Brake/Accelerator pedal foot

[Hayden1]

This might be a weird thread but anyway...

When I brake, I pick my whole foot off the floor and accelerator, then onto the brake pedal. I thought that it could be quicker to just keep your foot in between the two pedals and then tilt it to accelerate and brake, without lifting it off the floor. I asked some people and had different responses. Some left their foot in one place while some moved it around.
Is there a correct way? I feel like my foot could slip off the brake if I'm not careful when leaving it in one place but if I lift my foot up it takes longer.


Also just as a side question, if I wanted to do a defensive driving course in Sydney, does anyone have some recommendations? Also is there a place that has their own cars because I'd like to do one in a car without ABS

Thanks

[kypez]

I have size 16 feet so I brake with my big toe and accelerate with my little toe. That way I can keep my foot comfortable so i guess its keep my foot on the floor for me.

[Streets]

When in the manual I have my heel in the one spot on the floor and then swivel my foot to press on the accelerator/brake as necessary. In the auto I use left foot braking.

[Jim Goose]

I have to move my foot entirely off....

Unless you have big feet (as above!) or a nice set of racing peddles close together then it does make it a tad difficult.

[blue sleeper]

I've pretty much always left foot braked personally, unless it was around town in a manual.

[Windsor342ci]

Oddly enough I find i have more control over the two when I can use my entire foot over the pedal.

[TMC]

Depends on the size of your feet and the difference in height between both pedals. My Dad's old Valiant had the brake pedal way up high, but the accelerator way down low. You had to pick your foot up. My old XB had both pedals almost the same level, much easier to drive too.

[QLD-Bluey]

Im like Blue Sleeper, but I always left foot brake unless I drive a manual..... with both heels on the floor!!

[MWTB]

I used to left foot brake on my learners but my parents always told me that was bad.

These days, with size 15 feet, I have my heel on the floor and just swivel across to each pedal.

[GTBenny]

I leave my heel on the floor as I find it easier to modulate the brake better with using the floor as a reference.

Benny.

[Feathers]

Originally Posted by BABenny

I leave my heel on the floor as I find it easier to modulate the brake better with using the floor as a reference.

Benny.

What he said.

In a bus I have no choice but to move my whole foot though.

[XRGhia]

I usually come off the brake and onto the accelerator unless I'm on a hill, then I'll come slightly off the brake, some throttle while I let the clutch out completely...

[Benjamin Smith]

On track i brake with the left foot on the road i do both, but lift completely off when right foot braking

[new2ford]

Originally Posted by MWTB

I used to left foot brake on my learners but my parents always told me that was bad.

If you have your left foot over the brake when it looks like it might be needed I think you'll find your response time is going to be quicker than moving your right foot across. Since changing to automatics I've always been a left foot braker.

[Werd.]

Kombi I have to lift because the brake pedal is so much higher. Territory is hybrid, sometimes foot moves, most of the time pivots. I find I get a sore ankle in the Territory?? So usually I'm over-thinking my moves.

[Feathers]

Originally Posted by new2ford

If you have your left foot over the brake when it looks like it might be needed I think you'll find your response time is going to be quicker than moving your right foot across. Since changing to automatics I've always been a left foot braker.

There's also the chance that in an emergency situation you can panic and hit both the brake and accelerator. That's why I was told not to do it.

I know someone who drives that way, and he's constantly chewing through brake pads, because he doesn't always realise that his left foot is lightly touching the brake pedal, so his brakes drag.

Personally, if I am anticipating something going pear shaped around me, I 'cover' the brake with my right foot anyway.
But of course we all drive in a way that we're comfortable with, which makes sense to us, and that's ok.

[svo supporter]

As previously mentioned, having your foot hovering over the brake pedal means there is an increased possibility of riding the brake, especially with long drawn out city driving.

Me, I right foot brake and accelerate with an auto and manual. On a hill in a manual, yes I heal and toe to start off.

[Werd.]

Originally Posted by svo supporter

Me, I right foot brake and accelerate with an auto and manual. On a hill in a manual, yes I heal and toe to start off.

Lucky, can't heel toe the kombi, seems like the best way to do hillstarts IMO, handbrake is a bit tedious.

[chrisfpv]

I'm surprised there are people who brake with there left foot, didn't think it was that common.

[MITCHAY]

Lift the whole foot off usually.

[Hayden1]

Originally Posted by Feathers

I know someone who drives that way, and he's constantly chewing through brake pads, because he doesn't always realise that his left foot is lightly touching the brake pedal, so his brakes drag.

Yea, I commonly see cars driving with their brake lights on, and you can tell they are using both feet. Sometimes I see brake lights flickering every now and then, which could be because they are using two feet? You could say its dangerous because some people may not be able to tell that the car is stopping (especially if they have to brake quickly and you aren't concentrating on that car). It also wears down your brake pads extremely fast and also affects efficiency, but that's obviously only if you actually are applying the brakes a little bit.


Most of the cars I've driven on the road have the brake pedal a lot higher like some of you mentioned which makes it harder to leave your foot on the floor, but I'm going to start trying to do it more because (imo) you have a quicker response.

When I do a hill start in a manual it depends on what car I'm using. If the car has a crappy handbrake (ba falcon wink wink nudge nudge) or one of those handbrakes where you pull it out from the dash (xf falcon wink wink nudge nudge) then I do heel and toe but if the handbrake is nice then I find using the handbrake easier because you have your feet all over the place with heel and toe plus it just feels awkward.

[Shonky.]

Left foot braking?

I thought that was strictly for cab drivers. No?

I swivel my right foot between pedals with heel fixed. Seems to flog out the carpet, but it feels more grounded and stable to me

[old_mate]

Always brake with my right foot, feels weird left foot braking unless im in a kart.

if i am dawdling around, heel stays planted as i dont often require big pedal application. If im getting into it a bit, the foot lifts - especially for blipping the throttle on downshifts.

FWIW now that i back in a auto i really notice how far apart the pedals are. My old SS was a much nicer setup. I hope the manual pedals in the FG are better because I doubt my feet are big enough or my ankle could rotate that far otherwise!

[Jack960]

My feet are too big and I literally can't drive with shoes on, they get jammed up under the dash. Pretty easy to pivot on the ball of your foot >.<

[wrongwaynorris]

Originally Posted by chrisfpv

I'm surprised there are people who brake with there left foot, didn't think it was that common.

I dont think it is Chris but for those of us who grew up racing karts it is just the most natural thing to do . Depending on my mood and whether I am driving a manual or an auto and also the circumstance will govern what foot I brake with . BTW very very very few people I have ever driven with can actually left foot brake any where near as well as they can right foot brake . It is an acquired skill .

[svo supporter]

Originally Posted by Werd.

Lucky, can't heel toe the kombi, seems like the best way to do hillstarts IMO, handbrake is a bit tedious.

If doing handbrake hillstarts is tedious, you need more practice or the handbrake needs adjusting. That's one of the things you're tested on, when obtaining your drivers licence and one of the things tested on the car, when going for a roadworthy.

Woops forgot....Quality german product

[Ford_The_Win]

I only use my right foot for both accelerating and braking, I thought everyone was taught to do that in an automatic? Coming from a manual it did take a little while to adjust but now it feels weird to use the left foot for braking so I never do, unless I'm reversing out of a steep driveway and I don't want the car to roll forwards, I might get the revs up slightly but hold the brake on.

[Werd.]

Originally Posted by svo supporter

If doing handbrake hillstarts is tedious, you need more practice or the handbrake needs adjusting. That's one of the things you're tested on, when obtaining your drivers licence and one of the things tested on the car, when going for a roadworthy.

Woops forgot....Quality german product

The handbrake in the 43 year old kombi works better than any falcon I've driven

Not tedious but a lot easier to heel toe. On smaller slopes I can let the clutch out a bit on idle to hold the car while I move my foot from the brake to the accel, which is good.

[gtxb67]

left foot autos and some manuals
not sure what i do when right footing the brake. i think i would probably be a swiveller, but in reality maybe a little more than just swivelling and a little less than lifting the whole foot and stomping