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Drive with one feet, or two?

One Foot, two feet, or both?

  • Drive with one foot

    Votes: 15 39.5%

  • Drive with two feet

    Votes: 7 18.4%

  • Drive both ways at different times

    Votes: 16 42.1%
  • Total voters
    38
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Holeshot

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Do you drive with one foot or two...or both ways (at different times)?
 
I do both at different times, but I'm not sure there's any rhyme or reason to it.
 
Two of course (manual transmission).

Two after knee surgery in an automatic.
 
Wait. Do people in an Automatic drive with 2 feet? That is just crazy town.
 
Up until a few years ago I only used my left foot for the clutch (if there was one). I decided to start using my left foot for the brake for two reasons 1) reduced reaction time on the street (in an automatic), and 2) to practice for left foot braking for some turns on the track (manual transmission).

It took months to bring my left foot skill up to par. It's still not as good as my right foot, but I'm getting better. for regular planned braking I'm as smooth as my right foot. I suck at sport and panic braking with my left. Too fast, too hard, too abrupt. The stability-control and ABS will occasionally kick in.

I'm still working on it. Refuse to give up.
 
Eldritch said:
Wait. Do people in an Automatic drive with 2 feet? That is just crazy town.
Click to expand...

It reduces reaction time, and thus stopping distances.

At 60mph, if you can get to the brakes 1/4sec sooner, you reduce your stopping distance by about 22ft.
 
Depends on circumstances.

Hauling ass, two feet always. Cruising, one foot.
 
Enchanter said:
It reduces reaction time, and thus stopping distances.

At 60mph, if you can get to the brakes 1/4sec sooner, you reduce your stopping distance by about 22ft.
Click to expand...

I mean, I don't see how that does not fuck up your reflexes for when you need to use clutch and brake at the same time.

I imagine the holster draw principle applies. You want to train your reflex reactions to remain the same. Like when I have to panic break in my automatic, my clutch foot is always looking for shit too.
 
Enchanter said:
It reduces reaction time, and thus stopping distances.

At 60mph, if you can get to the brakes 1/4sec sooner, you reduce your stopping distance by about 22ft.
Click to expand...

only automatic we have, the vehicle takes matters into it's own hands in emergency situations (fuck all - we're braking - HARD lol). it's handy now - but i expect when i get old, it'll be a necessity lol.
 
For a while in my 20’s I used to break with my left foot. Had a coworker bitch about it once saying I was putting him in danger :rolleyes

Eventually gave up on it and now simply use me right foot for breaking. My reaction time for getting my foot off the throttle and onto the brake is likely half as long as it takes me to react with my right hand on a bike.
Basically I don’t see any advantage for trying to train my left foot to take on the task.
 
Eldritch said:
I mean, I don't see how that does not fuck up your reflexes for when you need to use clutch and brake at the same time.

I imagine the holster draw principle applies. You want to train your reflex reactions to remain the same. Like when I have to panic break in my automatic, my clutch foot is always looking for shit too.
Click to expand...

I haven't driven a manual In a while, but I'm willing to guess that in an emergency braking situation, the clutch goes pretty far down on the priority list.
 
Manual- two feet. Right foot brake and gas, left foot clutch.
Automatic- one foot. Right foot brake and gas, left foot dead pedal.

All that reaction time ya'll are saving with that second foot doesn't matter when you're trying to panic brake and using both feet, and you're actually pushing both the brake and accelerator to the floor. In a panic stop you use your feet to brace yourself; bracing yourself against the accelerator is a bad idea and results in collisions. This works in a manual because the clutch is disengaged and the brake is engaged; two-foot automatic, it leaves the vehicle fighting with itself to come to a stop.

The other thing? I see two-foot drivers riding their brakes all the time, masking their actual braking. I can't tell if you're braking because your brake light is illuminated 100% of the time from you resting your foot on the pedal, making it pointless. Oh, you don't do that? Think again. Again, all of that "gain" you think you've gotten in reaction time is lost in other ways.

Pay attention when you're out riding and you'll have no issue picking out the people two-footing in an automatic. Just don't do it.
 
Last edited:
Like any other technique, there are negative effects when it's used improperly. Most of the widely publicized automobile 'unintended acceleration' events were actually misapplication of the brake/accelerator.

To address the comparison to the front brake on a motorcycle:
Reaction time is a valid concern when braking, car or motorcycle. Reducing reaction time has a direct link to reduced braking distance. Most riders that I know are in the habit of covering their front brake to reduce their reaction time. Left foot braking accomplishes the same thing in an automatic car. Can you screw up the technique, yup. Moto and auto.

For sure there are a crap-load of people driving their cars incorrectly. The same can be said of motorcyclists. Left foot braking is very controversial, just Google it to see that.

If you can master the technique on the street, it will reduce your braking distance.
 
The only time I drive with two feet in an automatic is when I accidentally push down the "clutch" that doesn't exist. :laughing

You know you've done it too.
 
Two feet in an automatic for the few times Ive driven a car on the track. And 2 feet for a kart of course. One foot for street driving. The stark differences in the situations make the switch between techniques very easy.
 
MIL drove her automatic with two feet and kept her left foot on the brake pedal all the time, just in case there was an "emergency braking situation" (her words).

Her mechanic loved her due to needing new brakes at every visit.
 
Enchanter said:
It reduces reaction time, and thus stopping distances.

At 60mph, if you can get to the brakes 1/4sec sooner, you reduce your stopping distance by about 22ft.
Click to expand...

One of my favorite Mercedes Benz techs (perhaps in others) is that they detect how fast you take your foot off the gas too quickly, they "detect" you're about to panic break and pre-load the brake system to get the pads on the rotors. Apparently it results in a measurable (10+ feet?) shorter stopping distance.

If I use my left foot on the brake, someone is going through a windshield. I have no nuance in my left foot.
 
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