Phantom Foot -a contrarian position

Left foot braking is a useful technique, popular with guys and gals who race cars. When you have a “dog” engagement transmission you use you left foot once per race so it’s just sitting there feeling useless and unloved most of the time. Using you left foot for braking gives the foot a renewed sense of worth and boost self esteem. It can also make you faster around the track. To stay in practice some Of these folks will left-foot-brake on public roads. It can cut down on lag by a quarter second or more (when you need your brakes). At 50mph, that can shorten your stopping distance by as much as a car length.

Are you expecting somebody to agree with you . . . ?!

I won’t . . . but I know some other regulars on this website like left foot braking

Now all this talk of “renewed sense of worth and boost self esteem” is something I haven’t heard before

I’m glad it worked out for you

But I for one don’t need a boost :smiley:

So if I don’t use my left foot for braking on my automatic transmission vehicle the left foot will need a mental health professional ?

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At the very least you’re harming it’s self esteem😉

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I want to thank for joining and for bringing up a topic gets rehashed just about every year.

Yeah we’ve heard it all before. It’s worked for me for over 50 years, especially in heavy traffic where split seconds count. But whatever. Kind of like how do you hold your fork-whatever way works for you but Miss Maners will have her say. I’m surprised no one has said there ought to be a law. My Driver’s Trainer instructor just said to wait until the class was over and then I could do whatever way I wanted. Yawn.

I wasn’t using my left foot for braking and it developed a real inferiority feeling. I went to a doctor who specializes in foot psychology. He recommended amputating the foot. I didn’t have the procedure as I felt this foot doctor had a defeetist attitude.

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My left foot spent years in analysis after a young woman described my inability to dance as having “two left feet”.
Now this?!? It’s a big setback.
Happy Thanksgiving!

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Do you think that left foot braking to stop a 1/4 second faster if the car, or worse yet, semi behind isn’t left foot braking is always a good Idea? The semi generally can’t left foot brake. The pedal position and force required prevent it and he needs the left foot for the clutch on most rigs although I understand some fleets are moving to automatics in an attempt to get and train more drivers who can’t or wont learn a stick. There is a big shortage if drivers that will rapidly turn into a glut if the self driving trucks actually become reality.

My clutch get’s jealous & won’t let the left foot near the brake.

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I’m not going to get into any details . . . except that I’m not a fan of left foot braking

There have been heated discussions on this website . . . as we all well know :fist_right: :fist_left:

and if somebody wants to fight it out, do it without me :smiley:

Nothing you can do about the idiot behind you. But you are responsible for not hitting the car in front.

When I’m being tailgated by an overly aggressive driver (eg 50% of the people on the street), I just slow down to the speed limit and stop looking in my RVM. You’d be surprised how often the tgater gets frustrated and passes me in a double yellow zone. Fine with me.

The orig. post was in reaction to a replay a few weeks ago where Ray and Tom conclude left foot braking is meaningless.

John

Not an option for me as my left foot has to operate the clutch.

This not only helps my both feet feel equally important, also helps my both hands be more productive.

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Well then add it to the already uselessly lengthy posts on the subject, please.

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I am indeed starting to realize the OP was a mistake…

A couple of introductory sentences would have prevented the problems. We have no idea what reruns folks are hearing.