re: Renting a car at Heathrow

I would highly recommend NOT renting a car your first day in England. But, I did it after a layover in Dublin so I was even more tired arriving to Heathrow around 1 compared to 10am for a direct flight from the states.

Here's the issue, you are tired and jet lagged then have to drive on the left side and go through all the traffic circles. It was honestly EASILY my most dangerous day of driving in my life. I drove to the countryside in Kent too and the roads were basically 1.5 lane.

I would fly in, then train or taxi your first day. Then when you are not tired from your flight, drive.

The thing that I NEVER got used to was the damn gears are still the same place in the manual. So you are using your left hand to shift which is weird enough. But first is still top left, where as in america first is top left which is closet to you, but England its top left which is furthest away. I grinded the CRAP out of gears because of that. Constantly going to 5th instead of first. It seemed common sense to have first gear closest to you, but in England first is furthest away.