Teen Carjackers Thwarted By Stick Shift

They couldn’t manage that third pedal.

It happened yet again: two teens tried carjacking a man in the Washington, D.C. area couldn’t get away with the vehicle because it has a manual transmission. We’ve seen this happen over and over, plus had people tell us stories about what a wonderful anti-theft device a stick shift is these days, confirming that if you have one you’re far less likely to fall victim to theft.

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In surveillance video of the incident, we can see the thwarted heist went down at a gas station, like so many do these days. The two teens ran up to the victim’s car as he was finishing up at the pump and getting inside. Using their numbers to their advantage, the would-be thieves forced the driver’s door open, then pulled him out of the vehicle.

Successfully getting the owner out of the sedan, the teens hop into the front seats, close the doors, but then hop right back out. It looks like they didn’t even try to mess with the stick shift and clutch pedal, likely realizing they have absolutely no idea how to handle them.

Sadly, the art of driving with three pedals and a stick shift seems to be dying. Pretty much only enthusiasts seem to be keeping it alive, and maybe the occasional person who wants a deal on a commuter car. That’s a real shame because there are many benefits to driving a manual.

You enjoy greater control over engine revs and thus how the car behaves in different situations. This forces you to pay more attention to what’s going on. Plus, you can’t hold anything and drive a stick shift since one hand is required for the shifter and the other for the steering wheel. That means distracted driving is pretty much out of the picture, something more people need these days.

Instead, modern drivers are absolutely in love with convenience what with all kinds of cameras and sensors which supposedly are watching out for other cars, lane lines, etc. We think all this technology has made people lazy and worse drivers, leading to more accidents and on-road fatalities. It’s sad to think the solution is so simple yet most people would pitch a fit over it.

Finally, with people so resistant to learning stick, it does make for a great theft deterrent. Just watch how fast these two punk teens give up on stealing the car in the video.

Images via YouTube