Donna, I don't know if it's true in all British cars, but the several I drove, mostly in the 1970s and 1980s when I lived in the UK, the pedals had the same configuration as those of U.S. cars.

The gas pedal (accelerator) was controlled by the right foot in both. The gas pedal in the British cars was nearest to the right-hand 'driver's side' door. The brake was next to the accelerator and was also controlled by the right foot. In cars with manual transmissions and thus having clutches, the clutch was to the left of the brake (nearest to the center hump) and was controlled by the left foot.

The gearstick located on the center hump of the floor was, of course, controlled by the left hand in British cars (instead of the right as in the U.S.). I never drove a British car with a gearstick located on the column, so I don't know whether it is on the left or right side of the steering column. If it is located on the right-hand side of the right-sided steering wheel that might pose a problem for you with your arm in a sling.

I know Vee can be more precise about British cars, but I thought I would let you know what I recall for comparison purposes. I don't know if Vee has driven many American cars or those with the steering wheel on the left-hand side.

Donna, the cars are as Frieda describes. I think few UK drivers have an 'automatic' preferring manual gear control, although DH had one (Renault) for a few years and hated it, mostly because it kept going wrong. After a while we noticed that bits of string were dangling from under the dashboard. Short of taking the whole thing apart we could never figure out what their purpose was . . . possibly holding various 'wires' together?

I haven't driven for years, for some strange reason I was totally 'put-off' when expecting child #2 and after that we had so little money (never marry a teacher for the wealthy life) we couldn't afford to run my car anyway. Luckily in the intervening years my little car after sitting patiently in the garage was sold to a collector for more than twice what I paid for it! He is doing it up 'for his wife' . . . although I'm sure she would prefer something more modern with features such as reliable heating and a better all-round view!

Thanks, ladies! That's interesting that the British prefer manual transmissions. I think most Americans would be horrified by the though of a manual! (Though my hubby and I love them!)

I've been bugging him for years to get a Mini Cooper. I caught him looking at their website last night...I think maybe he's finally coming around. :) Though I can't drive a stick until my shoulder heals.

Donna

Donna, I recently read this:

What is the best automotive anti-theft device in the U.S.?

The answer: a manual transmission

Many opportunistic thieves, particularly those under the age of 30, would be flummoxed because they don't know how to drive a manual.

I learned to drive in a 1957 Chevy with a manual transmission. All of my subsequent favorite cars have been manuals. I didn't get an automatic until I bought my first Lexus in 1992.

I love to drive almost as much as I love to read. I still have my 1966 Plymouth Satellite with a 383 engine, five-speed on the floor which was bought new for me for my sixteenth birthday. It has over 500,000 miles on it. We figured up about how many miles I have driven since I first got my license when I was fourteen years old (in Iowa we were allowed at fourteen to get a license if we took driver's education. Some farm kids got their licenses at twelve or thirteen!) We estimate that I have driven between two and three million miles. I have driven on five continents and scores of islands. My longest driving stints have been from Paris to Istanbul and from Laredo, Texas to Buenos Aires, Argentina. I have gone all over North America and most of Europe. The only continent I have missed driving in (besides Antarctica) is Australia. I would love to drive in Australia -- it is exhilarating just being a passenger in a car (not so much in a coach, I think) on Australia's wide-open highways.

My grandson has a Mini-Cooper and loves it. It's orange and cream. I learned to drive in a standard shift '52 Chevy. My dad said it was always easier to go up than to come down, and I found that to be true. In my years of single-hood, I bought a new 1972 VW (for $2,300), drove it for seven years (and sold it for $1,000). My next car was a two-year-old, full-size, automatic Ford. While it was still quite new to me, I took a niece and nephew to Disney World and was way down below Atlanta before I could keep it below 80 mph without looking at the speedometer. It was very different to drive from the VW and well before the days of cruise control.

Friedag, the problem with driving in Australia is when people from countries that drive on the opposite side to us, forget. There have been a few accidents caused by that. I was in a car driven by an American friend and he got distracted and without thinking started to go to the wrong side of the road. Luckily no one was coming and our alarmed shouts made him aware of what he was doing.

Annpan, here in Hawai'i we have lots of tourists and visitors from countries (Australia included) where driving is on the left-hand side of roads. Those who rent cars at our airports are reminded with road signs on leaving the airports: "Remember to drive on the right-hand side of roads and streets." I recall seeing signs in Ireland, Scotland, Jamaica, etc. cautioning drivers to stay to the left-hand side. I don't remember signs in Australia saying that, but I probably just didn't notice them because I wasn't driving myself.

I have been very fortunate in all my years and many, many miles of driving that I have only had one accident where I was at fault (and that was in the U.S. when I slid into a snow-filled ditch. Only my car was involved, but because it was a manual transmission I was able to 'rock' my car out of the ditch with no adverse effects). I am a very good driver, but as the saying goes "Always look out for other drivers!" The most nerve-racking driving I've done has been in northern Africa and central America where many drivers don't stick to the right or the left. They go down the middle until they meet up with an oncoming vehicle.

Friedag, I don't drive and I haven't noticed signs at the airport but then, I wasn't looking for them!

Possibly the middle of the road drivers are doing this because of the state of the roads.

Before the road from Western Australia into South Australia was properly laid out, we drove in the 1960s along the dirt highway and sometimes after rain the track was so churned up by the heavy trucks that it was better to drive on the bush at the edge.

There aren't signs in Australia like there are in Ireland.

Frieda, a column shift was on the left here, but they went out when front bench seats did, probably in the early 80s.

DH and I like driving a manual, but most people here have automatics now. One of our sons wanted to have a manual, but the other has only driven automatics.

Frieda, I've also heard that auto-theft deterrent story! LOL

Ann, we had a similar incident in St Thomas with my DH driving. They drive on the left there, but the car we rented had the driver on the left, as well. He claimed he would have been fine with the wheel on the right! :) I recall the car had a large sticker on the dash board reminding us that they drive on the left in St. Thomas.

Donna

A German Shepherd.

Very few people in the United States even learn how to drive with a manual transmission anymore, and very few of them are even manufactured these days. Manuals used have points of superiority - more control in dangerous weather, lower gas consumption, and cheaper to buy. Technology seems to have eliminated these advantages. I have driven a manual, but it was many years ago and I never did it enough to gain ease and genuine skill. There was an incident I will not go into, but I made a vow to never drive one again. I never have.

We are moving in the opposite direction, in fact. I see driverless cars on the road from time to time. Google headquarters are in the next town over and we see driverless cars being tested. (I got to sit in one once at the Computer History Museum, very cool.) I welcome this. I see healthy older people forced to give up their independent living and leave their homes merely because they can no longer drive. In many places it is simply not possible to live without a car. There is no public transportation available. Certainly this is true in rural areas, but it is also widespread in suburbs. This very nearly happened to my father, though in the end my sister moved in with him. Moving would have broken him, so I'm glad didn't come to that.

I learned to drive a car with a manual transmission, but my last four cars have been automatics. I prefer automatic for city driving. My current vehicle has a dual-clutch transmission system, which means I can choose automatic or manual transmission, depending on the driving situation.

I have future plans for taking a driving tour of Great Britain, and I think I would prefer renting an automatic rather than learning how to shift manually with my left hand.

I really dislike driving an automatic shift. _I_ decide what the car does, not the car :-) Plus, at every intersection my left hand is waving around looking for something to do and my foot is looking for the clutch :-)