Addressing 1 and 5, I honestly think you’re a better person if you don’t get comfortable with driving. Ever. One of the main points of the book Traffic was that being comfortable is often more dangerous than being at high alert. Granted, you can’t always be in panic mode, but once you have learned to drive, just use the car as a tool to get things you want done, and embrace your fear. Make habits that contribute to being a better driver, like always looking at your blind spot, always go the speed limit, don’t brake so hard that a person’s head would jerk forward (unless you have to!). And maybe set challenges for yourself, both for fun and to keep you paying attention to the road. I like to pretend that I’m in a space ship with very limited fuel, so I accelerate and brake as infrequently as I can.
As for 2 and 4, maybe you can get help learning from the parent of a friend. It will be awkward, but it will help to limit emotional issues clouding the learning process because you are on your dealing-with-strangers behavior mode.
Finally, I don’t have a lot to say about manual cars. They are indeed a pain in the ass, and if you don’t think you can handle them now, then maybe you shouldn’t start with them. But if you care about Black Swan events, it might be a good idea to learn how to use one after you’ve learned automatic, just in case you’re on a road trip with a friend, who is driving a manual, and the friend has an emergency, and you need to get them to the hospital. Or whatever.
Addressing 1 and 5, I honestly think you’re a better person if you don’t get comfortable with driving. Ever. One of the main points of the book Traffic was that being comfortable is often more dangerous than being at high alert. Granted, you can’t always be in panic mode, but once you have learned to drive, just use the car as a tool to get things you want done, and embrace your fear. Make habits that contribute to being a better driver, like always looking at your blind spot, always go the speed limit, don’t brake so hard that a person’s head would jerk forward (unless you have to!). And maybe set challenges for yourself, both for fun and to keep you paying attention to the road. I like to pretend that I’m in a space ship with very limited fuel, so I accelerate and brake as infrequently as I can.
As for 2 and 4, maybe you can get help learning from the parent of a friend. It will be awkward, but it will help to limit emotional issues clouding the learning process because you are on your dealing-with-strangers behavior mode.
Finally, I don’t have a lot to say about manual cars. They are indeed a pain in the ass, and if you don’t think you can handle them now, then maybe you shouldn’t start with them. But if you care about Black Swan events, it might be a good idea to learn how to use one after you’ve learned automatic, just in case you’re on a road trip with a friend, who is driving a manual, and the friend has an emergency, and you need to get them to the hospital. Or whatever.