Left foot breaking eh? And here I thought it was drivers wanting to make a strobe effect with their break lights.
Left foot braking thread lives again...
by JWoods 23 Replies latest jw friends
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undercover
If you ever have a foot on both the brake and the gas..
Riding your brakes is inevitable..
That's the thing, though....you don't rest your foot on the brake. Just like you don't rest it on the clutch pedal.
If you use your left foot for braking and are used to it from driving on a track, then your reaction time can be quicker when you need to brake in an emergency. That foot will already be there ready to go while you're brain has to take that the time to tell your right foot to lift, move and depress. Instead it will be "depress left foot now".
That's not advocating that we all switch. It's just to show that professional drivers use the technique to pick up quicker track times and to keep the car balanced in certain situations. I've used it at stoplights or when drag racing (In my younger days). I drive my wife's automatic with one foot. I have no desire to try to drive an SUV like a Ferrari...
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OUTLAW
JWoods..
If you want to drive with both feet,thats cool with me..
I drive with one foot because it gives me an extra Safety Edge..
I`ve seen too many people who have lost control of their car,driving with 2 feet..
All you can do,is try not to get killed by them..
Although theres a good chance,they will kill themselves..
................................. ...OUTLAW
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JWoods
And here I thought it was drivers wanting to make a strobe effect with their break lights.
Funny, none of the Ferrari people thought of that exquisite explanation! .
For what it is worth, I use my right foot for brakes over 90% of the time in the conventional manual shift Ferrari and Porsche.
Only left foot on automatics, switch over automatically after all these years.
Did you know that aircraft have two foot rudder pedals, both of them have brakes? Left brakes the left wheels, right brakes the right wheels. Most airplanes have this function on the toe of the pedal - pushing forward applies the brakes. Some planes can only be steered on the ground by differential braking - there is no mechanical steering to the wheels.
My old plane had what are called "heel brakes" - these are small pedals left and right for braking under your heels, you used bars under the toes for the rudder function.
It is not a problem to switch from toe to heel brakes any more than to switch from right to left foot braking with experience.
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undercover
And here I thought it was drivers wanting to make a strobe effect with their break lights.
You can get aftermarket gizmos that make motorcycle headlights and brake lights to have a strobe type effect... all in the name of being seen by drivers too busy texting/eating/drinking/looking at GPS to actually pay attention to the road they're driving on...
I've thought about it, but when I see some other bikes with it, I usually change my mind. I like the blinking brake light, but not the strobing headlight. I saw a custom bike that had a stop sign painted on the rear fender and LED lights were in the word STOP so when he hit the brakes it flashed on and off STOP STOP STOP STOP. Sure to help catch the eye of the idiot behind him...
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JWoods
I trust that our friend Flipper was not using his left foot for brakes when he crashed his truck?
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SacrificialLoon
Did you know that aircraft have two foot rudder pedals, both of them have brakes? Left brakes the left wheels, right brakes the right wheels. Most airplanes have this function on the toe of the pedal - pushing forward applies the brakes. Some planes can only be steered on the ground by differential braking - there is no mechanical steering to the wheels.
Yes, I took an intro flight once in a little cessna, 152 I think, it was fun. Turbulence isn't as scary when you're in control.
I've seen the stobe things before, but I was behind someone on 75 this afternoon and every five seconds it was tap tap tap. I was far enough behind, but he was riding somone else's posterior.
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Jim_TX
When I first got my driving license, I was taught by my mom how to drive. (Like a little old lady).
I went to a used book store where I found a book written by a fella who used to work in the auto insurance industry (I think - been a long time ago - I may not remember correctly)
Anyway - I read the paperback book - and picked up a few tips on safe driving - one of those tips was 'two foot driving'.
This only applies to automatics - not standard transmission vehicles.
I have used this technique for over 30 years now - and haven't 'worn out the brakes' as many will attest to (an old wives tale).
In fact - using two foot braking is safer - for me - and it has saved me many times - as my reaction times - to 'hit the brakes' is actually better - and I have avoided hitting other vehicles that stop dead in front of me - or do some other stupid driving antic.
I've actually been fortunate driving - in that I haven't had many driving accidents... only about two or three - if I recall correctly.
The 'almost' accidents however - which I do not keep track of - are many - and the left-foot driving - and other tips that I've learned from that book helped me tremendously.
And yes... there are those that claim that you 'drag the brakes' 'wear out the brakes', etc. They're wrong. The proper way to use two-foot braking does not involve resting the foot on the brake - but just above it - ready to depress the brake pedal - if necessary.
I know that when I first learned the technique - my mom almost had a cow - and gave me grief over my using two feet while driving. I learned to just ignore her. (She - and my siblings had the opinion that I was a 'reckless' driver.)
I guess - to sum it up - for ME - two-foot braking is a very safe technique that I use when driving an automatic auto.
Regards,
Jim TX
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JWoods
Thank you, Jim. I agree.
