European rental cars

Anybody got any tips? I need one in Ireland for a week and I don't know how to drive a stick shift, which means they want something in the neighborhood of $300-$400 for an automatic transmission as opposed to the low $200s for a stick.

 

Pay the extra for the auto transmission, and buy all the insurance you can afford. Driving in Ireland is..... special.

Also, do a thorough walk-around before and after the rental with the rep to be sure you get it in writing that you did no damage.

 

Low $200s for a week in Europe? That's a damn good deal.

 

"Look, kids: Big Ben, Parliament!"

 

Was there nine years ago and driving was indeed interesting.

 

I had fun tooling around France with a stick ... but I didn't drive in Paris. That might have been a challenge.
England was truly weird, driving on the wrong side of the road, but I got through that without incident. The only really awkward thing I did was in a crowded parking lot near Oxford. I was obviously in the way. My natural instincts to get out of the way took over and I did exactly the wrong thing. Made the situation worse and got a lot of angry looks from others in the lot.

 

For 200 smackers, I'd learn to drive the stick!

 

Believe me, it's crossed my mind. I just don't know anybody who has one. I can't imagine it's that difficult.

 

I drove in Ireland for a long weekend and had a blast, even though I got caught in a sheep traffic jam and in roundabout hell. Now, it'll be even more special because as I understand it, all the street signs are in Gaelic only. Good luck with that.

I drive a stick, and even I had to go back in and ask about the reverse thing. It's a bit weird, you actually have to straddle it with two fingers and pull up to put it in reverse. But once I got the hang of that, no worries. No problem adjusting to the left side thing.

It does help that the cars are the size of roller skates. Mine was purple and I referred to it as the gumdrop car.

But if you can't drive, just pay the extra money. You're probably going to have to pay a hefty insurance fee anyway and at that point it doesn't even matter.

I heartily recommend the hostel on the bay in Wicklow, south of Dublin.

 

rent a stick for a day before you go to learn. you're still coming out a head when you get over there.

 

Good point.

 

Learning to drive a stick is one of those things a guy should know. like making a decent martini.

Not that difficult.

I've driven in England a couple of times including right in and out of the centre of London.

The thing that screwed me up wasn't the wrong side of the road, but the roundabouts.