You can learn to drive stick in 20 minutes with the right teaching approach.

I learned in about 10 minutes, with my brother teaching me… Not exactly the teacher of choice. And these were cars without tachometers or hydraulic clutches.

The key is learning how the clutch engages, where it’s “catch point” is. Using the “No throttle” method, people pick it up, fast.

Plus with cars today you don’t have to rely on downshifting to slow down - Brakes are just that advanced now (though you still want to brake in short cycles for long downhills to prevent overheating).