Can you drive a five speed?

I drove one from ages 16 to 34. I learned to drive on the blind curves and hills of Orinda and then on the frozen tundra of Alaska. Not much phases me driving -- parallel parking on hills with an approaching Cable Car? No big deal. Snow and ice in the dark? Been there, done that. Foreign countries with poorly labeled roads? Give me time and I can figure it out.

My theory is that if you are 35 or under then you probably cannot drive a manual transmission. Fess up.

I bought my first car when I was 24 and taught many people to drive it, including the friend I roadtripped with right after I got the keys. She told me she knew how to drive a stick. That didn't mean she could actually do it -- she just knew how it was done.

My girls' trip is just over a month away. A friend and I are traveling together, which means we fly in and then drive two hours, meeting up with the rest of our entourage at our non urban destination. I texted her:

Me: Can you drive a stick?

Her: Of course.

Me: I'm going to rent us a five speed. You can really drive one? Because we're going to share the driving on this trip.

Her: Yes, I can really drive one.

The only people I know with manual transmissions these days drive Porsches. I'm not sure The Pinks will ever learn to drive a stick. Will they need to?

I posed this question on Facebook. There have been 14 responses thus far. Twelve respondents are over 35 and can drive a stick. One respondent is over 35 and cannot. Friend's sister is under 35 and responded back: Not well.

I think I'm on to something here.