but at age 76 I can tell my skills are not quite what they used to be. And I still drive a stick, which I think is good.

Personally, I am hoping to move into independent/assisted living in the foreseeable future.

I tried learning stick many yrs ago

other than when I drive a car and am forced into an automatic.

A stick is not hard to learn, not really. Like any new skill, it just takes time.

I also remember the time I politely asked a co-worker if I could drive his car from work to the bar we went to. Excuse me! I took my foot off the brake and the car immediately started moving. I don't think that's very safe.

Perhaps the best reason to drive a stick is that I sincerely doubt my car will ever be stolen from me. Or that the thieves would get even half a block. Recently someone asked me why I didn't lock the outside door to my garage, expressing a fear of car theft) and I just laughed.

I will say that some years ago I drove my son and a couple of his friends to a school event, and the friends were very impressed that I could drive a stick.

“gift” all my anxiety to the other drivers on the road…hell, i’ve got insurance.

No handicapped spaces available. A few drivers thought backing up was their right of way

My driving anxiety has been with me since I started driving when I was sixteen … and I’m seventy now. The only thing I’ve found that helps is to treat my anxiety like a young child who is frightened. I tell her I love and accept her and invite her to come along whenever I drive. I find that when I fight the anxiety or try to ignore it, it just gets worse. I actually set in my car and have these accepting and loving conversations with myself before I drive anywhere, so people might think I’m odd. And that’s okay with me.

Parking is my worst thing, by the way. We have a big van and I haven’t learned how wide the thing is yet. I miss my small Toyota!

that I am not the only one who has this.