I sometimes drive with my left leg bent at the knee and my foot on the seat. My right leg, of course, is controlling the pedals.
My husband says it looks very uncomfortable, but it isn’t to me.
Now, I know it might be dangerous but I am asking for “expert” advice on my very silly question. Is it dangerous to drive like that? I don’t feel as if it is any harder to control the car. I am quite short if that makes a difference
I can’t give you “expert” advice on this issue, but it’s unlikely that anyone else here can either. I don’t know about any control issues, but I can promise that when the car was designed and crash tested, none of the crash test dummies were configured with one foot up on the seat. It seems very likely that you would be less injured in a crash if you are seated and driving in the conventional manor.
Edit: I meant “in the conventional manner.”
That’s a good point.
I knew if I was doubting it, it was probably a bad idea…
Thanks.
…or even in a beautiful country manor.
;-))
I’m sorry–I just couldn’t resist that one.
Good catch. I don’t know how that happened…
Well, you can’t steady yourself with your other leg, and if you try with your one leg you’ll mash the pedal you are using, so I wouldn’t do it.
I do it quite often. Normally on longer drives on lighter traffic highways.
But I also, for example, don’t care that I lack anti-lock brakes, don’t drive at 10-2 or 8-4 on the steering wheel, smoke cigarettes, drink beer and whiskey, eat too much red meat, will spend too much time in the sun without sun screen…Heck, I think I’ve even removed one of those “do not remove” labels from a mattress.
Long ago I more or less gave up on going to nuts about fears and cautions - largely b/c once you start there isn’t really any clear place to stop. I am not a reckless maniac, nor an especially vigilant safety freak. I just do what I do and use my own judgment about reasonable risks. What counts as “reasonable” will, of course, vary. Pick your spots and use them.
Go to an empty parking lot, get up to 45 miles per hour or so, hit the brakes hard and make a sharp right turn at the same time (as though you’re avoiding a car coming into your lane), and see if you stay in place in the seat. If not, don’t drive like that.
It isn’t the craziest thing I have heard of or seen, but that is kind of a low standard. I do it sometimes on long trips, but not on a regular basis. My biggest concern is that your knee could interfere with your left arm’s ability to steer the car in an emergency situation. Have you tried making emergency maneuvers with your knee up in an empty parking lot? Having two unobstructed arms to steer with can make a big difference in an emergency situation.
For some people, it’s a preferred way to relieve stress on the lower back. If you can reach all the controls comfortably and it helps you relax more, why not. You might be a Yoga candidate.
It’s obviously comfortable and its ability to relieve stress might just make you a more relaxed driver. In thinking about it, I can’t see how it could cause a problem. Until you get in an accident. Your legs and feet suddenly try to keep you from going forward, and even with an airbag this might be important to keep you in one place. Things happen so quickly in an accident that you have zero time to adjust if you’re not properly situated, and no time to brace yourself.
One more step in the wrong direction from people who believe this machinery they must operate is the same as a piece of living room furniture.
- They purchase it like furniture ; color, comfort, flashy looks for others to see.
- They use it like furniture; talking/texting on the phone, doing the crossword, combing hair, applying makeup, shaving, eating a full meal, etc.
- They outfit it like a living room ; stereo, computer, video screens/games, dressing room, etc.
Your posture may be comfy, but not while operating transportation machinery.
Not to mention the lack of left arm capability with your leg in the way.
( it would be equaly comfy, but wrong, to put your right leg up on the seat and work the pedals with your left. That gets done by people with a cast on their right leg, but not as every day driving ! )
Tell me this isn’t you ? 
No, short has nothing to do with it.
But having a motor vehicle pilot person physically prevented from performing proper procedure under surprize or emergency situations…simply due to her prefered precarious pretzeled posture…now that there’s a particular potential problem, or will eventually be one.
I do hear where you’re coming from. The worse I’ve seem though, is a young man driving with BOTH bare feet stuck out the window, weaving through traffic, while working the pedals with a baseball bat. OP seemed pretty tame to me next to that image.