Things I have learnt very quickly...

•  Four point harness lap belts are better adjusted with you out of the seat.
•  Reversing is much easier with the belts undone, unless you have the head of an owl.
•  I do not have the head of an owl.
• A removable steering wheel makes getting in easier, but does remove one useful and strong point of support when the manoeuvre in underway.
•  If your rearview mirror is glued to your windscreen, use two hands to adjust it. One to hold the base to the glass and the other to move the mirror. If it’s a bit stiff on its stalk, trying one handed and/or while in motion and you will like as not rip it off. Well, you will if you have fists of ham like mine.
• With an under-dash handbrake, hill starts are a bastard.
• My sump is around 65mm off the ground. My office speed-bump is >65mm in height.
• A standard UK housebrick is about 8½ × 4 × 2½ inches. The mathematically inclined of you will note that only one of these dimensions is less than 65mm.
• Driving with your lights on all the time makes a small car more visible.
• Remembering to turn lights off is difficult after Subaru’s revolutionary idea of “key out = lights off”.

I really am constantly surprised at the lengths manufacturers go to to let you know you've left your lights on. In the old days (all right, my old days) of motoring - aka the reign of the mark 2 Fiesta van and the Fiat Panda 4x4, they left it up to you. You leave them on, you must have meant to. Then, technology came along and gave you bongs, beeps and other bells and whistles to let you know you've left your lights on, just in case you're absent minded. It was at this point a man at Subaru (to whom I bow to in term of logical analysis) came up with an extraordinary idea: What if, when you turn the ignition off, turn the car off and take they key out, everything goes off? I like to think at this point in the room there was a stunned silence, swiftly followed by spontaneous applause. Imagine that? Turn car off, turn all the car off. Amazing.

Anyway, until I get used to it, I'm in constant danger of running my battery flat because I'm so indoctrinated in the Subaru way. I'll learn. And carry jumpleads.

And, actually, on reflection, I think the Panda also turned everything off when you took the key out, but I was young and carefree and took no notice of these little things back then.