A manual transmission control mechanism has a selector mechanism including a lever movable along a neutral path to a plurality of forward gear positions and a reverse gear position. The lever is rotatable from the neutral position to gear ratio selected positions. The control mechanism also includes an inhibitor mechanism having a lever which is spring-loaded into the path of the selector lever and is movable linearly, against the spring, through abutment with the selector lever when the selector lever is moved along the neutral path to the highest forward ratio and reverse ratio position. The spring mechanism returns the inhibitor lever to align with the selector lever when the selector lever is rotated to the highest forward gear ratio selected position. Rotation of the selector lever out of the highest gear ratio position to neutral results in contact with the inhibitor lever and causes rotation of the inhibitor lever against the spring mechanism into abutment with a wall thereby preventing rotation of the selector lever to the reverse gear ratio selected position prior to linear movement along the neutral path.