Braking In An Auto - Which Foot To Use.

[blind_elk]

Several years ago, when Drive in the Thursday Age had a letters section, I initiated a "discussion" when one of the journos suggested left foot braking in an auto was a good idea.

I had to suggest it was not such a good idea, for the following reasons:

1. the driver's foot can relax onto the brake pedal, causing the brake lights to come on. Anyone following would be uncertain as to if / when the car in front was actually braking. (I've actually seen cars driving up hills with brake lights on)

2. If the foot relaxes even further, the brakes can be partially applied, causing crap fuel economy and accelerated pad wear.

3. In a panic stop, BOTH feet might head for the floor. It is possible then that the "go" pedal might override the "whoa" pedal (I've seen it happen). It might also explain some of these "mistook the accelerator for the brake" incidents.

Those in favour can only cite improved reaction time as a benefit of this practice. They all claim "I don't light up the brake lights", but then they aren't following themselves to see if their brake lights are lit or not .

So I maintain that the right foot is for braking (although I do sometimes left foot brake if I am manouvring in reverse). The left foot can simply relax on the footrest on the side of the transmission tunnel.

It would seem this is a learned behaviour, rather than taught (I enquired of someone who is currently learning, and the instructor said "right foot for braking").

So if you drive an auto, be it your 'line or another car, do you left foot brake? If so, why? And why did you start doing it?

Comments welcome.

[Ben C34]

Right foot unless your an idiot.

Exception for stalling up at drags and doing burnouts.

[sleptema]

Right foot for braking. Left foot is for clutching, not braking. When you learn to drive a manual car, you can't be using your left foot for both.

I recently had to teach my little brother to drive, who has raced SKAA Junior Karts since he was 10, and he has always used his left foot for braking. Initially, when he was learning in an automatic, it was hard to get him to brake the habit, (haha see what I did there) but once I got him a manual car it all clicked for him and he doesn't use his left foot even in his car which is automatic.

The only time a left foot should be used for braking is burnouts.

[jiffo]

Hard and fast rules make for dumb drivers.

Right foot is used for normal situation brake applications.

But left foot usage must be taught to achieve smooth control of an auto when manoeuvring with a load, trailer etc.

In those situations you hold the vehicle with the left foot on the brake, bring rpm up to a fast idle and then gradually release/apply the brake to achieve smooth control.

It's easy to see drivers who have been taught to right foot brake no matter what, by their lack of control and general jerkiness when manoeuvring.

In fact the ONLY way to smoothly drive something like a scraper etc onto a float is by the method described above.

[Ben C34]

Handbrake does that though if you need control like you mentioned. Which is pretty much never in auto. How many people drive scrapers onto floats? What is a scraper?

[JezR31]

Why does the human brain have to overcomplicate even the most simplest of processes. Right foot does both, unless you do a skid or need to stall up a few hundred rpm for a heavy tow.

[PN-Mad]

Left foot- good to tap the pads up to the rotor while the right foot is flat to the floor at 220km/h.

[GTR-N1]

Several years ago, when Drive in the Thursday Age had a letters section, I initiated a "discussion" when one of the journos suggested left foot braking in an auto was a good idea.

Comments welcome.

Our eldest son was once a Service Advisor at Penrith Subaru.

One day a man brought in a garden variety sedan and mentioned that his brakes were squealing.

Upon inspection, a phone call went out to the owner saying that whilst the car had only done about 14,000Km, not only were his pads gone but the rotors had been worn down below minimum thickness.

Everything was replaced without quibble.

About 13,000Km later the man brought in his car once again with the same symptoms.

Mark (our son) and the Service Manager asked the owner how this could happen so soon.

He (the owner) said that he hardly ever drove the car. It was his wife who drove it 95% of the time.

The Service Manager asked politely if the wife could bring the car down when she could.

Meanwhile Penrith Subaru charged for labour only on this occasion (whilst the car under warranty had only done about 28,000Km).

When the wife came down, the Service Manager asked if she could take him for a drive (along flat local roads).

Yup you guessed it > she'd drive with her left foot on the brake whilst the right was on the accelerator.

The Service Manager said, "How long have you been doing that?"

She said, "That's how I was taught."

And the other funny thing was: her husband never took notice!

[Got a Pulsar]

Took me ages to get used to left foot braking on the Forklift at work as it just seemed so unnatural but it definitely has it's benefits.

Right foot always in the any car though.

Any car.

Always.

[Victory]

In NSW it is now OK to left foot brake when you are attempting a driving test in an auto.

For someone who is coming from a manual car background left foot braking is a hard skill to learn because the left foot normally just goes to the floor to engage the clutch and all of the feel is required when the clutch is released.

When you start to drive go karts it takes some time to become a competent left foot breaker while your brain is being reprogrammed.

I can drive an auto and left foot brake and not even have to think about it from my experience with karts. This skill is also helpful in a manual because it is easy to tap the brakes with the left foot to bring the pads up to the disk without having to lift off so that when the right foot comes off the gas and hits the brakes there is more pedal. Also if you have a laggy turbo you can get on the gas earlier in a corner and still use a bit of left foot breaking to keep the car stable until you get to the apex.

The only thing you have to be sure of is that you never ride the brake pedal.

[Victory]

Double post.

[jiffo]

Terry what I'm talking about is the smooth operation of a vehicle. Clearly driving with brake and accelerator applied until there's no pads left, doesn't fit in that category.

Drivers need to be taught ALL skills and double footing an auto is just that, another skill.

I've watched people trying to couple up a caravan onto the car's ball using only the accelerator with some amazing near misses.

When I can no longer stand the near death crushes I offer to drive.

In every case, the driver is amazed such smooth control can be produced so simply.

I always demonstrate the procedure to anyone who drives an auto, it's up to them if they want to learn a new and useful skill.

[Sinista32]

I must be an idiot then. I use left foot to brake in an Auto

There is those who drive with left foot resting on the brake initiating the brake lights on. and I find that annoying

I am not one of those.

2 pedals / 2 feet either depressed but never both

on/off like clutch and accelerator (difference being tipping point when using a manual)

[GTR-N1]

"Fine Motor Control" in the left foot I agree, will require training; especially when one is right-handed and have been used to operating both accelerator and brake with the right foot. The former reason above applies since if you're right-handed, you'll be right-footed too (ie left hemisphere of the brain). Some people may never grasp "fine motor control " of the left foot if they're too right-hand dominant.

All those years ago, I did ask Mark if that woman was right or left handed. But alas, I can't recall the answer.

[jiffo]

I've never heard "Fine motor skills" used in that context before Terry, good one.

Thinking outside the square.

[zoomzoom]

The only real problem I see is that you must train your left foot to have the same fine motor skills as your right foot, much like the differences between dominant and other hand. The whole pad-wearing argument could be equally applied to using your left foot for the clutch. Many clutches have been burned out by clutch-riders. Just don't do it.

Then again I frequently shift vehicles, and so the

-brakes may be my right hand, right foot, or left foot

-accelerator may be my right hand or right foot

-clutch may be left foot or left hand

Its just situational muscle memory.

[GTR-N1]

Because I'm not so left-brain-dominant I (by choice) also play comp table tennis left handed (to exercise my right brain).

I drop down 2 grades but it's just as much fun.

My only problem is convincing my wife how smart I am.

[ibrox90]

Colin mcrae on left foot braking

obviously not your average daily driver though ... very talented man

[Nii San]

"Fine Motor Control" in the left foot I agree, will require training; especially when one is right-handed and have been used to operating both accelerator and brake with the right foot. The former reason above applies since if you're right-handed, you'll be right-footed too (ie left hemisphere of the brain). Some people may never grasp "fine motor control " of the left foot if they're too right-hand dominant.

All those years ago, I did ask Mark if that woman was right or left handed. But alas, I can't recall the answer.

So what does it mean if your naturally right handed and left footed I have been since day I could walk/ kick a ball.

[GTR-N1]

There are definitely people like these around.

Lots of gifted footballers are adept as such. A Manly player last week kicked a ball in goal with his left foot for his team member to score a try - and yet he's naturally right footed.

Your right hand is still left brain controlled.

Your left foot is still right brain controlled.

Overall, you're probably able to do a variety of things with limbs on both sides that other people will find awkward.

However, you might still fall short of what they call "ambidextrous".

I would be rivetted to any documentary about ambidexterity - especially whilst interviewing a gifted sportsperson about the talent he/she has.

Might have to google it now...