A question for my US friends

[karohemd]

or European friends who've hired a car in the US.

How difficult is it to find a rental car with manual transmission?
I suddenly had a vision of me sitting in a car in a huge car park, not knowing what to do (like Hiro in the last episode) and then after I figured out how to make it go, hitting the brake constantly while trying to find the non-existent clutch...

The reason being, I want to go to ICC this year with it being in Nashville (another of my dream destinations) and all.

ETA: However, I'm pleased with the reasonable prices. Looks like I can get a nice car for around 170 bucks a week, that's 25 a day, so what, 13 quid?

Comments

[bibliogirl.livejournal.com]

I have never been offered the option of a manual car when renting a car in the US. However, I also haven't found it hard to drive an automatic after the first few minutes -- while rotwang's current car is an automatic, we both drove one in the US long before he got one here.

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

*nods* OK, thanks!
My main issue is that I don't want to think about how to operate the car while I'm trying to find where I'm supposed to be going.

[the-magician.livejournal.com]

Not impossible, but they are fairly rare.

Automatics I find very easy to drive, but then I first learned to drive on one, so I'm not typical.

It's just like driving a standard car, except for two things:

1) you put it into "D" to engage forward motion, "R" for reverse, "N" to have it coast (Neutral, like pressing the clutch pedal all the way down) and "P" to lock the transmission (Park)

2) To get it out of Park and into Drive or Reverse, you must have your foot on the brake.

There will also be the numbers "1" and "2" (or sometimes D1 and D2) which are lower ratio gears, for pulling heavy loads or when stuck in mud or snow. Basically never use them!

When you put the car in drive (remember, you will have your foot on the brake to do this!) the car is ready to move forward, taking your foot off the brake will cause the car to move (that may surprise you the first time, as you haven't touched the accelerator yet!) and it's nearly impossible to stall an automatic. If you happen to, put the car in Neutral (it will only start in Park or Neutral) and restart the car. The same is true of reverse, as soon as you take your foot off the brake, the tickover revs are enough to start the car moving in reverse.

DO NOT PUT IT IN "PARK" IF YOU ARE MOVING. Park locks the transmission and at best you will get a sudden whiplash as the car instantly stops moving, at worst you'll ruin the gearbox.

Only use your right foot (like you should in a manual car), this will (mostly) stop you using the missing clutch.

Other tips: When you're driving, leave the car in "D" the whole time, don't put it in Neutral or Park at the lights, just keep your foot on the brake (this isn't a rule, but it is how most people are taught to drive an automatic). When you've parked, put the car in "P" (Park) because that's the only position in which you can remove the key from the steering column!
Even with the car in "P" remember to use the parking brake (conversely, when you're about to pull away, remember to release the parking brake!)

Nashville is cool. I've only been there briefly (one evening) but the bars are good, and the acts change every half hour or so and work their way along from bar to bar so you can sit and hear a bunch of different music quite easily.

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

Thanks for those tips. I know about the car moving without using the accelerator, which is one of the things I'm a bit apprehensive about.
As I'll be on my own, I need to concentrate on where I'm going without having to think about how to operate the vehicle. At least I have a left-hand drive car here so that won't be a problem.
I guess I'll go around the car park a couple of times before leaving. ;o)

Cool! I thought it would be like that.
Any insider tips for which bars to visit? Not the tourist traps but the places where the locals go, basically the equivalent of Frenchman St. in New Orleans.

[dougs.livejournal.com]

Not to do with automatic/manual transmission, but you might enjoy this (http://dougs.livejournal.com/311034.html).

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

Heh, oh dear. Well, I have a "real" credit card so that shouldn't be a problem.

[kcontheroad.livejournal.com]

I grew up using a manual and had no issues using an automatic the first time. Contact the companies and ask, but my bet is that it will be hard to find a manual.

Are you going to be anywhere near Washington, DC as you pass through to The South? That is, anywhere I could show you around? Have you to dinner?

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

I have a maximum of two weeks (which means 10 or 11 days in the US) and intend to stay in Nashville for at least five days, then scoot down to Birmingham, AL for a weekend so I won't have the time to go as far as DC, I'm afraid. :o(

[kcontheroad.livejournal.com]

Maybe next time. It's a fun city to explore.

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

DC is on my list. I know at least another pair of people there.
So is NYC, Chicago, St. Louis again (to visit friends) and other places.
My dream US holiday (after a small lottery win) is taking out as much time as a tourist visa lasts, hiring a '69 Mustang and exploring as much of the old Route 66 as possible, from start to end.

[kcontheroad.livejournal.com]

I've done a fair bit of traveling in my day (though I've yet to make it to Antarctica - I'm so envious!) and of all the cities in the USA, I recommend San Francisco and Boston as the most 'user friendly.' NYC is horrifically expensive, dirty, and draining. There's a lot to see and do, but if I were planning a tour for some one from another country, I'd leave it off if I could. Los Angeles is another you could give a pass.

Americans are teased for their '14 capitals in 11 days' style tours, but it goes the other way, too. Some one who comes to the US, sees only New York and goes home to say, "I know what the US is like" is completely crazy. Your idea of a road trip along Route 66 is a good one.

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

I haven't been to SF but want to, have been to Boston, liked it and want to go back (first time seeing real snow again for years was good). I've been to LA but only did a short walk around Hollywood (and the bloody Chinese Theater was hidden behind scaffolding so I didn't even see that).

I guess NYC is one of those places you need to have seen, main interest in Chicago is music and architecture but the "real America" fascinates me, hence the road trip idea this year.

I will be asking for all kinds of advice about travelling in the US in the next couple of months.

[compilerbitch.livejournal.com]

It's unlikely that you'll find a manual car here, unless you spend huge $$$$ and hire a Ferrari or something. As other people have said, driving an automatic is pretty straightforward. You point it in the direction you want to go with the steering wheel, and you have one pedal for faster and one for slower. It's so easy that even Americans can manage it. :-P

One thing to be aware of, though, is that hire quotes usually don't include insurance, which can often double the price. Just keep an eye on that one. It's mostly because people usually use their own personal car insurance, or have a company-wide policy that covers all employees for hire car use, so buying insurance from the rental company isn't necessarily the norm here.

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

*nods*

Oh, many thanks for that hint about insurance.

[gbsteve.livejournal.com]

Automatics are so much easier to drive. Once you've worked out that you need to press the brake to get it out of park, the rest is a doddle. And once you've mastered cruise control you can drive 200 miles with both feet on the floor.

We went to Nashville two years ago. It's OK but there's not much to keep you there for very long. The Country Music Hall of Fame is excellent, even for me and I'm no fan and the Grand Ole Opry was good too. But Memphis isn't too far and better.

Mammoth Cave in South Kentucky is well worth a detour too.

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

Memphis is definitely on my to-do-list while I'm in Tennessee.

Ooh, thanks for the tip about the Mammoth Cave.

I think my cornerstones are going to be Atlanta (the biggest airport around there, I think), Birmingham (AL), Nashville, Charlotte (NC) to visit xambrius if he's amiable to the idea and back to Atlanta. Should be doable.

[fractalgeek.livejournal.com]

Yes, beware parking brakes, and how to release the key... apart from that, I find it quicker and easier to adapt to an automatic, rather than a wrong-side manual (which I have done in italy).

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

I assume the parking brake is not the European style lever on the centre console (like in Mercs)?
Well, the side will be the same for me, which is one advantage.

[pengshui-master.livejournal.com]

None have the auotmatic , (I've had auto's as my main car for about 8-9 years now) I've driven here in the UK have ever trapped the ignition key.

My experience when changing between autos and manauls is that is is relatively easy to change to an auto, the one point nobody else has said is you must really remember no to use your left foot. Trap your leg behind something..., and just when you think you mastered it. Make sure not to forgoet to forget the left leg.

The reason, well paerhaps a story will illustate best. When I got my first auto, I got it mid week and was working from home. I planned to take it out slowly at the weekend to get the feel for it but was called out to a client site at an emergency. So I had to use the new car. No problems driving at all, untill I was about 300yard from my home again on the return journey when I forgot not to use the left foot, and put the clutch down comig up to a rounadabout..., of course it wasn't the cluth I put down as the car didn't have one it was the brake - I stopped quite suddenly surprised the polic car behind me.

Not that i was waved down or anything.

These days we operate a fleet of vechiles and only have one auto so I am always swapping between autos and manuals, and going to manual is the one that throws you most - and you will meet this coming home - when you need to rememer to use the clutch when pausing at junctions. Remembering to change gear properly isn't difficult - It;s the slow cruise to a halt under braking that throws you.

Occansionaly the brake is a clutch thing still hits me going from manual to auto but it is quite rare.

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

Your first sentence makes no sense whatsoever. ;o)

I think I'm going to tie my left foot to the seat or something...

It;s the slow cruise to a halt under braking that throws you.
That would depend on the brakes or are you saying that automatic cars brake more quickly? I can't quite believe that.

[pengshui-master.livejournal.com]

Your first sentence makes no sense whatsoever. ;o)
Hmm. No it doesn't , It should have read:-
None of the auotmatics I've driven here in the UK have ever trapped the ignition key.

That would depend on the brakes or are you saying that automatic cars brake more quickly?
No. Although it the case my first auto it did have much better brakes than my previous car, since I'd move up from a old renault 5 to a exceutive car.

But my point was you'll end up push down on the brake pedal `thinking' it was the clutch. ie. You got your right foot on brake pedal slowing you down and suddenly you feel the need to engage the clutch with your left foot. It will find the brake pedal.

You tend to engage to clutch faster than the brake. Trust me . It will bring to a sharp halt.

This tends to catch you out when you relax and think you got auto's sussed.

Does that make more sense?

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

Yes, it does. :o)