Left foot for the brake, right foot for the gas ...

[dogtag]

doing this avoids the "Mistook the gas pedal for the brake" excuse.
I can't brake with my right foot on my Auto without braking too hard,
although it's quite natural when I'm driving my stick shift.
My DIL uses her right foot to brake her Auto which I think is dangerous,
but she won't (can't) change.

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[Allen]

That's the way I've ALWAYS driven. Another consideration is the response time it takes switching feet, finding the brake petal and using a different pressure to apply the brakes than the accelerator.

The only downfall that I know of is that if you keep your left foot on the brake petal you can accidentally "ride" the brakes or cause the brake lights to come on. In my case I barely touch it and my foot is always there for quick stopping. Some have questioned my methods--I always ask them: "what foot do you use for the clutch?"

Makes for smoother driving with quicker response time in my opinion.

[lyman]

I learned to use left only for clutch, and had trouble with left foot braking,
oddly, when I drive my Van, I brake wiht the left foot, instinctively,

when I try that in my Civic or Tundra, I end up stomping the brake most times

I no longer have a stick shift vehicle, but sometimes catch myself reaching for a gear shift or wanting to use the clutch,

[JimF]

That's the way I've ALWAYS driven. Another consideration is the response time it takes switching feet, finding the brake petal and using a different pressure to apply the brakes than the accelerator.

The only downfall that I know of is that if you keep your left foot on the brake petal you can accidentally "ride" the brakes or cause the brake lights to come on. In my case I barely touch it and my foot is always there for quick stopping. Some have questioned my methods--I always ask them: "what foot do you use for the clutch?"

Makes for smoother driving with quicker response time in my opinion.

I’m with Allen on this . . . .

In addition, when using “cruise control” at turnpike speeds, it is reassuring to have my left foot poised above the brake pedal in case some joker up front stops suddenly!

[Johnny P]

On my daily driver the brake is very near the accelerator and just a little bit higher, and there is a foot rest for the left foot. Feels awkward to reach across with my left foot.

[Art]

Like Lyman I'm old enough to remember when everyone learned to drive a stick in driver's ed. We were taught to brake with the right foot. It's the way I was taught. The grumpy driver's ed. teacher every now and then would have a kid who would brake with the left foot. His comment was always "whose automatic have you been driving?"

Three issues with the left foot on the brake:

First, brake lights are warning lights. Many people don't realize how little pressure it takes to activate the brake lights. Every now and again I'll be behind a person with flickering or worse "on" brake lights which completely defeats the purpose of brake lights.

Second, it is possible and sometimes happens that under stress you'll mash down both the accelerator and brake at the same time.

Finally and less important, yes you can indeed wear down your brakes prematurely doing this unless you are very, very careful

[Major Tom]

Biden drives with both feet pushing down hard on brake and gas petal at same time!

[Doc Sharptail]

Like Lyman I'm old enough to remember when everyone learned to drive a stick in driver's ed. We were taught to brake with the right foot. It's the way I was taught. The grumpy driver's ed. teacher every now and then would have a kid who would brake with the left foot. His comment was always "whose automatic have you been driving?"

Three issues with the left foot on the brake:

First, brake lights are warning lights. Many people don't realize how little pressure it takes to activate the brake lights. Every now and again I'll be behind a person with flickering or worse "on" brake lights which completely defeats the purpose of brake lights.

Second, it is possible and sometimes happens that under stress you'll mash down both the accelerator and brake at the same time.

Finally and less important, yes you can indeed wear down your brakes prematurely doing this unless you are very, very careful

I don't like driving behind someone doing this- it's impossible to tell when they are stopping.
I learned on non-synchro stick as well, with it's very small pedals, and have had very few problems emergency stopping with the right foot.
Did have a small something or other import that I had to replace the brake pedal rubber on- my foot wouldn't stay on it.

Regards,

Doc Sharptail

[lyman]

Art,

in high school we did drivers ed with a Ford Fairmont, with a brake pedal on the passenger side too,

if we got a bit fast, the Coach (all Drivers Ed then was done by the Coach's) he would stomp that brake,


had a daily pattern too, be at school at 7am, one of us in the drivers seat, the ohter in the back seat,

drive to Coach's friends house, and wait till he went in and got a cup of coffee, the switch drivers and drive back to school,

maybe 10 miles, different order and a few detours duing the week,

after 5 days you passed or failed,



parents had automatics, but I drove for my Grandfather one summer, he had a Chevy C10, 3 on the tree, and my Uncle had a Manual Pinto, that I put many miles on ,

[lyman]

I don't like driving behind someone doing this- it's impossible to tell when they are stopping.
I learned on non-synchro stick as well, with it's very small pedals, and have had very few problems emergency stopping with the right foot.
Did have a small something or other import that I had to replace the brake pedal rubber on- my foot wouldn't stay on it.

Regards,

Doc Sharptail

I tuck my feet by the seat on one the dead pedal, not on a brake pedal,

For what ever reason, I instinctivly use my left foot to brake in that shop van, (raise the right foot, not both at the same time)

[dryheat]

I'm right handed and I guess right footed too. I would never get used to using the left foot to brake. Before I bought this car I test drove a Honda. It was very cramped and there was actually a space on the floor board in the shape of a foot where you put you left foot. Very weird. I mashed the brake and the gas pedal once while driving a heavy tow vehicle on the flight line. Totally confused for a moment and at the last second I just yanked it to the left and missed a 300 gallon drop tank by a 1/4". I've done the same thing once since and knew what was happening. It happens when your not being alert and sitting up straight.

[dryheat]

Speaking of driving, who drives like this? The 18 yr. old girl down the street does. Our asphalt reaches 130 F or so in the summer.

53556

Here's how I do it and anyone who know how to drive does it. Although backing is one of the riskiest things you can do in a vehicle.

53557

Here's a scary story. There's an old guy (older than me) who 'drives' a wheel chair around the neighborhood. One day I got in my car and started to back out. The beeper sounded and while, wondering what the heck, I hit the brakes. The old guy had rolled out from behind my tree just in time to almost get run right over. He never batted an eye and just kept on rolling.

[Allen]

In my car (not my truck) I can see the reflection day or night on the 3rd brake light if I am touching the brake pedal too hard or at all. That never happens and those who follow me never say "you were riding the brakes". It no doubt happened a few times back when I was 16 or 17 but with age comes experience.

At least we still have a choice without government control or taxation.

[PWC]

I learned to drive on a Farmall tractor, then they only had a clutch. I COULD apply brakes to either the left or right drive wheel or both.

Tractor transposed to dad's '53 Ford Fairlane column shift, then much later to first automatic; '72 Chevelle. Always and still do, right foot for accelerator and brake. Left foot is kinda like the fireman on desiel-electric trains.

[dogtag]

My first car, a 1938 Austin 10 had no synchro at all, had to "Double de clutch"
stick flew out of all gears except reverse. had terrible brakes too which didn't
go down well with my future FIL. Talked me into buying 49 Morris Oxford which
was great except it wouldn't go to weddings.

[Mark in Ottawa]

I learned on a standard shift but as soon as I got an automatic transmission I started to brake with my left foot. I find that I have better control of the brake with my left foot and am pretty sure that in an emergency, using the left foot to brake is faster than shifting my right foot from the gas to the brake.

[JohnMOhio]

Correct me if I am wrong. I believe in the mid 60's some of the new autos that had an auto transmission also had the brake pedal that was wider than usual and it extended more to the left allowing a person to use their left foot more effectively.

[Allen]

Correct me if I am wrong. I believe in the mid 60's some of the new autos that had an auto transmission also had the brake pedal that was wider than usual and it extended more to the left allowing a person to use their left foot more effectively.

That may have always been the case. Prior to the mid 60's most cars were still standard shift. W/O a clutch pedal there's no reason to have a small brake pedal.

[PWC]

Using the left foot for the brake is, I believe, the reason there are so many cars thru the front of businesses. Wrong gear, oh crap..left foot stomp thebrake, right foot stomp the floor.....200+ horses beat the brakes....glass everywhere.