Left foot braking in automatics

[Mjolinor]

Just now, Gren said:

I drive both autos and manuals regularly now and have never ever attempted to use my left foot in an auto.  But I don't take my shoe off now!

I am sure the passengers are pleased about that. 🙂

[Roy124]

Many Americans were brought up on Automatics and never used a manual gearbox or clutch.  Taught left foot braking from the start it would become natural.   The big US cars also had much larger brake pedals. 

Can anyone remember the time when the clutch was in the centre position?  Hold the car on the brake,  adjust the rpm with the gas, quickly hit the clutch,  select 1st gear, hit the gas, release the brake......

 

[Haliotis]

A friend once loaned me his 1931 Austin 7 open tourer.  The accelerator pedal was a small stud-like thing about the size of a 50p piece, and was centrally placed between brake and clutch.  I did manage to get the hang of it, but was glad to hand it back.

[Mjolinor]

It is amazing what the brain can do with stuff like that. It learns very quickly and soon things become second nature.

I remember once at a place I was working there was a dumper with rear wheel steering. The steering box went so we replaced it with one from a car that looked the same. On reassembly the steering worked the wrong way round  so turning the steering wheel clockwise made the dumper turn left. Very quickly it made absolutely no difference until someone that had never driven it got on at which time there was a few minutes of major panic but anyone got used to it very quickly.

[Mjolinor]

Pretty conclusive at about one in ten.

I expected it to be maybe 50% or so.

It seems that those who have taught themselves to do it do it, no one that has learned to left foot brake uses their right foot. The only reasons for not doing it seem to be "I was told not to", "it is dangerous" and "I have seen lots of people crash because they did it and didn't know how to".

Since I started the thread I have watched myself and interestingly I do not normally left foot brake outside urban areas, over 50 MPH ish, I had previously never noticed that I did this. It is just completely automatic, my brain sorts it without telling me.

What I need now is a mending cars forum to see if it is a higher ratio where more mechanics reside. It really is a necessity particularly with older cars and even modern cars that don't perform well.

 

 

[Cyker]

I thought of this thread on the way home yesterday evening, as there as an SUV in front of me who had their brake lights on for the 5 or so miles I was closing with and passing them  

I was mildly surprised the brake discs weren't glowing when I looked over  

 

[AndrueC]

Interestingly when I've raced go karts I have no problems with left foot braking. But then you don't have any choice on those since the right foot won't reach under the steering column to the left pedal and both feet end up lying on top of the pedals all the time anyway.

[Mjolinor]

22 hours ago, AndrueC said:

Interestingly when I've raced go karts I have no problems with left foot braking. But then you don't have any choice on those since the right foot won't reach under the steering column to the left pedal and both feet end up lying on top of the pedals all the time anyway.

The only go kart I have owned had a Villiers 8E engine and it had throttle and brake one side of the steering column and clutch on the other side.

Are they all automatic now?

[Mojo1010]

23 hours ago, Cyker said:

I thought of this thread on the way home yesterday evening, as there as an SUV in front of me who had their brake lights on for the 5 or so miles I was closing with and passing them  

I was mildly surprised the brake discs weren't glowing when I looked over  

 

Sticky button thing/faulty (don't know the name of it) which operate the brake lights. They didn't brake and gas at the same time.