Braking left footed?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 310
Likes: 0
From: London
Braking left footed?
Hi all
Im just curious, im 6"4, have a size 11 and i cannot brake with my right foot, everytime i try my foot gets stuck under the brake pedal (my brake pedal is really high compared to the accelerator, dont know if its normal!), or i hit my knee in the steering wheel!
The only solution i find is to break left footed! Luckily its something i always did, just for fun even on manuals, but in my vette i dont have a choice.
Am i the only one forced to do that?
Im just curious, im 6"4, have a size 11 and i cannot brake with my right foot, everytime i try my foot gets stuck under the brake pedal (my brake pedal is really high compared to the accelerator, dont know if its normal!), or i hit my knee in the steering wheel!
The only solution i find is to break left footed! Luckily its something i always did, just for fun even on manuals, but in my vette i dont have a choice.
Am i the only one forced to do that?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 310
Likes: 0
From: London
Could it be that my break pedal is to high? Is it ment to be more or less at the same level as the accelerator?
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,814
Likes: 414
From: Pittsburgh suburbs Pa.
Hi all
Im just curious, im 6"4, have a size 11 and i cannot brake with my right foot, everytime i try my foot gets stuck under the brake pedal (my brake pedal is really high compared to the accelerator, dont know if its normal!), or i hit my knee in the steering wheel!
The only solution i find is to break left footed! Luckily its something i always did, just for fun even on manuals, but in my vette i dont have a choice.
Am i the only one forced to do that?
Im just curious, im 6"4, have a size 11 and i cannot brake with my right foot, everytime i try my foot gets stuck under the brake pedal (my brake pedal is really high compared to the accelerator, dont know if its normal!), or i hit my knee in the steering wheel!
The only solution i find is to break left footed! Luckily its something i always did, just for fun even on manuals, but in my vette i dont have a choice.
Am i the only one forced to do that?
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
Nothing wrong with using your left foot on the brake in an automatic, in fact that is the way i have always done it. I used to work in the dealerships and had to squeeze new cars into the showrooms and tight storage areas with only inches to spare and got into the habit. You have much better control in critical situations and doesn't hurt anything as long as you don't ride the brake and the gas at the same time. Just don't try this with a standard shift.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
Likes: 230
From: Orange Park Florida
DITTO, with the obvious exception of stick shifts....
now as I have aged (65) I have found my personal ergonomics have changed...primarily due to arthritis....and so my '72 vert has some 'minor' adjustments done over the years...
first up was a smaller steering wheel and TTele column....a few years later I lowered the seat in the rear by removing the mounting flanges....it hits the rubber block on the rear deck a bit...but I adjusted the seat position bolts upward to stop most of that....dropped the padding and carpet out from the front bolts too....
then to get my legs off the wheel, I cut the floorboard from side to side and up to the steering column height...bent it forward 3" and glassed it in.....then heated the gas pedal rod, lowered it some 3", and then did the same for the brake....which is a Hydroboost unit BTW....so no longer feels like mush when braking...
now as I have aged (65) I have found my personal ergonomics have changed...primarily due to arthritis....and so my '72 vert has some 'minor' adjustments done over the years...
first up was a smaller steering wheel and TTele column....a few years later I lowered the seat in the rear by removing the mounting flanges....it hits the rubber block on the rear deck a bit...but I adjusted the seat position bolts upward to stop most of that....dropped the padding and carpet out from the front bolts too....
then to get my legs off the wheel, I cut the floorboard from side to side and up to the steering column height...bent it forward 3" and glassed it in.....then heated the gas pedal rod, lowered it some 3", and then did the same for the brake....which is a Hydroboost unit BTW....so no longer feels like mush when braking...
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 11,608
Likes: 780
From: Eustis ( Area 51 Bat Cave ) Fl
You would be surpised how many people think left foot braking is illegal,
The only thing to avoid would be using the brake pedal as a foot rest as much of any pressure could drag the pads enough to heat things up and perhaps even boil the fluid or have brake fade.
The only thing to avoid would be using the brake pedal as a foot rest as much of any pressure could drag the pads enough to heat things up and perhaps even boil the fluid or have brake fade.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
Advanced
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 97
Likes: 0
braked this way for over 50 years--my left foot is actually on the floor a little on it's edge with the inside of my foot--big toe area-- touching very lightly against the edge of the brake pedal--not resting on top--I find my reaction time is quicker then taking my right foot off the gas and applying the brake--I always know where the brake pedal is at all times ----anyways hard to explain but has always worked for me--Camber
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 11,608
Likes: 780
From: Eustis ( Area 51 Bat Cave ) Fl
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 765
Likes: 0
From: Houston Texas
Yep, since my first automatic. Its the natural thing to do.
Also, it has kept me from many accidents since you have better reaction time, I'd say half the time of right footing it.
I think it was my oldest child and on her driving test the officer told her that she couldn't use her left foot on the brake. I asked her if she asked him where it said that in the Texas law. She said no, daddy.
Also, it has kept me from many accidents since you have better reaction time, I'd say half the time of right footing it.
I think it was my oldest child and on her driving test the officer told her that she couldn't use her left foot on the brake. I asked her if she asked him where it said that in the Texas law. She said no, daddy.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 14,919
Likes: 3,333
From: NYC NY
Yeah me too. Add my size 12s to the list of left footed dealership brakers. Back in the pre-fuel injection days you needed to be able to do this to keep a rough running carberated car from stalling.
Last edited by 3JsVette; Nov 22, 2009 at 07:48 AM.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 1,900
Likes: 2
From: Nixa Missouri
Hi carlos840,
Try changing the type of shoe that your wearing. A lot of shoes have a wide sole making it hard to drive these cars.
I looked around and found a couple of shoes that I bought and now have more room down there.
Of course if you want you can look into the race driving shoes. There even narrower then the ones I bought at bass pro shop.
I'm 6'2" with a size 12.
Try changing the type of shoe that your wearing. A lot of shoes have a wide sole making it hard to drive these cars.
I looked around and found a couple of shoes that I bought and now have more room down there.
Of course if you want you can look into the race driving shoes. There even narrower then the ones I bought at bass pro shop.
I'm 6'2" with a size 12.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 310
Likes: 0
From: London
Thanks everyone....
Im still wondering if my brake pedal is not to high? I physically cannot fit my leg on it without hitting my knee in the steering wheel!
Its probably 3 inches higher than the accelerator! Is that normal?
Regarding the shoe wideness, im ok, its really the leg length or pedal hight that is a problem.
Im still wondering if my brake pedal is not to high? I physically cannot fit my leg on it without hitting my knee in the steering wheel!
Its probably 3 inches higher than the accelerator! Is that normal?
Regarding the shoe wideness, im ok, its really the leg length or pedal hight that is a problem.
