. You can let the clutch out easily but a person would not learn anything about the feel of the clutch. They are very handy to have, especially in stop and go lineups on an incline.
trucker, your reply contradicts itself. that is part of the teaching and accuiring the feel. you can't use the tricks of the trade until one first masters the trade (driving a stick is just like a trade)
you cant throughly teach someone how to drive a stick without throwing everything at them. starting with the basics of pulling out on the level and progressing to a hill going up and then down. which entails using first gear.
when i was getting qualified to drive the firetruck to the company i belong to many years ago, i already knew how to drive a stick. i had to go through all the basics with the instructor which included first gear everytime regardlesss of the terrain. i thought i knew everything then which i didnt. the same procedure that was used on me i use on anyone i teach and if theyre going to drive one of my trucks i run them through the paces as i was. when i have to do all the work on mine you will drive it as instructed. each to thier own.
