Left foot braking with automatics

Anything that doesn't fit elsewhere - doesn't have to be AD related.
Silk
Posts: 386
Joined: Sat Oct 03, 2015 9:24 pm
Location: South Glos.

Re: Left foot braking with automatics

Postby Silk » Thu Feb 04, 2016 9:05 pm

waremark wrote:From experience, I suggest that changing from right foot braking to left foot braking and getting to the point where you not only do it smoothly, but also instinctively and needing no more conscious thought than braking the way you used, to takes quite a lot of practice.


Why go to all the trouble of practicing something that's completely unnecessary?

I covered 150,000 miles in my last automatic, and never used my left foot once apart from to assist with getting in and out of the car - I'm not aware that I missed out on anything.

Gareth
Posts: 980
Joined: Mon Sep 28, 2015 2:44 pm
Location: Berkshire
Contact:

Re: Left foot braking with automatics

Postby Gareth » Thu Feb 04, 2016 9:24 pm

Silk wrote:Why go to all the trouble of practicing something that's completely unnecessary?

Do you use the same criteria for choosing (and/or preparing) what you eat?
there is only the road, nothing but the road ...

Silk
Posts: 386
Joined: Sat Oct 03, 2015 9:24 pm
Location: South Glos.

Re: Left foot braking with automatics

Postby Silk » Thu Feb 04, 2016 9:47 pm

Gareth wrote:
Silk wrote:Why go to all the trouble of practicing something that's completely unnecessary?

Do you use the same criteria for choosing (and/or preparing) what you eat?


Don't be ridiculous.

User avatar
akirk
Posts: 1659
Joined: Sun Sep 27, 2015 6:58 pm
Location: Bristol

Re: Left foot braking with automatics

Postby akirk » Thu Feb 04, 2016 10:00 pm

Silk wrote:
waremark wrote:From experience, I suggest that changing from right foot braking to left foot braking and getting to the point where you not only do it smoothly, but also instinctively and needing no more conscious thought than braking the way you used, to takes quite a lot of practice.


Why go to all the trouble of practicing something that's completely unnecessary?

I covered 150,000 miles in my last automatic, and never used my left foot once apart from to assist with getting in and out of the car - I'm not aware that I missed out on anything.


Because you have two pedals and two feet - why exactly would you only use one foot?!
I am not skillfull enough to explain why it makes sense - but have seen a very advanced driver / coach demonstrate on my car the difference and it is impressive!

Alasdair

Astraist
Posts: 239
Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2015 10:41 pm

Re: Left foot braking with automatics

Postby Astraist » Thu Feb 04, 2016 11:25 pm

exportmanuk wrote:In normal driving if I was pressing the brake that hard that my weight was also being forced forward then something has already gone terribly wrong, I must be wanting to stop as quickly as possible, the pressure exerted on the pedal would keep me in place[...]If my left foot was against the dead pedal foot rest is would be much the same I would have the same ability to steer in both cases.


Much of what I do revovles around getting people to do an emergency stop and than combine it with steering around an obstacle which is too close to come to a stop before it.

The problem that I see is that under the forces of hard braking and/or cornering, the weight of the driver's body has to be kept from moving about by pushing against the steering wheel. This leaves one with a death grip as well as tensed arms with very little flexibility for extra steering.

Another outlet for the forces acting on the driver's body is the brake pedal itself. I can see how this can be desirable when you start to brake and want to brake as hard as possible, but when you later need to modulate or start to ease off of the brakes, the weight of the body might impede and delay that.

Pressing on the dead pedal relieves this pressure and puts it all on the poor left leg pushing on the floor, without it having any effect on the response of the car, unlike doing the same with any other pedal.

Also, doing it with another pedal, particularly with the brake pedal, isn't quite the same because with the dead pedal and brake pressed you have the bracing of two legs at a relatively wide angle (forming a stable "base" between the thighs) rather than having just one, or two that are close together.

In any instance of hard braking (and this might happen to any driver, AD or whatever) it is important to maintain the ability to steer and modulate brake pressure because it might also prove itself in preventing the following driver from dating your bumper...

waremark
Posts: 898
Joined: Fri Oct 02, 2015 9:23 am

Re: Left foot braking with automatics

Postby waremark » Thu Feb 04, 2016 11:47 pm

Silk wrote:
waremark wrote:From experience, I suggest that changing from right foot braking to left foot braking and getting to the point where you not only do it smoothly, but also instinctively and needing no more conscious thought than braking the way you used, to takes quite a lot of practice.


Why go to all the trouble of practicing something that's completely unnecessary?

I covered 150,000 miles in my last automatic, and never used my left foot once apart from to assist with getting in and out of the car - I'm not aware that I missed out on anything.

Indeed, how could you be aware when you have neither tried it nor been exposed to the benefits?

Silk
Posts: 386
Joined: Sat Oct 03, 2015 9:24 pm
Location: South Glos.

Re: Left foot braking with automatics

Postby Silk » Fri Feb 05, 2016 8:33 am

akirk wrote:
Silk wrote:
waremark wrote:From experience, I suggest that changing from right foot braking to left foot braking and getting to the point where you not only do it smoothly, but also instinctively and needing no more conscious thought than braking the way you used, to takes quite a lot of practice.


Why go to all the trouble of practicing something that's completely unnecessary?

I covered 150,000 miles in my last automatic, and never used my left foot once apart from to assist with getting in and out of the car - I'm not aware that I missed out on anything.


Because you have two pedals and two feet - why exactly would you only use one foot?!
I am not skillfull enough to explain why it makes sense - but have seen a very advanced driver / coach demonstrate on my car the difference and it is impressive!


Jimi Hendrix often played his guitar with his teeth, presumably because he could. Very impressive, but totally unnecessary.

Silk
Posts: 386
Joined: Sat Oct 03, 2015 9:24 pm
Location: South Glos.

Re: Left foot braking with automatics

Postby Silk » Fri Feb 05, 2016 8:40 am

waremark wrote:
Silk wrote:
waremark wrote:From experience, I suggest that changing from right foot braking to left foot braking and getting to the point where you not only do it smoothly, but also instinctively and needing no more conscious thought than braking the way you used, to takes quite a lot of practice.


Why go to all the trouble of practicing something that's completely unnecessary?

I covered 150,000 miles in my last automatic, and never used my left foot once apart from to assist with getting in and out of the car - I'm not aware that I missed out on anything.

Indeed, how could you be aware when you have neither tried it nor been exposed to the benefits?


There are lots of things I haven't tried. Perhaps on occasion, I'm missing out. Mostly I suspect I'm just saving time.

I don't see the point in looking for a solution to a problem that doesn't exist. IMO, of course.

User avatar
Mr Cholmondeley-Warner
Posts: 1118
Joined: Sun Sep 27, 2015 7:01 pm
Location: Swindon

Re: Left foot braking with automatics

Postby Mr Cholmondeley-Warner » Fri Feb 05, 2016 8:48 am

Silk wrote:
Gareth wrote:
Silk wrote:Why go to all the trouble of practicing something that's completely unnecessary?

Do you use the same criteria for choosing (and/or preparing) what you eat?


Don't be ridiculous.

I like this story so I'm going to tell it.

Many years ago we employed a young fellow as a contractor for a year or so in our office. He was a rather dull dog, although I believe he was good at his job. Upon chatting to him about food one day, some of my colleagues were interested to hear about his food shopping. Every <insert day here> he would go to his nearest supermarket, buy two loaves of bread, and a kilo of cheddar, and they would form the basis of his diet for the next week. Rinse and repeat every 7 days. They expressed some concern for him regarding this rather limited diet, and told him he should be getting more variety, fruit, etc. So he mended his ways. From that day on, he went to the supermarket every <insert day here> and purchased two loaves of bread, a kilo of cheddar, and seven apples ...
Nick

Astraist
Posts: 239
Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2015 10:41 pm

Re: Left foot braking with automatics

Postby Astraist » Fri Feb 05, 2016 9:57 am

Silk wrote:I don't see the point in looking for a solution to a problem that doesn't exist.


Not that I'm a huge fan of left foot braking for road driving (although I do use it occasionally), but why consider more "tools" as being solutions to a problem, rather than a means to improve and optimise the drive?


Return to “General Chat”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 30 guests