Visitors to the uk be warned

**Rama4390** · 2nd July 25, 03:24 PM

Nothing to do with kilting of course, but I appreciate Jock's warning and have enjoyed the conversation. I've decided against hiring a car for my upcoming trip to Scotland and have booked a small group tour for the limited free time that I have.

There is a region in Eastern Australia not far from where I live where lots of fruit is grown and a lot of European backpackers are employed to pick it. Following a spike in road accidents attributed to European drivers driving on the wrong side of the road over a decade ago a lot of work has gone into signage, road marking and education in the region. From what I have heard it has been successful. I am a Civil Engineer for the adjacent Local Government area, so these issues are of particular interest to me.

In Australia we drive on the Left Hand side of the road, so I'm not too concerned about my upcoming visit to Scotland, but have experienced the need to concentrate and remember where you are when visiting the USA, Mexico & France.

I grew up driving a manual with the shifter on my left so it comes naturally to me, but have driven a couple of vehicles with the shifter on the right. My father in law has a WWII Jeep which is Left Hand Drive. My Father has a collection of historic cars, which are all Right Hand Drive, but two of them have the shifter on the Right Hand side in the doorway. A 1917 Buick tourer and a 1951 Bentley.

**CBH** · 2nd July 25, 05:07 PM

Originally Posted by Rama4390

I grew up driving a manual with the shifter on my left so it comes naturally to me, but have driven a couple of vehicles with the shifter on the right. My father in law has a WWII Jeep which is Left Hand Drive. My Father has a collection of historic cars, which are all Right Hand Drive, but two of them have the shifter on the Right Hand side in the doorway. A 1917 Buick tourer and a 1951 Bentley.

The thing I could not get past when shifting with the left hand, is that the shift pattern itself is not reversed. 1st gear is closest to the driver on LHD cars in America and Europe. But when sitting on the right side of the vehicle, the lowest gears are furthest away. That just never felt right.

Can manual transmission vehicles still be rented in the UK or Europe ? I haven't tried renting a car there in 20 years.

**Rama4390** · 2nd July 25, 05:39 PM

Originally Posted by CBH

The thing I could not get past when shifting with the left hand, is that the shift pattern itself is not reversed. 1st gear is closest to the driver on LHD cars in America and Europe. But when sitting on the right side of the vehicle, the lowest gears are furthest away. That just never felt right.

Can manual transmission vehicles still be rented in the UK or Europe ? I haven't tried renting a car there in 20 years.

The other quirk of Dad's three vintage Buicks is that the three speed shift pattern is the opposite to the modern H pattern. First gear and Reverse are on the Right Hand side of the pattern.

There were lots of manual transmission cars available for hire when I looked.

**SF Jeff** · 24th July 25, 10:44 AM

Originally Posted by CBH

The thing I could not get past when shifting with the left hand, is that the shift pattern itself is not reversed. 1st gear is closest to the driver on LHD cars in America and Europe. But when sitting on the right side of the vehicle, the lowest gears are furthest away. That just never felt right.

I think that's what made it so easy for me, no new pattern to learn. The engrained muscle memory did all the work and I didn't even have to think about it. Learning a new shift pattern would have taken longer and probably done some damage to the transmission as well.

**stickman** · 24th July 25, 11:20 AM

Originally Posted by SF Jeff

I think that's what made it so easy for me, no new pattern to learn. The engrained muscle memory did all the work and I didn't even have to think about it. Learning a new shift pattern would have taken longer and probably done some damage to the transmission as well.

You haven’t driven in England till you’ve driven over Hard knot pass and Wrynose pass both in the Lake District. Look them. By the way there’s a Roman fort you can see up Hard Knot.

**CBH** · 24th July 25, 03:00 PM

I'm very impressed that you and your girl drive your stick-shift car !!

**OC Richard** · 3rd July 25, 04:24 PM

Originally Posted by Rama4390

I grew up driving a manual with the shifter on my left so it comes naturally to me, but have driven a couple of vehicles with the shifter on the right. My father-in-law has a WWII Jeep which is Left Hand Drive.

Interesting! In like manner my father used to drive an English car here in the US so he was ambidextrous in that way. Too bad he sold it before I started driving- I would have learned to drive that way from the get-go.

**SF Jeff** · 24th July 25, 10:37 AM

For my first trip to the UK, my then-girlfriend and I rented cars in Ireland Scotland and England. Automatics were twice as expensive to rent as manuals so we rented sticks. To prepare, I started practising my left hand shift. She and I carpooled to work back then and she would drive and I would sit in the passenger seat and shift with my left hand (obviously she worked the clutch with her left foot). Surprisingly it was very intuitive and easy, almost no adjustment time at all. We did not practise driving on the left side of the road.