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Canada - Left foot braking is a no no

Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2015 11:49 am
by akirk
http://www.thestar.com/autos/2015/11/13 ... no-no.html

Left-foot braking: Driving school no-no
Despite its popularity with auto racers and some motorists, driving instructors are in agreement that left-foot braking is not a safe habit to have.


interesting article - aimed mainly at learners...

however:
“Left foot braking is not illegal, therefore, an applicant would not fail a road test specifically because they used their left foot to brake,” said Bob Nichols with the Ontario Ministry of Transportation.


And as far as insurance companies go, left-foot braking is not considered a factor in accident claims.


Alasdair

Re: Canada - Left foot braking is a no no

Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2015 7:34 pm
by TheInsanity1234
Not sure I understand why?

In Canada, they're like the Americans in the sense they drive mainly automatics, so left-foot braking would be easier than in England...?

Re: Canada - Left foot braking is a no no

Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2015 9:59 pm
by onlinegenie
Most people are right-footed and so can exert more strength with their right foot if they need to brake firmly in an emergency. I don't know if that's the reason - it's the only thing I can think of!

Re: Canada - Left foot braking is a no no

Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2015 10:18 pm
by WhoseGeneration
There's also that using the right foot means they're then off the accelerator pedal, so, presumably, a bit safer for learners.
I tend to the view that LFB, automatic or manual, is for those who have considered why and read, practised in safe areas and. perhaps, taken instruction.

Re: Canada - Left foot braking is a no no

Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2015 8:47 am
by Astraist
onlinegenie wrote:Most people are right-footed and so can exert more strength with their right foot if they need to brake firmly in an emergency. I don't know if that's the reason - it's the only thing I can think of!


Using the left foot to brake can lead a driver to constantly have the brakes applied against the engine, so you are in effect and without noticing burning down your brakes and brake lights.

Now, consider emergency braking. Yes, we should be observant drivers but things can happen which might force us to emergency braking. Left foot braking might shave the (quite short) period of time taken to transition between pedals, but it costs in several other respects.

For one, you cannot press against the footrest to the left which helps apply the brakes more rapidly, and helps keep the weight of the body off of the steering wheel so you can use it. Not a problem in a race car with harnesses, but a problem all together in a road car.

Also, a driver might as well push both pedals at once. And yes, the brakes are stronger than the engine by several orders of magnitude, but your braking distance will be longer.

Now, I do use left foot braking on the road (albeit little) and otherwise, but not simply out of having the same number of feet to match the pedals, but as a deliberate application...

Re: Canada - Left foot braking is a no no

Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2015 1:46 pm
by ChristianAB
onlinegenie wrote:Most people are right-footed and so can exert more strength with their right foot if they need to brake firmly in an emergency. I don't know if that's the reason - it's the only thing I can think of!


I thought that right footers can actually exert more force (but with less subtlety) with their left foot, as was demonstrated to me when I did some advanced skiing a few years ago: if you kick a ball with your right foot, your support foot is your left one, hence it has to be stronger. Same thing in basket-ball when you do a lay-up with your right arm.