Would you drive a manual or automatic in Scotland?

[Brasscatz]

Alright fellers... For those of you who already drive a right hand drive vehicle on the left side of the road, please imagine the opposite ;)

My wife and I are going to Scotland this June and we've got everything but the rental car booked. I am excited about the trip, but I'll say it.... Scotland is for her. I'm just happy to travel abroad for the first time. The part that has me most excited is getting to drive over there. For me, the thought of driving a manual transmission in a RHD vehicle on the left side of the road, is another notch on my "want-to-experience" belt. I've grown up driving stick, still drive stick at work a LOT even though my Jeep is auto. I'm absolutely no stranger to manuals, but I know that EVERYTHING will be different than what I'm used to. I've read up on the roads and what to watch out for and what to do in Scotland, but I know actually doing it will be different.

My wife wants me to get an automatic so I can concentrate on all the funky differences, cliffs, narrow streets that are barely wide enough for ONE car, roundabouts, signs, etc. One of her fellow teachers who has been there suggests an automatic too. I still rebel, saying "I want to experience this". She puts the guilt trip on me saying that she wouldn't feel safe as a passenger..... which kinda gets at me because I feel like she doesn't have faith in my abilities.... which she swears isn't the case. (better not be ;))

This poll, my dear friends, I ask that you please state WHY you would suggest driving either one. Let me know if I'm truly underestimating the difficulties of driving in Scotland... There is no wrong answer here :thumbsup:

[cantab27]

what are ya renting...me i would go auto.....stop start stop start.....auto bro....but if ya renting a British 4 banger stick may be the shot........

[Brasscatz]

Really not sure what it'll be. Could be VW Passat, could be a peugeot something. I'm going for the next size up from "economy class". The good thing is that our air miles will pay for the rental (they'd better because they didn't pay for the **^%#& air fare!!!)

[Carves]

You only want to go to scotland ... so you can wear a skirt in public ... without all of Texas laughin at ya .. :p

:D


Auto would be the go I reckon laddie ... there might be an incident where you cant quickly get the left hand to do what the right hand normally does .. ;)

... and you'll be busy gawking out the windows at the scenery ... So reduce the stress levels and enjoy.


Having said that ... the constant reminder of the back the front stick changes - may help in reminding you which side of the road you should be on .. ;)



Say hi to nessie .....

[Brasscatz]

Aye, a kilt may be purchased, but doubtful that I won't get laughed at even over there! That is another good point, Carves... scenery. Would be nice to have one less thing to worry about.

Will say hi to Nessie ;) We'll be passing by there about mid-trip. We're apparently seeing MOST of the whole country in 9-10 days.

[cantab27]

hey carves hes gonna be one of us for a while...rhd yeah baby...like to see how many times to jump in the passengers side ready to drive ..oh shit steering wheels over there

[Brasscatz]

Yep... and I'll keep an eye on you when you're in Houston! BigJim will give me the details about the rest of your trip ;)

[Carves]

hey carves hes gonna be one of us for a while...rhd yeah baby...like to see how many times to jump in the passengers side ready to drive ..oh shit steering wheels over there

... bound to happen .. :D:D

... and when it does ... I do hope that the other member of the Clan Brasscatz ... will be able to provide a piccy of a confused texan, wearing a dress ... sitting in the wrong seat - looking for the steering wheel ... :D

[Brasscatz]

rofl indeed my friend! I know it'll happen at least once just because y'all said that! Tell you what.... if I'm in a particularly chipper mood over there... I may just have to pose for that exact pic and post it up here. I'll try not to give y'all an upskirt shot though... or what we call "the lindsay lohan pose"

[4x4Dalton]

rofl indeed my friend! I know it'll happen at least once just because y'all said that! Tell you what.... if I'm in a particularly chipper mood over there... I may just have to pose for that exact pic and post it up here. I'll try not to give y'all an upskirt shot though... or what we call "the lindsay lohan pose"

Ahhhh just see if they have a student driver car for rent. That way there's a steerin wheel on both sides :D


Sent from my bulletproof iPhone using the Flapmyjaws app :)

[4.3LXJ]

Will say hi to Nessie ;) We'll be passing by there about mid-trip. We're apparently seeing MOST of the whole country in 9-10 days.

Say Hi to Nessie

[Hum Wee JR]

I am the guy full of bad ideas and always perfecting the wrong way of doing things. That said, here's my thoughts. Reserve a stick shift, drive it for couple hours. Have some fun, get it out of your system scratch it off the bucket list. Pull a spark plug wire loose. Return the car, say its running poorly. Then get the automatic to replace it. Your happy, the wife is happy. Enjoy the rest of your trip.

Most likely poor advice, but I would toataly do it.

[4.3LXJ]

Yup, every fathers nightmare :D

[Brasscatz]

Great idea and I just might try it if I could! Unfortunately, this is going to be one of those pick up the rental car and head off to a new place a few hours away. :( It seems like the consensus is to just get the automatic, but next time we go I might demand a stick ;)

[prcjeep]

You could switch over after the first day or so, see if the next town you're going to has a rental place and switch...

I'm with you on the stick shift. I think you might do the oops wrong side thing a couple a times and maybe when you get in the car, but youll be reminded constatly as you're driving down the wrong side of the road and on the wrong side of the car...

[XJ Wheeler]

Aye, no kilt shots laddie. Can't handle that horror.

I was for the stick, but the part Carves said about the left hand quickly needing to do what the right hand does flipped me. I would get the auto and head over to a dealer and test drive a stick (or many). :D

[LizardRunner]

An Auto will be the way to go. As for the kilt, be ready to lay out about 1000.00 and BTW, they don't wear them except for very special occassions these days, and you would need a sporin, belt, socks, garters, tags, shoes and a shirt with jacket to have the full setup. When your at the pub you order single malt whiskey or a pint expect the beer to be warmish compared to US standard ice cold beer. And be nice and call your self a yank not an american, they will already know that by your lack of brouge. Rain is considered fair weather. Oh and most importantly, have heaps of fun.

[olds-cool]

I've thought about things like this before when remote possibilites of going over seas have come up. Most of the cars I'd like to drive are best with a manual trans. Always wondered if the shift pattern was the same as a US model. I'm just not sure if I could get my mind to work backwards for a week or 2 and make my left hand do the shifting. You know what they say, never let the left hand know...
These guys have brought up some good points about scenery and sticky situations. My only argument against that would be that most of the time you'll be in 5/6th gear (depending on the car) and won't have to worry about shifting anyways. I think I'd still go auto anyways, one less thing to worry about when driving in a strange place.

[fuji11x]

If you're going North then the tight winding roads are best with a stick - even though up & down the box is a real pain. You are going to want to max out on the views though, so I guess an auto is less hassle when there are other distractions! My own XJ is a stick and when I'm on these roads the engine really drinks it. ($8/gallon :sad0147:).
Happy travels when you reach here.:driving:

[Brasscatz]

Thanks buddy! We are in fact going to be all over starting in Edinburgh and stopping in a bunch of towns all the way up to Inverness and back down a different way. Trip will be in late June, so if you're in those areas from Troon, let me know and maybe we can meet up! Thanks again for the info :thumbsup:

[MauriceNZ]

Try driving stick for the experience, that's what holidays are about.
Stick is weird if you are a natural right-hand person. If you are naturally left-handed (writing, holding hammer etc) changing gears in a RHD stick shift will feel like heaven.