Instinctively reaching for a shift lever... is it just me?

[Traegorn]

So I'm literally just a few days into actually having my truck, and I love the crap out of this thing -- but every time I go to park the Maverick, I keep instinctively reaching for a shift lever to put it in park and grasping air. Then, hoping no one noticed, turning the knob to put it in park.

I can't be the only one who has done this.

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[Decayed]

You ain't alone. You will get used to it. Boy do I get confused when I drive our old explorer with the tree shifter!

 

[sanpablo]

So I'm literally just a few days into actually having my truck, and I love the crap out of this thing -- but every time I go to park the Maverick, I keep instinctively reaching for a shift lever to put it in park and grasping air. Then, hoping no one noticed, turning the knob to put it in park.

I can't be the only one who has done this.

I just watched a disturbing video on Youtube by "Pine Hollow Auto Diagnostics" about a 2017 Ford Fusion where the car was stuck in Park. Looks to have the same dial shifter as the Mav. Very complicated system. It was the transmission range control module. Doesn't make me feel warm and fuzzy about the dial shifter

 

[Michaelkov]

every time I go to park the Maverick, I keep instinctively reaching for a shift lever to put it in park.

No worries!

 

[OceanMan]

So I'm literally just a few days into actually having my truck, and I love the crap out of this thing -- but every time I go to park the Maverick, I keep instinctively reaching for a shift lever to put it in park and grasping air. Then, hoping no one noticed, turning the knob to put it in park.

I can't be the only one who has done this.

I've been driving a manual for 20 years. When I drive an auto, not only do I reach for the shifter, but I slam my left foot into the floor looking for the clutch!

 

[Traegorn]

I've been driving a manual for 20 years. When I drive an auto, not only do I reach for the shifter, but I slam my left foot into the floor looking for the clutch!

Yeah, never got around to learning stick -- I can only imagine what it's like looking for a ghost clutch

 

[commadorebob]

One of the biggest hurdles to moving to EV driving is getting used to one-pedal driving. That has put off a lot of older people simply because of those decades of muscle memory.

 

[Lynyrd Skynyrd]

Yeah, I don’t like it but it does have one advantage. Since the right hand feels lost the only logical place to hold onto is the steering wheel.
imagine that, two hands on the wheel?

 

[Stealth Raccoon]

My office got a then-new Fusion with the dial: the first time I got in to drive I was dumbfounded on what to do... literally took me 10 seconds of staring at the thing to wrap my brain around not having a shifter. I'm used to it now and it has its positives, it's grown on me.

I too grew up on driving a manual, still drive with two feet on an automatic.

 

[JBryant]

So I'm literally just a few days into actually having my truck, and I love the crap out of this thing -- but every time I go to park the Maverick, I keep instinctively reaching for a shift lever to put it in park and grasping air. Then, hoping no one noticed, turning the knob to put it in park.

I can't be the only one who has done this.

Really want confusion? Move from a RAM Lariat eco diesel with round knob on the dash. I wore out the left radio knob by turning it down every time I stopped. Still reach up there even after over 3 months.

 

[cj99x]

Most new vehicles have electric shift mechanisms, even with the handle there now. At least we don't have goofy buttons

 

[rlhdweman]

So I'm literally just a few days into actually having my truck, and I love the crap out of this thing -- but every time I go to park the Maverick, I keep instinctively reaching for a shift lever to put it in park and grasping air. Then, hoping no one noticed, turning the knob to put it in park.

I can't be the only one who has done this.

You are not alone, I occasionally turn on the wipers when trying to change gears, most of my cars had the shifter on the column for the last 40 years.

 

[OneAlienBoi]

So I'm literally just a few days into actually having my truck, and I love the crap out of this thing -- but every time I go to park the Maverick, I keep instinctively reaching for a shift lever to put it in park and grasping air. Then, hoping no one noticed, turning the knob to put it in park.

I can't be the only one who has done this.

Ah, the good ol' phantom lever effect. Trust me, virtually all of us have done this. I did it like three times . You'll get used to the dial after a few weeks most likely. I actually prefer it now. I know there's nothing wrong, but the mechanical clunk of using the lever always feels like you're going to break something imo. Kinda like how you can hear the sound of gears clicking a lot easier when you're standing outside of a vehicle and it sketches you out even if it's working just fine.

 

[rclee]

Yeah, when I drive my Element, I am reaching down where the knob would be in my Maverick.

 

[Traegorn]

Yeah, when I drive my Element, I am reaching down where the knob would be in my Maverick.

Yeah, I plan on still driving my Versa once a week to the grocery store (just to keep it in working order), and I wonder if I'll start going the other direction once the Maverick becomes my default.

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