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Old Dec 18, 2001 | 11:37 AM
  #1  
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Default Not a poll

Somebody ask me about braking this morning. My reply was that everybody including me was taught wrong.

I am a firm believer to always use your left foot unless your in a manual tranny where your clutching at the same time and then you should be using your heel.

You are never going to drive your car fast until you master it.

:) The question came up the other day "Do you ever slide your car?" My answer would be only if the vehicle has all tight parts. Vettes are wonderful high G machines. Everytime I drive mine I loose the front or back or both. It's just fun. Sometimes it a surprize! :cheers:
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Old Dec 18, 2001 | 11:45 AM
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Default Re: Not a poll (gkull)

I cannot brake left footed, I either brake to hard or not hard enough. I guess it's something I'd have to work on. But in my daily driver I don't have a choice....its a 5 speed.

Daniel
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Old Dec 18, 2001 | 11:47 AM
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Default Re: Not a poll (gkull)

Yea, I'm a 2 footer as well. I'm curious if you still use the stock pedals in your car. My experience with domestic cars says that the pedals are usually all wrong for heel & toe operation under braking. Anybody make adjustable pedals that fit the stock location? Got me thinkin'...

Hans
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Old Dec 18, 2001 | 11:53 AM
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Default Re: Not a poll (gkull)

Mine is a manual so I can't use the left foot on the brake...but why would you want to do that? Besides using up your brakes, it doesn't do much.

I do use my parking brakes in winter tho...cause my winter car is a fwd and I need it to slide the rear.
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Old Dec 18, 2001 | 11:58 AM
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Default Re: Not a poll (gkull)

George, I've left foot braked for years. It's from my days of racing motocross, it's either full throttle or full brake, no coasting allowed. You knew when you reached you limits and abilities when you crashed, Rod


[Modified by Red73, 9:59 AM 12/18/2001]
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Old Dec 18, 2001 | 12:01 PM
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Default Re: Not a poll (gkull)

My step-daughter took driving-ed in school to prep for her license. She was told NOT to use her left foot for braking on an auto. I guess since I learned to drive a stick, before I ever got in an auto, I never gave it second thought.

Most people today have no idea what you are talking about when you say "heel-and-toe" driving, and honestly unless you are in an SCCA type road race or an autocross race, there's no need for it on the street so they never have learned.
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Old Dec 18, 2001 | 12:08 PM
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Default Re: Not a poll (KenSny)

I took drivers ed(the driving part) 2 years ago, and they deducted points for using left foot braking.

I have no idea why.

Daniel
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Old Dec 18, 2001 | 12:16 PM
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Default Re: Not a poll (Red73)

sigh...funny how all of this is said cause some ppl just can't switch pedal fast...everyone told me that you can't drag race with a manual cause of that...takes too much time to switch your foot back and forth. Well let me tell you, I do it fast...freaky fast and have never been beaten by an auto of equal power. Same goes for the brakes. nuff said.

And besides, everything else equal, its not your braking abilities that will make you win but your cornering. Everyone knows that.
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Old Dec 18, 2001 | 12:22 PM
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Default Re: Not a poll (KenSny)

My step-daughter took driving-ed in school to prep for her license. She was told NOT to use her left foot for braking on an auto. I guess since I learned to drive a stick, before I ever got in an auto, I never gave it second thought.
You will see people going down the interstate with their brake lights on. A left footed braker resting their foot on the brake :mad Another way to wear out the brakes (and not give a warning when you do brake). Nothing wrong with left foot braking as long as you know what you are doing. New and/or inexperenced drivers will rest the foot on the brake (as above). In an emergency situation they will left foot brake as hard as they can while at the same time pressing hard on the gas with the right foot. So for the new driver they teach them to right foot brake to get that foot off of the gas.

Me, I do both. In stop and go traffic or in a parking lot I will left foot brake, but on the highway it is always right foot brake. This when driving an automatic :rolleyes: In the 4-speed the left foot is too busy with the clutch.

tom...


[Modified by Tom73, 10:23 AM 12/18/2001]
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Old Dec 18, 2001 | 12:49 PM
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Default Re: Not a poll (gkull)

Both my mom and dad were taught to brake with the left foot( My dad is 63 and my mom 56). Me, on the other hand, I was taught in driver ed to brake with the right foot. I can do both I guess.
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Old Dec 18, 2001 | 12:52 PM
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Default Re: Not a poll (Tom73)

I 2 foot in my automatic Suburban, not my manuals. The exception is on the track if I want to trail brake.

Hans
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Old Dec 18, 2001 | 01:30 PM
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Default Re: Not a poll (Wrencher)

What I meant about fast is. Whether your doing street performance or auto-X even all out road racing it takes tenths of seconds to go from throttle to brake or bake to throttle not to mention the loading and unloading of the suspention.


I had to retake my written and driving test for both motor cycle and car. Because of a major speeding violation in another state. I had decided I would give the lady a ride in my SCCA legal Monza Spider. She said i had to mark you down for nearly never removing your hand from the shifter (5speed) and just because it is posted at 35 mph doesn't mean to also make 90 degree turns at 35 mph. :lol: She couldn't wait to get out of the car because it was also 110 degrees in Las Vegas without any A/C and 5 point seats.

You will see people going down the interstate with their brake lights on. A left footed braker resting their foot on the brake :mad Me to it says, " I'm a morom I brake on level straight roads without any traffic."
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Old Dec 18, 2001 | 02:49 PM
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Default Re: Not a poll (gkull)

I agree, those 90 degree turns can be taken a lot faster than 35, you should've seep up ! :rolleyes

and just because it is posted at 35 mph doesn't mean to also make 90 degree turns at 35 mph. :lol: "
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Old Dec 18, 2001 | 04:53 PM
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Default Re: Not a poll (gkull)

You will see people going down the interstate with their brake lights on. A left footed braker resting their foot on the brake :mad Me to it says, " I'm a morom I brake on level straight roads without any traffic."
Right but you forgot to mention the right turn signal constantly blinking!! :lol: :lol:

Those are the people who keep the brake shops in business! :lol:
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Old Dec 18, 2001 | 10:23 PM
  #15  
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Default Re: Not a poll (1970 Stingray)

I'll Voice a situation that most people probably never realized. A lot of Mechanic's are left foot brake drivers because when they are driving a car into the shop or on a test drive it is usually not running right and you need to keep the car moving under control. Stalling cars etc.. requires the driver to keep the vehicle running. Thats where I learned it and I NEVER drive on the highway resting my foot on the brake:) FWIW
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Old Dec 19, 2001 | 01:22 AM
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Default Re: Not a poll (gkull)

eh? :confused: I thought heel/toe was done with the right foot between the brake and the accelerator... And the left foot clutched or double clutched depending on whether or not the tranny had synchros.

Maybe I'm just :crazy:.

:smash:
http://www.turnfast.com/tech_driving..._heeltoe.lasso
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Old Dec 19, 2001 | 01:25 AM
  #17  
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Default Re: Not a poll (rainman69)

Michael Schumacher brakes with his left foot. 'Nuff Said.
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Old Dec 19, 2001 | 05:09 PM
  #18  
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Default Re: Not a poll (gkull)

The only time I ever used my left foot to brake (and gas) was when I blew out the ligaments in my right one and had to have surgery. By the time I had it mastered, my right foot healed.
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