You might be right, meanjoe. Sadly, we’ll never know.
Of course I drive an automatic. I am not saying it is best for everyone, but once learned, it makes for a very comfortable driving experience, especially in traffic and on demanding roads. My experience only.
Jerry O.
Thank you for the update
“Of course I drive an automatic.”
I asked you to clarify, because I actually know some insane guys who would attempt to drive stick, using the left foot for clutch AND brake
The problem is they think they’re sane and rational
Left foot braking in an mt car is legitimate, especially when you have turbo. With your left foot on the brake as you hit the apex, you use your right foot on the gas to keep the turbo spooled up. After that apex, just release the brake and go without turbo lag. Left foot braking also adjusts your fore and aft brake balance. For instance, when the engine is driving the rear and you are braking at the front, you are essentially negating the brake on the rear and putting more clamp in front.
Recall the legendary Swedish rally driver Erik Carlsson Who drove a FWD SAAB with the 3-cyl, 2-stroke engine (from his Wiki article):
“[I]t was necessary to keep the revs up, he had to maintain a high speed while cornering and developed the left-foot braking technique to perfection. Left-foot braking was performed by keeping the right foot on the gas pedal while pushing the brake pedal with the left foot. This brought the rear out in a controlled skid while maintaining speed. The drawback of this was that it significantly hastened brake wear.”
Carlsson drove in the 1960’s and I remember an article back then mentioning the horror of the SAAB engineers when Erik came screaming by with the brakes glowing red. I would say most racers today use left foot braking.
Ah, yes, another insult to go with the same insults from the same people over the years on this topic, Implying I would not be upset at repeated personal insults on the same topic, if only I weren’t having a bad day.
Is this just my personal opinion? No, right on this URL a cable guy from NYC said their high priced consultant told all the drivers to learn to drive with their left feet. And, I believe the consultant did say statistics show reduced accidents with left braking. The fact I don’t personally have those stats is not an issue.
A number of people here also have driven with left foot braking for years. And, all report comfort with it. Same as I do.
No, this is merely anal adherence to what individuals have always done and so they rationalize the other way is simply wrong. Otherwise known as basic human nature and resistance to change.
But, if older people are riding the brakes, ask ourselves why? Older people need to be taught not to ride the brakes with left foot braking. You can’t teach them any such thing if you are busily cussing them out or giving them tickets for left foot braking.
Another and even bigger issue. A lot of older people have major wrecks, such as plowing into crowds of pedestrians, or the example of running into a restaurant. It is known why this happens. Older people lose the ability to know where there feet are. When you brake with your left foot, as you get in the car, you can put your feet where they belong BEFORE you even start the car, then they don’t move, especially in city driving. No need to move them back and forth, and if you lose track people get killed.
So, older people should be taught to brake with their left feet. AND they should be taught when they get in a car to line up their feet before the motor is started. And, not to ride the brakes.
When the entire society is doing it wrong, there is no mechanism to teach old people the correct procedures.
If you have an older person who loses track of his/her feet, and is braking with the right foot, it is only a matter of time until they make a mistake with all the changing around of feet.
Some even allege this issue is what was behind the runaway Toyotas,but that is unlikely in the case of the Prime of life HP driver who got killed.
And, I agree it is not safe to change back and forth between MT and AT. I have never denied that. Those of us who brake with the left foot do not change. I have driven a MT twice since 1973, and I had to proceed with caution. Fortunately the distances were less than a mile in both cases. However, with over 95% of cars in the US being AT, that is not a major issue.
That change is most likely the reason for the error in the Air Force study. They took people not used to left foot braking. Yes, it’s a mess when you try to change.
Although we have two posters who say they change all the time.
And, to the man who said, well, he has no problem, remember a sample of one is not data.
I remember when SAAB racing team braked through the corners with simultaneous full throttle. At that time, I was driving rather wild. I tried it on my 1953 Chevrolet and it worked. In the past, most of us either gave it full throttle through the corner (power slide), or braked into it and accelerated out. When I hit the throttle and the brake at the same time, it changed the over/understeer parameters, just as SAAB said it did. I didn’t do it much, because shortly after that I was drafted, and two years later, I no longer drove that way, so it was no longer an issue.
“When the entire society is doing it wrong”
That is a very strong statement to be making
Generally . . . but not always . . . I find it’s best to not be making blanket statements
Wow. I’m speechless.
I’m an older person. I occasionally lose track of my keys, but it’s scary to think I’m going to lose track of my feet!
Just what is the definition of “older”? I for one am getting tired of being called older and confused. I don’t mind the senior discounts but I’m not about to check into a nursing home. I just can’t imagine getting in a car and getting confused about the clutch. Now I do get a little confused with cruise control buttons that are on opposite sides of the wheel depending on the car I’m in, and the wiper switch that goes up on the Pontiac but down on the Acura, but really, forget I’m driving a manual? Try a D7 sometime, doesn’t even have a brake pedal.
I don’t care who’s driving or which foot one uses for braking, it isn’t ok to be flashing the brake lights at random every few seconds. When you follow one of those, you don’t know when they are going to stop for real. Part of safe driving is about communicating your intention with other motorists and flashing brake light sends a confusing message and that’s bad driving practice.
“Older” is a term that arrogant people use to describe people who have learned through experience not to be so judgmental. It’s also used to describe people who lose track of where there feet are. Now where WAS that left foot of mine… ???
I keep mine in my mouth
Found it! Thanks, wes.
Thanks for starting Friday evening on the right foot.
So someone thought that may have contributed to the Toyota problem,I remember the woman who called her husband up on her cellphone and said goodbye for about 6 or so minutes(couldnt get the car stopped) an older operator showed me the amount of brakes on a 621 scraper(all kinds of ways to stop those things) so there are all kinds of ways to stop a runaway car,I seriously think they really need to teach people to drive before they hand out drivers licenses, as far as left foot braking-if it works for you,go for it!-Kevin
this forum is not intended for the discussion of feet. I apologize.
…and you re welcome!
Feat yes, feet no. It is a feat untangling your left and right feet to apply the brake when breaking, no?
Blame Irlandes. He was the one who said older people lose track of their feet. Naturally, being an older person, I became concerned. Fortunately, both of mine seem to be where they’re supposed to be.
Of course, he also said that I should be taught to brake with my left foot because he thinks that’s the right way, so maybe I’ll lose track of them again.
Carolyn will have to use both feet to put the brakes on all the non car talk around here…
herding cats…, poor Carolyn.
Well, in fairness, left foot braking IS an “odd driving behavior”.
I plead “nolo conteste” to the charge of taking a right turn off of the comment about us older people losing track of their feet. We older people have enough to worry about without that too.
You’re right… she has her hands full.