Well, most cars in the UK are stick shift. So if you rent a car, ahem, hire a car, be prepared to drive stick.
I'm on business travel and I did my best to hire an automatic car. I arrived at the airport, the hire agency was closed but the keys were right there waiting for me. I walked outside, pressed the remote lock button several times and found the car. Guess what, it's a manual. Oh no.
So, what do you do? Everything is closed, it's a small private airport in the middle of no where. Well, how hard can it be? Let's try to drive this thing. It's probably not safe to learn this way, but I felt stranded. I started the car, although it had to tell me to press the clutch to do even that. I popped it in first gear and stalled. Ok, maybe more brake and less gas, nope, stall again. Maybe neutral, nope. Well I'm about out if ideas and if I can't even start moving, how would I safely downshift on a real road.
Ok, so now what. Google how to drive stick? Maybe but still, prob just not safe, and of course now the rain starts. Text the wife, she'll save the day. She helped me relax and looked up a taxi number. Wait, I have to drive an hour away, more like 1.5 hours, and they might only take cash, it's gonna be crazy expensive. Hmm...
Ok, deep breath, there's gotta be something. I walked back to the terminal, hoping anyone would be there. The door was locked but I knocked and sure enough someone came out! She let me in and I explained my embarrassing sob story. She agreed the taxi would be expensive and only cash, so she recommended the closest hotel, then to call the hire company in the morning. She then went out if her way to call the hotel, book me a room, even asked for breakfast and the company rate?! She had to hand me the phone for final details and the hotel told me it's only a 20 minute walk. Well c'mon, I walk in sets of 4-8 hours, so that's no problem.
Google maps gave me great walking directions but I had been to this hotel before so I knew it was on back country roads, probably not good to walk in the pitch black, pouring rain. The woman there said, I can clock out in 20 minutes, how about if you get a drink and I'll drive you. Amazing.
So I waited right there patiently, I called my original hotel for the night and tried to cancel. It was too late, they would have charged me the full rate anyway, so I had to keep it. Better than an expensive taxi, I guess.
The incredibly helpful woman dropped me off, I got a meal and went straight to bed.
The tie to km is pretty fascinating here. The lady helped me learn how to drive stick while she drove me, plus I used google, wikihow, and YouTube. The lady helped me understand the nuances that weren't mentioned online. Worst case I might still try the manual tomorrow because otherwise I'm not exactly sure how I'll get up there. Driving a clutch might start being one of the tacit knowledge examples I use along with hitting a curve ball, tying your shoes and baking with a recipe.
Wish me luck!
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