Renting a Car in England

No, you do not need an International Driving Permit. It's sole purpose is to provide the police in other countries your driver's information in their language. American English is close enough to the Queen's English.

Thanks Bob! That is what it seemed like but I wanted a second opinion.

Do go on YouTube and watch some of the videos put out by British driving schools, especially the ones on how to do roundabouts. We find it very rewarding to drive in the UK, but the difference is more than just being in a manual transmission car on the other side of the road.

Good idea I appreciate it. :)

Please read the Highway Code before you drive over here:

https://www.gov.uk/browse/driving/highway-code-road-safety

Unless you’re comfortable shifting with your left hand, reserve an automatic. It makes life easier. It doesn’t take long to adjust to driving on the left. It does take a little longer to learn to maneuver the roundabouts properly. Not certain where you plan on visiting, but as you get into Cornwall, the roads are narrow and windy. It also seems there are bushes/hedges lining the roads, but be careful since there are rock walls behind those hedges. In some places (mostly in the country) you may encounter a road that will be one lane but service traffic for both directions. Be patient and work with oncoming traffic. Somebody will have to pull over or back up so the other direction can pass. Enjoy the experience.

I may have to think about the manual situation. I have been back and forth on that. I only plan on being in Kent area. Dover, Hastings, and Hever, so the roads shouldn't be too bad. I was just going to train it but in the end the cost and time it makes sense to rent a car. If I was just staying in London or just Hever I would do the trains but I want to see Hastings and maybe go back to Dover.

The roads are good in that part of the country. I always get a rental so I can go where I want, when I want, without restrictions. I do however, still get an automatic. There are a lot of nice towns in that part of the country; Canterbury, Margate, Ramgate, Battle (Hastings), and Rye. Many are short stops and can easily be fit into an itinerary. In addition to the castle, Dover also has the cliffs and the WWII tunnels. If you get over to Portsmouth, visit the navy yard. Very much worth a stop. Have an enjoyable trip.

Several years ago I drove in Ireland. I have driven a standard shift car most of my life. I did not have any problem with shifting with my left hand. The roundabouts took a little getting used to. The one problem I did have was looking the wrong direction for the mirror. Did not get used to that even after 2 weeks. Oh, Ireland also had those 1 lane, two way roads with solid rock walls, covered by plants, on each side of the road. They looked soft but were definitely hard. It was fun when you met a farm tractor coming the other way or a herd of sheep.

For my last two trips I've rented a car, each time with a clutch.

I'm in London now having arrived following a lovely sojourn in Lyme Regis. Last year's it was the Cotswolds first then London.

Each auto I've rented ( once with Hertz, this year with Budget) has been manual and I'm going to tell you That apparently there are people who say they can drive a clutch but can't and so you could get a vehicle with a damaged gear box liked I did in 2016..

First car I got last year looked brand new and the odometer read 743 miles. It was a Puegot. I've been driving a manual shift since 1965 so no comments about woman can't drive....1st gear was tight, 2nd - 5th fine. However, that smell you get when you've left the brake on wafted through the vehicle. Brake was not on so I continued. As I drove into Winchcombe where I was staying there was a slight grade at a T intersection where u had to stop. It was the main drag. I was behind one car, slowed, stopped. Put car in neutral as pedestrians were crossing in front of the first vehicle. They turned and I went to engage the clutch. Wouldn't engage in any gear.

Not wanting " to be the older female yank who couldn't drive a clutch.," I put on the parking brake and politely asked the male driver who was scowling behind me to see if he could get my car in gear. There we now 3 cars behind us. Teeny road. He got in the car and lo and behold discovered what I already knew gear box sucked. He tried and tried. Car would not go into to gear.

The solution, my profusely apologizing to the drivers behind us and asking them to back up. Oddly the car would go into reverse and as soon as I was on level ground the clutch engaged. Took the long road back into town.

Called AAA. Nice driver came out, popped the hood, jostled a few things, hopped inside, depressed the clutch and said I needed a new car. It was late. We arranged an early morning meet up.

Next morning clutch engaged, although as loose as it could be and I drove behind him to a dealership in Cheltenham, dropped off the car and then rode with him to a small Hetrz dealership outside the city and within 30 minutes was in a new vehicle ( still a clutch) that shifted smoothly. Never got a bill for the first car. In fact not one question was asked by the man at the dealership. He just had me sign that I'd left it there.

The car was a bright nearly aqua blue manual compact. I named it Prince Valiant it and it drove like a charm.

If you have ANY qualms about driving with a clutch then DONT do it. Cough up the xtra money for an automatic. If you do get the clutch take time before you leave the rental place to test the gear box.

Lastly, if you do get a Puegot understand that to engage in reverse you pull the gear shift UP.

Claudia,

I loved your post!! gave me a chuckle!

Regarding going into reverse - I've rented about 50 cars in the past few years, here, and I don't think ANY brand has the same way to put a car into reverse! Nor to open the fuel tank!

On driving a manual for those reading these comments: I've discovered living here that the manual transmission has come a long way since 1976 when I learned how to drive! The car I had from EuropCar last month, if you were on a hill and had to stop, DID NOT DRIFT BACKWARDS when putting the car in gear! Amazing! It's some sort of safely mechanism....

Also - MANY cars in Europe, when you stop at a light -- turn off!!! The first few times that happens everyone freaks a bit. It's an environmental thing, so you're not burning fuel while stopped. So be prepared that, as you drive out of the lot, the car might turn off!! It takes some getting used to!

Susan
ExPat living in Ireland.

You can usually turn the start/stop function off if you want to.

In my car - dunno about others - the car has to be fully stopped, the gear in neutral and clutch pedal up. As soon as the clutch is depressed the engine comes back on, shift into first and away you go! Easy. And saves buckets of fuel where I drive.