out for the handbrake. It's a shocker.
Happy motoring. It won't be too long!

Lotti

 

[Guest]

Knightfan, anyone, have experience with stick shift after OHS?

*chuckles*

Nope, sadly no experience with stick shift AFTER OHS. I learned manual transmission driving on my sister's '97 S-10 pick up ... in time to drive my buddy's '87 MC SS (that he "upgraded" from automatic transmission to 6-speed manual transmission) at the MC Nationals in summer 2002...which was before my January 2003 surgery.

Other than that, all of my cars have been automatics.....sorry .



Cort:33swm."Mr Monte Carlo.Mr Road Trip".pig valve.pacemaker
PICS:lego.HO.model.MCinfo.RT.CHD = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort
"Got a lead foot down on my accelerator" ... Jodee Messina ... 'Bye Bye Bye'

 

[Lisa in Katy]

I drove a stick beginning 5 weeks post surgery. I didn't have any difficulty, and living in a suburb of Houston, certainly drove (sat) in plenty of traffic. I will tell you though, that it wasn't an old-fashioned, hard to shift stick. I've driven plenty of those! It was a more modern, easy clutch, barely noticed the difference between shifting to 2nd or 5th. If your clutch takes a lot of pressure and your stick is stiff (sounds like something in a porn movie )it could be difficult.

 

[JimL]

I drive a five on the floor, wouldn't have it any other way. I got permission to drive three weeks after surgery, only cheated once before that. No problem at all with the stick shift in any gear. The big problem for me was paying attention to the road.

 

[ruth]

Thanks all for the advice, much appreciated.

Maybe I could move to England and use my left arm, hmmmm Good point about the parking brake, I hadn't even considered that.

I won't be cleared to drive until probably 6 weeks post op according to the Dr's original estimate so I need to be patient anyway. I've driven several different sticks ranging from the easy to the stiff and this one is on the easier side fortunately.

Thanks all!
Ruth

 

[Mary]

I've got a 5-speed, Ruth, and I didn't have any problems.
I think you'll be fine.

 

[sue943]

Another Brit here so as has already been said, we nearly all drive manuals (stick). Where I live it is only nine miles by five miles and the maximum speed limit is 40 mph, although in some places it is 30mph, 20mph or even 15mph. We are constantly changing gear as our roads are narrow and twisting.

I didn't start driving until six weeks after surgery. My old car was very heavy and didn't have power steering nor air conditioning and as I was on amiodarone driving with the window open in the middle of summer wasn't an option, I didn't want to turn blue-grey. I traded it in for a little car with both the requirements and had no trouble driving. I bought a foam padding for my seat belt so my scar was protected, although I still did find it rubbed my 'nob' at the top of my scar for while.

 

[Farid]

Ruth,

Ruth,

I have not driven my 5-speed Miata yet; and can not wait till I fix the master/slave cylinder (too cold even in the garage to do any work). But when I drove 6-weeks after OHS, I drove my Infiniti (auto) and had a tough time turning around looking over my right shoulder to back out of the garage. That put some stress on my incision; but after wile it was not painful. So I think a 5-spd might be even harder. when you get Good Luck.

BTW, what is little convertible? A Miata?

 

[ruth]

Farid -

I used to drive a little red Miata - we bought one of the first to come to this country back in 1989. I just *loved* that car. I was at Carnegie Mellon at the time and we lived in the north hills. That car was a dream, cornered like it was on rails, underpowered with a 4 cylinder but I didn't care, speed wasn't really my thing, I just loved the top down & wind in my hair.

Once we had kids (1990) we went looking for fun 4 seat convertibles and owned (in order) a Pontiac Mustang Cobra, '97 Porsche 911 (the last year it had a real back seat), and finally a '98 BMW 328 which I'm still driving. My husband put the short throw trans in it specifically to make it more like the sweet short throw of the Miata which he knows I still miss, smooth as silk it was between gears. Our first car back in 1980 was a Honda accord 5 speed and we've had stick shifts ever since, I love 'em. While the kids were little we leased Chrysler minivans for 10 years but I wanted back into the baby convertibles as soon as possible. You couldn't get me into those humongous suburban assault vehicles that are all the rage today.

 

[Philip]

I cheated a little and ventured out before I was given the OK to drive in my toy car (1976 Triumph TR6.) The manual transmission presented no problem but the lack of power assisted steering caused some discomfort when parking or turning at very low speeds. I was told the big danger in driving was from the air bag. This car was manufactured before air bags so I found my loop hole. I'm sure if I had asked I would have been told NO! Sometimes it is best not to ask. Put the top down, be careful and have fun.
Philip

 

[wildcat fan]

finally back to work!!!!!!!!

finally back to work!!!!!!!!

Hey everyone,

Well here it is Friday night and I have made it through the 1st week of work. I survived considering being on 3rd shift and doing a lot of heavy lifting pushing and pulling things around in the OR where I work at. I have noticed thatmy emotions are still out of whack when I am use to gong 110% every night that I worked. Anyways I am wondering if anyone had this happen to them since they returned to work . I had my surgery in Nov.2006 and was out for 3 months. I welcome all the advice on to deal with post surgery emotions .

Chris
Ascending Aortic Anerusym 5.2c.m in dilation , Aortic valve replacement Nov.2006
Dr.Sam ******* @ Baptist Hospital East in Louisville,Ky
ATS Mech.Valve ( takes a licking and keeps on ticking HAHA!!!!)

 

[StretchL]

Ruth, the stick should be no problem, if the doc's cleared you to drive. With the full sternotomy I had, the turning of the steering wheel was the issue, and causes a bit of soreness. The stick isn't an issue at all. This may be different from you since you did a minimally invasive...

 

[barttr1]

Driving after OHS

Driving after OHS

Hi Ruth,
I drove my 5-speed about two weeks after OHS (with the go-ahead from the surgeon) but he restricted me to short distances and light traffic. The manual shift shouldn't be a problem, but your physical reaction time may be affected. Even checking your blind spot could be a bit uncomfortable.

After six weeks it shouldn't be an issue at all.

Bartt

 

[Guest]

...owned (in order) a Pontiac Mustang Cobra,...

*raises eyebrow slightly*

OK, my dear, either I'm VERY VERY tired (which I sort of am, tho, at 10:45pm I got my "second wind" and am afraid of how long I'll be up yet tonight) ... or am I misreading this....

Pontiac Mustang Cobra?

You do mean Ford Mustang Cobra, right?

Or, did you mean to say that you owned a Pontiac (if so, which model) and THEN a (Ford) Mustang Cobra...?

*sighs*

Sorry ... this "Pontiac Mustang Cobra" just set of my "Resident Young Stickler" (which I'm called on some of my MC boards) alarm .



Cort:33swm."Mr Monte Carlo.Mr Road Trip".pig valve.pacemaker
PICS:lego.HO.model.MCinfo.RT.CHD = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort
"It's not the car I want" ... George Jones ... 'The Corvette Song'

 

[ruth]

Oops, sorry Knightfan, what do you all call that here, Pumphead? Yes, of course Ford makes the Mustang, duh!

My husband did have a Pontiac before that, a little thing, ummm, Fiero? In & out of the shop for 2 years then we sold it. Cute little thing, noisy & fun but not very reliable. Maybe in my brain the neural pathways mixed the two together. I never drove that car though.

Good catch, you are a stickler for detail, huh, couldn't slip that one by 'ya!

 

[MarkU]

I got released to drive three weeks after my surgery. I've got a Corvette with a 6-speed manual. Shifting wasn't as much of a problem as was the twisting and turning required to get in & out and to fasten the seatbelt.
Good luck,
Mark

 

[Guest]

Oops, sorry Knightfan, what do you all call that here, Pumphead? Yes, of course Ford makes the Mustang, duh!

LOL! ... no need to apologize, Ruth ... not everyone is as into cars as I am .

My husband did have a Pontiac before that, a little thing, ummm, Fiero?

That depends on how little it was ... and when you had it. After all, it could've been a Grand Am because those were once small, too.....

Good catch, you are a stickler for detail, huh, couldn't slip that one by 'ya!

He he ... yep, pretty much! Tho, the "Resident Young Stickler" monicker comes more for my disdain for any of the FWD cars that Chevrolet is claiming are monte carlos, impalas and malibus these days.

*shakes head*

Best not get me started .



Cort:33swm."Mr Monte Carlo.Mr Road Trip".pig valve.pacemaker
PICS:lego.HO.model.MCinfo.RT.CHD = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort
"I want a 2-tone Chevrolet" ... BJ Thomas ... '2-Car Garage'

 

[volsfan]

F-O-R-D First On Race Day!!!

F-O-R-D First On Race Day!!!

This Blue Oval Boy drove his stick shift 2 weeks post-op. It may not have been a sports car, but I had no problem changing gears in my Focus. The problem I had was the seat belt rubbing my chest.