Automatic or straight shift in England?

I haven't had any trouble adjusting to driving on the other side (not wrong side) of the road, or shifting lefthanded. You generally only shift when starting and stopping, and for long periods you just drive without any shifting required. The shifting pattern is the same as here, not mirror opposite, so you don't have to completely relearn it. The only difference might be in how to locate "reverse". Before I drove in Ireland I had never driven in a roundabout, so it doesn't seem backwards to me, either (we don't have any where I live). In short, once you have driven for a couple of hours it should seem pretty comfortable. That being said, I prefer an automatic simply because it removes one layer of difficulty. If the price is vastly different, though, I will take a stick.

The stick being on the left isn't such a big deal (surprisingly). Not as much as where you are sitting and driving anyway.

I think it depends on whether you drive a stick at home. Years ago, I rented a stick shift because I was driving one every day, and I don't remember an 'adjustment' period to having the on shift the other side; it was easy. For an upcoming trip, I plan to pay the extra for an automatic because that's all I've driven for a number of years... adding remembering the clutch-shift routine to everything else involved is more than I want to deal with.

I may be in the minority but I won't even consider driving a manual shift transmission in England. It's worth every penny to me to rent an automatic. I'm okay with driving on the "wrong" side, although I need to consciously stay alert to the difference in traffic or at roundabouts or intersections. But adding the clutch and gear shift factor into the mix is very stressful to me. In addition to the side of the road and shifting factors, remember that all the road signs and road markings will be unfamiliar, the route will be unfamiliar, in fact everything you see will be unfamiliar. Unless manual shifting is second nature to you at home, I'd advise against it if you want to enjoy the drive. (And by the way, I learned to drive in a VW bug and drove it for years. I rented a manual shift on my first driving trip in England, white-knuckled my way around, and have only rented automatics since. What a difference, for me at least.)

Roy, I agree with the previous comments. Some people find it very easy to adjust to shifting with the left hand while others have more difficulty. As the others suggested, if one is used to driving a manual transmission at home, the adjustment is probably minimal. Although I'm quite capable of driving either type of transmission, I always prefer to rent an automatic when driving in the U.K., despite the added cost. The driving conditions are somewhat different (narrow roads, roundabouts and of course driving on the "correct side" of the road), so I prefer to eliminate the aspect of shifting so I can focus on traffic, etc. Cheers!

rent an automatic, that will enable you to concentrate more on driving. Although it is not too difficult to adjust to being on the wrong side it still is a change. Even with an automatic with a shift on the steering wheel, I found occassions where I would hit the lever to wash the windshield when i really wanted to reverse- in a hurry

I agree with those who say that if you regularly drive standard then you'll do fine in the UK and can save the money that requesting and automatic costs. The pedals are the same so the only difference is using your left hand. Also, some cars have a different way of getting into reverse. There's a ring around the stick shift that you lift up. That confused me for a while more than anything else. Sorry, I can't remember which car had that. Ed is so right about the muscle memory. I remember what happened the first time I came home after driving in the UK for about two weeks. I was picked up at the airport and stayed at my folks for the weekend. Then I got into my car for the first time and promptly slammed my left arm into the driver's door. LOL BTW I didn't have trouble with roundabouts. The tricky part for me was pulling out of parking lots and other places where I wasn't already obviously on the left side of the road. Just say your, "left, left, left" mantra every time you start the engine. ; ) Pam

If you're comfortable with stick shift, my advice is to go with that in England and save the money. As mentioned, the shifting pattern is the same. The clutch pedal is the same as well - left foot. So you only have to spend a minute or so before setting out to get the feel of using the left hand. You could even spend a few minutes tooling around the parking lot to get accustomed to it. A benefit to the stick shift is having the gear box on your left side is another reminder to "stay left."

Roy, it depends a bit on where you will be driving. If you are on highways, it probably won't be much of an issue. However, if you are in the Cotswolds or Cornwall where there are many very narrow roads with blind turns and hills, sudden adjustments and a lot of shifting would be required, not to speak of remembering to depress the clutch when stopping. I have always rented an automatic in order to eliminate one different procedure. On the first occasion, I was driving a stick at home.

Muscle memory is a wonderful thing. After a half-dozen runs through the pattern you won't even be aware of it - - unless you start thinking about it. Solution: never think.

I have answere this question several times before and I wish I would have kept it in some sort of archive for easy copy and pasting... The question IS NOT "could you" drive a stick shift in the UK shifting with your left hand. Of course you could - if you can do it here. You gradually get used to it. The relevant question is "SHOULD you", especially if you are new to the experience of being on the "wrong" side of the road, dealing with traffic circles, and the unusual signage used there. In my opinion - and in my experience - NO, you should not. I am very comfortable with manual transmissions here. I don't even think about what I'm doing with that right hand. But in the UK, you WILL be thinking about what you are doing with that left hand every time you shift. With all the other things there is to think about while driving in the UK for the first time, you really don't need to add that to the list. It would be the distraction equivalent of talking on a cell phone all the time while driving - particularly when downshifting while navigating traffic circles with a delivery truck crowding you on one side - blocking your view of the sign pointing you in the direction of York, which you will have to know ahead of time is the direction you want to go even if it is not the destination you want to get to - all the time wondering why the map bothers calling the road "42" when there is no mention anywhere on any sign for "42". The cost difference will be the best $100 you ever spent.

The trick to driving without problems in the UK is to begin away from any urban areas and forcing yourself to pay attention and think about what you are about to do. Trying to shift gears with your left hand is a distraction, even if you drive a stick back home. So, get an automatic. Use the extra mental energy trying to figure out the road signs. (Explanations of UK road signs and street markings are available on the web. Visitors should at least take a quick look.)

Thanks to all for the feedback. I am equally comfortable with manual shift and automatic, and I prefer straight shift in rental cars. But I am clumsy in everyday tasks with my left hand, so I will probably play it safe and go with an automatic in England.

I know you've made your decision, but I just wanted to add: I moved from N america to the UK about 14 years ago. I find driving here is much more complex (smaller, more crowded roads, a lot more traffic) and driving an automatic makes it just a bit easier. And safer, both for you and the other people on the road.
So I think you've made the right choice, and hope you have a wonderful trip.

You have to go with what you feel comfortable with. The notion though, that a stick shift "would be the distraction equivalent of talking on a cell phone all the time while driving" is hyperbole, to put it politely. 1000s of North Americans and Europeans do it every year without difficulty.

Wake up Tex, No one is talking about a stick shift being a problem while in your comfort zone. But a first time driver in the UK shifting with the wrong hand while trying to stay on the correct side of the road and interpret unusual signage is not anyone's comfort zone. Focus please, and remove chip from shoulder,

More "hyperbole" (anyone can pm me if you want to know the more appropriate words, but you can guess - lol). Driving in the UK and Ireland isn't that hard, folks. Enough said.

Totally agree with Randy's fifth paragraph description of driving in England for someone from the U.S.

Driving in the UK is not hard, but it can be stressful and trying for newbies. Why not reduce all that that on a vacation? After all, no one is keeping score. Have to agree, and chuckle, about the signs in roundabouts. If you are headed for D, you very often need to know that A, B, and C are on the way there, because you want see D signposted until you pass C. The lesson: In the U.S. you'd follow the road that gets you to your destination. In the UK. you need to follow the signs to your destination, and all the points in between. If you are out in the boonies after dark, don't count on being able to see the road signs all that well. First road trip I took in the UK, years ago, had me going from London down to Abergavenny in Wales. The sun set about two hours before I arrived and, I swear, all the road signs had black lettering on dark brown lumber.

We try to get an automatic. It used not to make a difference to us but on one particular trip the manual shift was so stiff it sometimes took two hands to to do it. Shift that is. Luckily this did not happen in a round about. Never-the-less.....

My first trip I rented an automatic. My next trip, I rented a manual. It wasn't any harder to drive the manual than the automatic - no adjustment period.

I've driven a "wrong side" standard transmission. It wasn't that hard to get used to. Some cars have the wiper controls on the right side of the steering wheel, others have it on the left. IMO it's about the same, you have to think a little about where the stick is at - but not much.

Our resident Fodorite strikes again!

If you are use to driving a manual, I think you will do fine. One thing I do before I go is ride with my son in his truck, sit in the passenger's side and shift the gears for him with my left hand. It doesn't take long for it to feel natural.

Be safer - go for the automatic. Also, there are websites with driving advice for the UK. Study them carefully before you depart.