How to drive an auto?

NP46

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So you drive everywhere with your foot hovering over the pedal.
I've heard it all now :D:D:D:D

Anyway I concede, getting silly now.

I'm going to wash my car....with my left hand ;-)

Ok, went for a quick drive. I keep the left foot hovering above the brake pedal. I like it this way, I can brake or accelerate instantaneously
 
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rich599

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Since when are driving instructors the arbiters of proper road driving? Just because they teach something doesn't make it right.
I was taught to shuffle the wheel and never cross my hands. Can you honestly say that that is an efficient and safe way to steer a vehicle?
It's slow, cumbersome, and makes you look like the word that rhymes with banker yet they still teach it.

Very rarely do I drive a manual, but when I do I am forced to right foot brake, which is partly why I prefer an auto

So you think driving instructors are teaching people incorrectly if thats the case the examiners must be letting people that cant drive correctly pass their test.
By the way can i ask have you passed a test driving the way you do ?
 

Teflon

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Coming from a manual, please don't use two feet. That's for racing drivers.

Tuck your left foot under your right leg and leave it there. Otherwise, you'll absent mindedly approach a junction and use your right foot to declutch. Result - car stands on its nose and driver behind needs new underwear. It's many, many years since I did that but only by being a full time, long time auto driver does the instinct eventually disappear from your brain.

p.s. Don't use P on hills - it ain't good for the gearbox. I used to know a guy with a Jag who regualrly did it instead of stretching his handbrake cable. One day, the worn out pall lost its tenuous grip and the car came past him as he walked down the hill.


.
 
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phoenix550

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So you think driving instructors are teaching people incorrectly if thats the case the examiners must be letting people that cant drive correctly pass their test.
By the way can i ask have you passed a test driving the way you do ?

Do you drive shuffling the wheel?

I believe if you don't shuffle the wheel on your test you fail. So no, I did not pass the test driving the way a normal human being would, I shuffled the wheel the way the examiner expected.

I didn't left foot brake at the time. I only started after a couple years of driving when I read it's quicker and safer. I've been doing it since and have had no problems with brakes, engines, or flying passengers. It makes a car a lot more controllable
 
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phoenix550

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So you drive everywhere with your foot hovering over the pedal.
I've heard it all now :D:D:D:D

Anyway I concede, getting silly now.

I'm going to wash my car....with my left hand ;-)

Yeah, it's a real strain on my muscles to keep my left foot hovering a few inches off the floor rather than resting it. Perhaps I should head back to gym to do some more squats and calf raises so I have enough strength to keep it in position
 
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NP46

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Ok I'll be blunt.
If you seriously think I believe you drive around with your foot hovering off the floor you're an idiot.
Who on earth drives around with a hovering foot with the exception of you, not many I bet.
And enough of your pub bravado talk of left foot braking car control, your names not Marcus Gronholm is it?

I'm signing off from this now, you no longer warrant anymore of my time.



Yeah, it's a real strain on my muscles to keep my left foot hovering a few inches off the floor rather than resting it. Perhaps I should head back to gym to do some more squats and calf raises so I have enough strength to keep it in position
 
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phoenix550

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Ok I'll be blunt.
If you seriously think I believe you drive around with your foot hovering off the floor you're an idiot.
And enough of your pub bravado talk of left foot braking car control, your names not Marcus Gronholm is it?

I don't care what you believe but that's how I drive barring motorway journeys where braking often isn't necessary.

You've got some pretty solid debating skills. Your point doesn't have much merit, otherwise you wouldn't need to insult me to get it across

The fact that one foot per pedal is too complicated for you to grasp doesn't mean that others can't do it correctly and more efficiently than one foot for two pedals. And I'm the idiot?

I don't have to be a racing driver to be able to control a car with left foot braking.
 

NP46

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Apologies I couldn't resist but I've promised myself this is my last post on this thread.

But seriously, are you some sort of super human :D:D

Do you drive shuffling the wheel?

I believe if you don't shuffle the wheel on your test you fail. So no, I did not pass the test driving the way a normal human being would, I shuffled the wheel the way the examiner expected.

I didn't left foot brake at the time. I only started after a couple years of driving when I read it's quicker and safer. I've been doing it since and have had no problems with brakes, engines, or flying passengers. It makes a car a lot more controllable
 

phoenix550

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Ok, I'm out after this too. I've talked enough about which foot to brake with.

I'm not super human, merely pointing out that it is quite unusual to see anybody shuffling the steering wheel after they've passed their test.

After another drive I notice that my left foot is not suspended in the air. My heel rest on the floor while my forefoot covers the brake, just like it does with the accelerator.

I have yet to hear a compelling argument for right foot braking besides 'that's what driving instructors teach' and 'you can't left foot brake with a manual so you shouldn't with an auto or you'll get confused'.
While left foot braking is quicker and therefore safer. If that isn't enough of a reason then I don't know what is.
 

drmw

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Ok, I'm out after this too. I've talked enough about which foot to brake with.

I'm not super human, merely pointing out that it is quite unusual to see anybody shuffling the steering wheel after they've passed their test.

After another drive I notice that my left foot is not suspended in the air. My heel rest on the floor while my forefoot covers the brake, just like it does with the accelerator.

I have yet to hear a compelling argument for right foot braking besides 'that's what driving instructors teach' and 'you can't left foot brake with a manual so you shouldn't with an auto or you'll get confused'.
While left foot braking is quicker and therefore safer. If that isn't enough of a reason then I don't know what is.

Left foot braking on the road is incorrect, silly and potentially dangerous.

Automatics have a footrest for your left foot - didn't you wonder why?
 

NP46

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Ok picture this......
Driving along and you need to make an emergency stop, a big one!
Your left foot hits the brake, due to physics you body will go in a forward direction, therefore with your foot still over the accelerator you run the risk of pressing said device.
On the other hand my right leg is on the brake so this wouldn't happen to me ;)

Now prove the opposite preferably without mentioning shuffling the wheel :lol:


Ok, I'm out after this too. I've talked enough about which foot to brake with.

I'm not super human, merely pointing out that it is quite unusual to see anybody shuffling the steering wheel after they've passed their test.

After another drive I notice that my left foot is not suspended in the air. My heel rest on the floor while my forefoot covers the brake, just like it does with the accelerator.

I have yet to hear a compelling argument for right foot braking besides 'that's what driving instructors teach' and 'you can't left foot brake with a manual so you shouldn't with an auto or you'll get confused'.
While left foot braking is quicker and therefore safer. If that isn't enough of a reason then I don't know what is.
 

phoenix550

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Ok picture this......
Driving along and you need to make an emergency stop, a big one!
Your left foot hits the brake, due to physics you body will go in a forward direction, therefore with your foot still over the accelerator you run the risk of pressing said device.
On the other hand my right leg is on the brake so this wouldn't happen to me ;)

Now prove the opposite preferably without mentioning shuffling the wheel :lol:

I have had to perform quite a few emergency stops while left foot braking. While my body does move forward if I stomp on the brake pedal hard enough, I have yet to have my right foot depress, let alone smash, the accelerator. This is a theoretical scenario that doesn't materialize in reality. If you tried left foot braking you would know this first hand
 
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phoenix550

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Left foot braking on the road is incorrect, silly and potentially dangerous.

Automatics have a footrest for your left foot - didn't you wonder why?

Why is it incorrect? Because you said so?
 

NP46

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So you defy physics!
You really are a super human, ace car controlling super hero :D
I take my hat off to you and your multiple well controlled emergency stops.

Moderators...
If I reply again to this clown in this thread please delete my account as life is too short to waste time on trolls......




I have had to perform quite a few emergency stops while left foot braking. While my body does move forward if I stomp on the brake pedal hard enough, I have yet to have my right foot depress, let alone smash, the accelerator. This is a theoretical scenario that doesn't materialize in reality. If you tried left foot braking you would know this first hand
 

L John

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I have had to perform quite a few emergency stops while left foot braking.

I drive a white van, a motorbike and a car.
There are only 3 occasions I can think of where I had to do an emergency stop.

One was totally my fault, riding too fast for the conditions. A car pulled out and then stopped when he saw me. My speed was the problem, it was way too fast for the conditions. Accident avoided by him moving as I passed behind him still doing about 50mph, I wont say what my initial speed was.

The other two were drivers jumping into my space.
Although the latter two were not my fault (no accident fortunately) I still think I should have anticipated their stupidity.

If you have to do a lot of emergency stops are you driving in a safety bubble?
Not having a go at you at all but I think there are too many safety gizmos in cars these days, more and more people are driving with less care and attention.
 

L John

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So you defy physics!
You really are a super human, ace car controlling super hero :D
I take my hat off to you and your multiple well controlled emergency stops.

Moderators...
If I reply again to this clown in this thread please delete my account as life is too short to waste time on trolls......

Troll?
Just a difference of opinion isn't it?
 

EmilysDad

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To all that say you can't train your feet to do different things in different cars/vehicles. Some people own both 'new' Jap motorbikes with the gears on the left foot .... 1 gear down - the rest up and 'classic' British bikes with the gear change on the right foot and as well as on the 'wrong' the gearchange is 1 up & the rest down. Does this mean that they can never ride either or both their bikes? Even in cars, some very old stuff have a different pedal layout .... can their owners not adapt to driving it & their modern car?
 

NP46

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Brother in law has an R1 with a racing gearbox. 1 up, rest down on the left hand side just to add to your scenario :D


To all that say you can't train your feet to do different things in different cars/vehicles. Some people own both 'new' Jap motorbikes with the gears on the left foot .... 1 gear down - the rest up and 'classic' British bikes with the gear change on the right foot and as well as on the 'wrong' the gearchange is 1 up & the rest down. Does this mean that they can never ride either or both their bikes? Even in cars, some very old stuff have a different pedal layout .... can their owners not adapt to driving it & their modern car?
 

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