I'm not on about the location of the stick, like you say it's pretty much muscle memory.

What I was trying to convey was how would he be able to negotiate gear changes for things like slowing down for junctions, roundabouts, traffic lights, motorway exits and that?

Same rules apply in an auto as well I guess...

It was in the middle of the night he did this, two bottles of wine deep.

Put Huddersfield to Carlisle into a satnav and follow the route to the M6 at least. M62 to M60 to M61 to M6

How did he know he needed fuel?

He's not as blind as he claims to be