Learn to drive or learn to follow the legal rules legally?
I started learning how to drive pushing mom's '83 Ford Escort out the driveway and starting it down the road after they were asleep and joy riding at 14 years of age with my brother.
I started driving legally in a '79 Ford Fairmont Futura (Dad's car he kept for me after getting a company car) which the brake lines split on me and I put it into a wall with no brakes. I acquired use of said Ford Escort when my parents bought the Cavalier.
The Escort was gifted to me outright for my high school graduation present and I promptly traded it for my first manual, an '85 Ford Escort. Dad asked me on the test drive if I knew how to drive it. I said, "nope" and pulled out on the road. Had no problems.
Aside from taking over my wife's car for 2 years because I had to prematurely get rid of my rotten frame Tacoma and bought her something, I have 27 out of 29 years with a manual and my current car is a manual. They are getting very difficult to find anymore. I love driving and I'm not looking forward to my first car appliance and the ridiculous cost of them. I can't think of a single decent every day driver car out there that is worth the money they want for them.
I do understand I am a very small minority. My first and only priority is how the vehicle drives, not how pretty it is or how much worthless tech is in it. Lights, visibility, driveability, seating position, power, and handling are my priorities. I wish I could get a car without any electronic computerized wizardry in it, including all the safety crap that makes it more dangerous for those of us who do actually drive and not just guide our cars around staring at our phones.