Hah! Tommyrot, that totally reminds me, I've been reading all these medical records for my current job, about vaccinating babies, and they all have reminders for the new parents about "Don't shake the baby!" and I keep wanting to giggle every time I see it, because of htat thing that was linked here....

Manual transmission rentals are the norm in the UK, that's for sure.

Is true. Automatic transmission is considered unusual here. I drive an automatic (although I can drive a manual) - it irritates the hell out of The Girl, who likes to be in control. I just like not having to do handbrake starts on hills, which are evil.

I don't remember what the deposit is, but I bring the empties back so it's moot at this point.

Oh, I would bring them back, but since I walk to the grocery store, often on the way home from work, empties aren't really workable (whereas I always have my tote when I go to the farmers' market).

It might actually be easier since the whole driving thing isn't new. Just learn someplace where there is plenty of space in front of you (behind you in reverse), especially in a car with a lot of power.

I'm thinking San Francisco is not the place to be learning how to drive stick.

I'm thinking San Francisco is not the place to be learning how to drive stick.

Yeah, it can be a bitch to finesse the handbrake thing.

My first car (that I bought with my own money from my first job) was a VW Squareback. We had a big side yard so I could go first and reverse until I mastered them. Also, NSM with the hills in Florida.

I'd kinda like the baby box for my cat. Then again, I live on the first floor, so if it fell Leifur would probably be displeased, but unharmed.

If this better belongs in another thread, please slap my wrist and I'll remember next time.

The trailer for Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland is out.

IJS: Johnny Depp does not need safety-orange hair.

Yeah, it can be a bitch to finesse the handbrake thing.

Huh. I got into an argument with a friend who insisted the handbrake thing was only if you were learning stick and otherwise shouldn't be used, whereas I said it was a good technique to use on steep hills even if you were experienced at driving stick.

She lived in a relatively flat part of Wisconsin.

sound warning

done. yeah I never have sound on at work so I never know.

I learned how to drive a stick, in the hills of Berkeley when I was 12 on my mom's Mustang Turbo. I think my first lesson was in the parking lot of the horse track. Then she made me drive up the hill to go home. Accckkk.

I even took my driver's test in that car.

Huh. I got into an argument with a friend who insisted the handbrake thing was only if you were learning stick and otherwise shouldn't be used, whereas I said it was a good technique to use on steep hills even if you were experienced at driving stick.

I never used it until I got to SF, but there are some hills here that are so steep that there's inevitable roll-back no matter how well you engage the clutch.