I never realised that I have a skill that kids today have no clue about.

Every time some young whipper snapper gets snippy with me about a phone app, I just bring up the 3rd pedal.

It baffles me that kids don't know how to drive a stick shift. When I took drivers-ed half the cars were manual. Go ahead. Try imagining parallel parking with a clutch. Yea. Just go ahead and ram the car behind you.

In Nashville last week, a couple of teens tried really hard to carjack a vehicle. They stole the keys, and jumped in someone's car. Then, after a few minutes, they jumped back out and ran away. It seems the 3rd pedal was too much to overcome. They were later arrested on foot.

I used to teach people in the Army how to drive a stick. Young soldiers would have to rent a car to go and pick-up their family from the airport but, the only cars at the rental store were manuals. I would go pick up the cars with them, take them to some back road and see if they had any rhythm.

"Press the clutch in. Yes, the 3rd pedal. Put the stick in the "1" position. Now lift your foot slowly off the clutch. When you feel the car start to move, put a little pressure on the gas pedal. So when one foot comes off a pedal the other foot goes down on one. Once you start moving, take your foot off the gas, step on the clutch, slam the gear shift to the number "2", release the clutch, press the gas."

We would buck, rock, and stall a few times, but then they'd pick it right up. You take corners in 2nd gear and the rest is feel. After about an hour they were ready to hit the Autobahn. The wives would be so impressed.

These days the cars have dials. Dials! WTF! You go to change the radio and blow your transmission as you throw yourself into Park. Bring back the 3rd pedal, please.

More From KLTD-FM