Do you drive your automatic transmission car with one foot or both feet?

[solo]

Hey guys,As per the title, most drivers with will drive their automatic transmission car with on foot, meaning the right foot for both accelerator and brake. I know a rare few, myself included, who drive with both, meaning the right foot for the accelerator and the left foot for the brake.My father says driving an automatic transmission car with both feet is dangerous. This is because in a panic, the driver with step on the accelerator instead of the brake. I think driving this way makes my braking reaction faster. And in any event, I have trained myself to lift of the right foot and apply the left foot to slow down. Also, I never rest my left foot on the brake, just hover over it. Let me clear here, I drive short distances everyday so this is not tiring. By the way did you know Rubens Barrichello drives with both feet?For my bimmer I feel more comfortable driving with both feet as i feel the accelerator is positioned too far inwards compared to the brake pedal. Unlike my Kancil where both pedals are on the same level.So what do you guys think, especially those who have gone through the advanced driver's training.Salut

 

[Eggie86]

Wow, takes loads of practice to get used to it and making sure you know which feet is doing what. :top:

Have tried to use left foot in traffic jams or slow moving traffic just to ease off the ache on my right leg, and it's not easy!

Found it hard to modulate the brake pedal enough cos each time I used my left feet, the car brakes even harder... :biggrin:

 

[crusher]

I dont think it is wise. In emergency you will definitely panic and involuntary reactions sets in. Dont try to compare yourself with race drivers to justify it, that's just silly in my opinion.

 

[jarance]

My wife does it with both feet. I use only one foot.

but I think my driving skill is slightly better than her racing driving technique. :wink:

 

[astroboy]

On emergency braking, you need to stomp the brake so hard like kicking a motherfxxker.. if you can kick well with your left leg, by all means, use your left leg to brake.. I can't.. My left leg is only as good as I write with left hand.. and you won't understand what I'm writing.. :4:


Meaning, give me a go-kart, I'll be on "L" license because left leg brake ma.. :4:

 

[Yeow]

Doesn't work for manual shifter, coz the left leg is used to slam down the clutch pedal all the time. Unable to modulate the braking like right foot.

 

[jarance]

For manual, you have to use the toe/heel technique.

 

[solo]

All very good and valid comments. First of all, let us limit the discussion to Automatic Transmission Cars only, Manual Transmission Cars are a different beast altogether. Also let us limit the discussion to day-in-day-out driving.

So those who have gone through the BMW Advanced Driver's Training or the trainers themselves, care to chip in?

In the future the government is going to allow Automatic Transmission Driving licences. Who knows what the driving instructors will teach the new drivers?

Salut

 

[Ecc0]

Hey guys,

As per the title, most drivers with will drive their automatic transmission car with on foot, meaning the right foot for both accelerator and brake. I know a rare few, myself included, who drive with both, meaning the right foot for the accelerator and the left foot for the brake.

My father says driving an automatic transmission car with both feet is dangerous. This is because in a panic, the driver with step on the accelerator instead of the brake. I think driving this way makes my braking reaction faster. And in any event, I have trained myself to lift of the right foot and apply the left foot to slow down. Also, I never rest my left foot on the brake, just hover over it. Let me clear here, I drive short distances everyday so this is not tiring. By the way did you know Rubens Barrichello drives with both feet?

For my bimmer I feel more comfortable driving with both feet as i feel the accelerator is positioned too far inwards compared to the brake pedal. Unlike my Kancil where both pedals are on the same level.

So what do you guys think, especially those who have gone through the advanced driver's training.

Salut

..hehe..bro, you will be rather good quickstep dancer (Fred Astair) .. jokes on a side..im controlling pedals with one foot..if eventually gets tired, just swapping with left one and im good..

 

[yat325]

iam using both feet, but in emergency situation iam using my right foot to slamed to the padel brake...as my expriance in race some track corners u need to leftfoot braking so in the same time the acelerator alwaz on due to enter fast in n fast out ......

 

[BlackBird]

For safe and easy driving just stick to one foot. However for a more sporty or aggressive driving use both feet as the reaction times are faster. But please practice on deserted roads and be comfortable with left foot braking as it takes some getting use to it. Most F1 and racing drivers use left foot braking. I occasionally do it myself just for practice and for the fun of it just like when I'm go-karting or racing on GT5. Just my personal opinion...

 

[jeffreyewe]

Its a matter of practice. I use both feet on my AT when situation arises

 

[B33mEr]

I use left foot for braking all the time ... been that way for as long as i can remember. If you can modulate the clutch you can modulate the brake ... like other said it needs a lot of practice and once the muscle memory takes over it's easy peasy :4:

p/s: in my opinion if you like to rest your left foot on the dead pedal while driving then it's pointless to learn braking with your left foot. Ideally it should be constantly resting against the brake pedal for quicker braking reflexes but that's just my opinion ...

 

[mielo86]

nice topic...before this i usually drive with booth feet. this is due to my wife proton sawi bad engine idling and gear change..after owning a beemer i try practising driving with 1 leg and goosh it was so much convenience!...my leg not tired any more and it is much comfortable driving with 1 leg as you can rest the other leg on the resting pad...it seem now i can use booth the method..1 or 2 leg also no problem to me..:rock:

 

[tweiboon]

Hey guys,

As per the title, most drivers with will drive their automatic transmission car with on foot, meaning the right foot for both accelerator and brake. I know a rare few, myself included, who drive with both, meaning the right foot for the accelerator and the left foot for the brake.

My father says driving an automatic transmission car with both feet is dangerous. This is because in a panic, the driver with step on the accelerator instead of the brake. I think driving this way makes my braking reaction faster. And in any event, I have trained myself to lift of the right foot and apply the left foot to slow down. Also, I never rest my left foot on the brake, just hover over it. Let me clear here, I drive short distances everyday so this is not tiring. By the way did you know Rubens Barrichello drives with both feet?

For my bimmer I feel more comfortable driving with both feet as i feel the accelerator is positioned too far inwards compared to the brake pedal. Unlike my Kancil where both pedals are on the same level.

So what do you guys think, especially those who have gone through the advanced driver's training.

Salut

I am using both feet for driving and some time if my right foot tired then i use my left foot for accelerate pedal and brake pedal. i totally not agree ur father saying that driving both feet is dangerous.

Dangerous is because they are not able to control both feet. What is can say is if my car has enuf house power then i am sure with my current skill i am make my car low speed drift. Even in emergency, is very lucky that have this skill if not i already has accident long time ago.

Yesterday (03/03/2012) while i driving on Federal Highway at Kerinchi Putra Station, my car at third link then suddenly a Isuzu DMax tried to enter my line. Then i applied brake with left leg and turned my car abit to right in order to avoid accident. If not because of left leg i am sure i am not able to brake so fast due to brake and accelerate pedals both placed different level. We need to lift right leg to apply brake, this making apply brake more difficult. And this making us not able to apply brake and accelerate pedal at the same time. I used to apply both while i drove manual car.

I use my left foot for accelerate pedal sometime, due to brake and accelerate pedal not at the same level, this making apply accelerate pedal more difficult. Japanese cars normally dont have this problem. And that is why is more easy for me to drive Japanese cars.

 

[solo]

I'm with B33mEr and Tweiboon.

I have been a two-foot automatic car driver for as long as I can remember. After all we all passed with manual cars and therefore use two feet.

When I first drove a automatic transmission car, it was uncomfortable. I always find the brake pedal higher than the accelerator pedal. So to brake is a two-part movement for my right leg. I have to lift the entire right leg from the accelerator pedal, then shift it left and then step on the brake pedal. This is just like what Tweiboon says.

Most often than not, for me, if I drive with only the right foot, I end up slamming the brake pedal too hard, locking the brakes and skidding the car. Frightening for the passengers and also the other car drivers beside me when I skid to a stop. Not so good also on wet roads when the risk of fishtailing is a real hazard.

The difference in pedal heights for the bimmer are even more pronounced as the accelerator pedal is really recessed inside the footwell. Even the Kancil is like this but it is less pronounced and what Tweiboon says is true - Japanese cars have all pedals on the same level so using one foot to drive is easier because to apply the brake, you only have one physical movement to make - release pressure of the right foot from the accelerator, pivot the foot using the heel to the brake pedal and apply pressure on the brake pedal.

Like B33mEr says, if you can modulate a clutch with you left foot, you can modulate the brake pedal with your left foot too. And I trained myself early in my driving life to use both feet. My left foot hovers over the brake pedal and does not rest on it. So I won't constantly blind or confuse the driver behind me with constantly on brake lights.

And to say that this method of driving is dangerous...well a safe driver should be judged based on the OVERALL way he or she drives. If a person drives with one foot (the safe method) but constantly talks on the phone, change lanes without signally, speeds, road hogs etc...does that make the person a safe driver?

Salut

 

[Maniac]

i don't think that i could drive with both feet, perhaps due to training and habits formed over the years. learning to drive with a manual transmission, and trained to jam both the clutch and brake in emergencies, i might do what solo's dad has said and whack both the accelerator and brake if driving with my feet on both.
anyways, i guess it's a matter of training and ambidextrousity with your feet.

I am using both feet for driving and some time if my right foot tired then i use my left foot for accelerate pedal and brake pedal. i totally not agree ur father saying that driving both feet is dangerous.

you are quite amazing, bro! mind sharing your car number?
...i'd like to make sure i don't drive too closely to you if i happen to cross your path :4:

 

[wutty]

If you are used to using left foot for braking, it would extremely dangerous to drive manual car again. Your feet will kelam kabut when your respond to emergency situations.

A simple test is switching between Japanese and continental cars (and some protons). Most of the time you will get it right when you want to turn on signal light or wipers. You seems to automatically switch between the opposing types of stalk layout.

However sometimes when mind drifted away while you are driving (in my case quite often actually), our "auto pilot system" tends to confuse about which type of car we driving and hence wiper comes on when we want to turn, so does the signal light coming on when we need the wiper on.

 

[3er]

Like solo, I have been using LFB (left foot braking) for as long as i can remember.



[I can revert back to left foot clutching in a manual car without any problems]

 

[aoch88]

The correct way is to use only your right foot