Re: manual/automatic legality?
Originally Posted by
zuludog
->
Here's a question that cropped up between a few of us in the pub the other day
In the UK you are only allowed to drive a car with a manual gearbox if you have passed your test on one
You can pass your test in an automatic gearbox car, but then you must continue to drive an automatic, unless you are re-tested on a manual
If a visitor to UK, notably Americans, has passed their test on an automatic in their own country, what are they allowed to drive in UK?
If they hire a car while on holiday can it be a manual, or must they ask for an automatic?
In NSW if you take the test in an automatic you are not allowed to drive a manual car until you are on your green P Plates (minimum of one year) but there is nothing on your licence that tells you what sort of car you have to drive. Other states might have different rules.
The problem with the UK is the dearth of automatics, in Australia is is virtually impossible to hire a manual car (why would anyone want to?) but when I visited the UK a few years ago nearly all the hire cars were manual. Absolutely absurd especially in your stop start traffic.
Actually I notice that since my brother visited Australia last year and he hired an auto car (of course they are the cheapest) he now has bought an auto car in the UK.