Where to practice driving stick?
June 27, 2020 1:24 AM Subscribe
I’m teaching my partner to drive stick and am looking for suggestions of places to practice in Seattle.
We’ve already done the basics in a big empty parking lot in lesson one, so for lesson two we’re looking for a still pretty empty place, but with some decent hills to practice starting on. Any suggestions? Bonus if they’re close to Queen Anne or Capitol Hill.
We’ve already done the basics in a big empty parking lot in lesson one, so for lesson two we’re looking for a still pretty empty place, but with some decent hills to practice starting on. Any suggestions? Bonus if they’re close to Queen Anne or Capitol Hill.
Lakeview Cemetery at 1554 15th E is just north of Volunteer Park on 15th Ave E.
Not to get all 15th on you but there it is...
A short steep hill included, great views, usually empty of cars and a plethora of local street and town names among the inhabitants.
posted by y2karl at 6:50 AM on June 27, 2020
Not to get all 15th on you but there it is...
A short steep hill included, great views, usually empty of cars and a plethora of local street and town names among the inhabitants.
posted by y2karl at 6:50 AM on June 27, 2020
With the caveat that I've never been to your part of the country, based on my own personal experience I would recommend taking your partner to quiet backroads within 45 minutes of where you live. Twisty backroads in low-traffic settings provide ample opportunity for getting used to shifting and downshifting, as well as the chance to gradually gain confidence before tackling more congested arteries. That's how my old man taught me how to drive a stick over three decades ago: on country lanes in northwestern New Jersey.
posted by DavidfromBA at 10:33 AM on June 27, 2020
posted by DavidfromBA at 10:33 AM on June 27, 2020
I learned in the big lot by Husky Stadium, and the campus just west of there is probably pretty empty right now and full of terrain. There are a few areas gated off but the main roads should be open to through traffic, and I don't expect there to be a lot of that.
posted by BlackLeotardFront at 12:10 PM on June 27, 2020
posted by BlackLeotardFront at 12:10 PM on June 27, 2020
I, too, don't know your topography, but I learned to drive in a cemetery. It's quiet, it's safe, it might have just a little traffic, and it has turns and stops and sometimes hills. I took my wife to one to learn, too. It sounds surreal or disrespectful maybe, but I think it's fine. Just stay on the road. And when the lesson is done there is no real stopping, or finding somewhere to stop and switch. Of course eventually your pupil will have to drive on real roads, but wholly recommend it!
posted by Snowishberlin at 1:29 PM on June 27, 2020
posted by Snowishberlin at 1:29 PM on June 27, 2020
Response by poster: Butterworth Cemetery worked great! Thanks for the suggestions, all.
The Husky Stadium parking lot was where we did lesson one, and I think it's ideal for starting out, it just doesn't have much in the way of hills, and I think that's probably one of the trickiest parts of driving stick, so I wanted to find place where it could be practiced without the extra stress of being on a real road.
posted by Cogito at 3:43 PM on June 27, 2020 [1 favorite]
The Husky Stadium parking lot was where we did lesson one, and I think it's ideal for starting out, it just doesn't have much in the way of hills, and I think that's probably one of the trickiest parts of driving stick, so I wanted to find place where it could be practiced without the extra stress of being on a real road.
posted by Cogito at 3:43 PM on June 27, 2020 [1 favorite]
my father made me learn stick downtown!!!!
IIRC we went really early on a weekend morning when there was light traffic
but yeah basically the "just throw them into the deep end and they'll figure it out" method of teaching
posted by Jacqueline at 11:52 PM on June 28, 2020
IIRC we went really early on a weekend morning when there was light traffic
but yeah basically the "just throw them into the deep end and they'll figure it out" method of teaching
posted by Jacqueline at 11:52 PM on June 28, 2020
If you're ever in need of an alternate idea, I learned stick by driving around Magnuson Park.
I'm not in Seattle anymore and not up-to-date on what's open COVID-wise, but if open, it's a good area for low-speed, low-pressure roads. The southern part of the park (the part that becomes 65th st, I think?) definitely has at least one good solid hill for driving up in an area where you shouldn't run into too much traffic.
posted by mosst at 9:28 AM on June 29, 2020
I'm not in Seattle anymore and not up-to-date on what's open COVID-wise, but if open, it's a good area for low-speed, low-pressure roads. The southern part of the park (the part that becomes 65th st, I think?) definitely has at least one good solid hill for driving up in an area where you shouldn't run into too much traffic.
posted by mosst at 9:28 AM on June 29, 2020
Response by poster: Good call on Magnuson. I've done teaching there as well, but I wasn't sure it would be accessible due to the pandemic. But now that we're in phase 2, it probably is. I'll check that out next time.
posted by Cogito at 11:12 PM on June 29, 2020
posted by Cogito at 11:12 PM on June 29, 2020
Response by poster: It may only be consistently deserted due to the pandemic, but we found that the SPU parking lot off Dravus to be an excellent place to practice with steep hills.
posted by Cogito at 10:28 AM on August 9, 2020
posted by Cogito at 10:28 AM on August 9, 2020
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posted by tipsyBumblebee at 4:29 AM on June 27, 2020 [1 favorite]