How to drive an auto?

EmilysDad

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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

Are you saying that I've got my gear positions arse about face :shock: :shock: I might have to go & check on my bike :lol: :lol:
 

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Are you saying that I've got my gear positions arse about face :shock: :shock: I might have to go & check on my bike :lol: :lol:
 

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I disagree on all counts. :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

No surprises there. You possibly steer with your knees too in case you have to suddenly reach for the radio and I'm sure that's also fine in your book.
 

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Why is it incorrect? Because you said so?

I'm sure this is a waste of time as you already know the futility of the argument, but try reading any book on driving techniques, watching any media showing you how to drive, watching professional race/rally drivers on the road. Braking is always done with the right foot.
 

EmilysDad

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I'm sure this is a waste of time as you already know the futility of the argument, but try reading any book on driving techniques, watching any media showing you how to drive, watching professional race/rally drivers on the road. Braking is always done with the right foot.

Ths is like a 'discussion' with the wife ........... she's always right too. :rolleyes:

Those of us that left foot brake, just do. There was no mention of who was 'right' or 'wrong' ............. just different from the masses. ;)
 

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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.

No, but I encounter a lot of pedestrians that jump to road, cars that turn out of junctions really late etc.
 

phoenix550

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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......

Who taught you physics? Because you probably have a good case for a lawsuit. Braking hard with your left doesn't push your right foot on the accelerator. Racing drivers left foot brake. Race cars generate significantly more G than road cars yet somehow they manage not to smash the accelerator.Go figure.
Are you God? Maybe you are because according to the laws of physics as dictated by you this is not possible
This is like arguing with a five year old.

So because you are too stupid to manage to use more than one foot when driving an auto I'm a clown and troll? OK


Your whole argument is based on your inability to comprehend basic physics,driving instructors teach right foot braking, and it gets confusing if you drive a manual too.

If anyone's a troll it's you.
 

phoenix550

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I'm sure this is a waste of time as you already know the futility of the argument, but try reading any book on driving techniques, watching any media showing you how to drive, watching professional race/rally drivers on the road. Braking is always done with the right foot.

You'd be surprised, but I did read Sports Car and Competition Driving by Paul Frere where he states it is pointless to right foot brake when driving an automatic road car as it's much quicker, and therefore more efficient and safer, to left foot brake.
 

exjagman

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I don't drive a racing car or do competition driving I therefore do not feel the need to emulate the people that do:cool:
 

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When I started driving automatics in the 50's left foot braking became normal for me, plus as driving many cars back then that were mostly manual it was just an normal way of driving, with a Model T ford the accelerator is in the middle all fine if you are bursting to do a wee and your legs are crossed, then even on that left foot braking was possible...... No my left foot does not hover over the brake pedal, its still nearer than my right foot.:D
 

exjagman

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Whether racing drivers left foot brake or not is irrelevant, they do it because it enables them not to take their foot off the throttle.
Whichever way is most comfortable for the individual is the correct way, if it feels natural inevitably the response will be quicker:)
 

Teflon

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Whether racing drivers left foot brake or not is irrelevant, they do it because it enables them not to take their foot off the throttle.
Whichever way is most comfortable for the individual is the correct way, if it feels natural inevitably the response will be quicker:)

There is zero need to LF brake when on the Queen's highway and it cannot possibly be more comfortable unless deliberatly learnt. Only a complete dipstick has such poor road awareness or is pushing on so enthusiatically that they can't afford the 0.25 seconds to move a foot from one pedal to the other.

The racing issue isn't even about speed - it's a combination of being able to use both pedals at the same time (to control cornering neutrality) and is also a design issue in single seaters because one pedal can go either side of the centre line. Rally drivers depend on both pedals simultaneously to balance the car. The McLaren MP4/12C (the 1997 version, not the road car) took the cornering thing to the extreme - it had a second brake pedal just for the rear brakes which was used when accelerating out of slow corners.

Having had to re-learn how to drive after finding myself with legs that don't work so great, I can tell you that I've experimented with LF braking repeatedly over the last 10 years. I also used to try it in my idiot days, when I was also a dab hand at heel & toeing and used to enjoy approaching slow corners sideways. My right foot still has all the finess that it used to have, even though I can no longer feel it and I'm working everything from my knee. If I only knew where it was in space I could drive without hand controls. In contrast, my left, in which I do have some proprioception, is still conditioned to pressing down a clutch pedal and is about as subtle on the brakes as a punch in the face. It was ever so.

I therefore posit that LF braking on the road, as opposed to the circuit, is a skill that has to be developed and finessed over long periods of time to be anywhere near as good as with the right. If that's the case, why bother?


.
 

exjag

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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.

Yes "shuffling the wheel" (I'm assuming you mean the push/pull method) is an efficient and safe way to steer a car. I've done it for the past 50 years and it's as natural to me as steering with the flat of the hand - the latest fashion picked up from low intellect American TV programmes - is to a witless droid.

So, what do you think you look like then?
 

exjagman

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I think the reason that feeding the wheel through your hands is considered safer is that generally you have to be moving more slowly to do it and you can't get your arms in a mucking fuddle,
I have to admit I don't do it all of the time.
 
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EmilysDad

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Yes "shuffling the wheel" (I'm assuming you mean the push/pull method) is an efficient and safe way to steer a car. I've done it for the past 50 years and it's as natural to me as steering with the flat of the hand - the latest fashion picked up from low intellect American TV programmes - is to a witless droid.

So, what do you think you look like then?

Palming a steering round isn't something I've picked up from US telly ....... I don't watch it.

Push pull steering has been taught from years back when there was about a turn & a half from lock to lock. And the latest reason I've heard from IAM as to why you shouldn' cross your arms across the wheel is just incase the airbag goes off!!!!! :shock: What a load of Sandra Bullocks! :lol:
 

exjag

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Palming a steering round isn't something I've picked up from US telly ....... I don't watch it.

Push pull steering has been taught from years back when there was about a turn & a half from lock to lock. And the latest reason I've heard from IAM as to why you shouldn' cross your arms across the wheel is just incase the airbag goes off!!!!! :shock: What a load of Sandra Bullocks! :lol:

I agree that the airbag explanation is not convincing.

However the pull, push method is, I believe, still taught by police driving schools, the explanation being that its advantage is that it keeps both hands on the wheel and allows an immediate turn in either direction at any point during steering.

A couple of months ago I watched a video on YouTube where a boy racer was driving a flash sports car at high speed on a mountain road which his vehicle flew off to the left because he was crossing his arms, and because of the position of his hands on the wheel, couldn't turn any further to the right.

Steering with the palm of the hand at anything above walking pace is very risky.

Reading some of the threads on here frightens me to death.
 

EmilysDad

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......

Steering with the palm of the hand at anything above walking pace is very risky.

......


I'm talking about a parking speeds & it's not something I routinely do .....but don't push/pull the wheel ;)
 

Carabosse

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Really enjoying using the Hold function. :)

Only trouble is, if I drive a car without it, I'll be crashing into the car in front at the lights etc when I let go of the brake pedal, whilst still in Drive. :D
 

davemercedes

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Me too

When I started driving automatics in the 50's left foot braking became normal for me, plus as driving many cars back then that were mostly manual it was just an normal way of driving, with a Model T ford the accelerator is in the middle all fine if you are bursting to do a wee and your legs are crossed, then even on that left foot braking was possible...... No my left foot does not hover over the brake pedal, its still nearer than my right foot.:D

Similarly, since the 60's I developed the habit of left foot braking (in autos) at slow speeds/in tight places etc. If there's an urgent need for braking, my right foot still goes to the brake automatically.

I still drive manuals when on holiday etc and it's funny that LF braking doesn't occur to me then. However for the first day or two, I do forget to change down when coming to a stop but the "leapfrogging" wakes me up to it!

Note: I remember an advertising poster back in the 60's - I think it was for Triumph 2000 (?). It was unashamedly aimed at lady drivers and featured the wide brake pedal that was "large enough for two feet" when required. Fifty years later and we still have wider brake pedals in automatics.
 

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