This is the rental car after getting its first tank of gas, at a rest stop along the Merritt Parkway in Connecticut.
Fun facts about the rental car:
(1) It had Massachusetts plates, so we felt like we were driving it home, then snatching home away from it. Sorry, car.
(2) I can't heartily endorse the Chevy Malibu. Loud on the inside and really struggling on the uphills. (Not that my ancient car is any better.) It did get decent gas mileage, though - about 32 mpg.
(3) Automatics are weird. I had to squeeze my left foot against the door so I'd remember not to use it.
(4) Hertz has super-handy locations scattered around in hotels and stuff, so you don't have to go the airport and pay big ol' fees. Yay Hertz. Also, they only charged $11/day for a second driver. Double yay.
6 comments:
I have yet to drive a decent American rental car. I'm five foot one on a good day, and my head practically hits the ceiling of compact American cars. What's a big American guy to do!?!?
.. I need to learn how to drive manual! How did you learn how to drive manual? Any tricks?
I learned on manual, so it seems normal to me...just get in one and go? Well, and spend some time in an empty parking lot before attempting roads. And I personally wouldn't recommend San Francisco (or the hilly parts of Berkeley) on the first outing.
manual always seems like fun . . . but i almost took out a mailbox while learning how to downshift. granted, i was learning how to drive in the first place. still, i haven't been in one more than moving it on a driveway since.
I feel like a manual is one of those things you have to learn when you're completely new to driving. If you learn it then, *everything* about driving a car is weird and scary.
That's true, J.Bro - with all things car-related, I tend to think "If I can do it, anyone can do it" but I can see how it could be really confusing to switch to manual after learning on automatic.
Anyway, Sophist, here's all the inspiration anyone should need:
http://mellificent.blogspot.com/2007/09/my-dad.html
I learned to drive manual several years after I started driving and I think it was harder, but it is certainly possible. It is one of those things you have to just keep doing until you get the feel for it. Then, it is like second nature.
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