Drivers - Brake with right foot or left? - Page 6

mousiegirl · ‎03-09-2010

@fthunt wrote:
I've wondered about the percentage of drivers who brake with their right or left. An accident in my city prompted my interest. Older gent going too fast off exit ramp, crossed common lawn area and slammed into a city bus. Yes, he hit the gas petal instead of the brake. Bus was busted up; butt no passengers were hut - shaken..... yes.
Just an interesting survey of drivers..

@fthunt I use the right foot for gas, and the left for brake.

Desertdi · ‎03-13-2010

I have a 6-speed manual........

♥Surface of the Sun♥

tototwo · ‎03-09-2010

@chickenbutt - if you look more closely at that photo, the lady has the clutch depressed, so that car isn't moving anywhere. She's "heel-toeing" which, right or wrong, drivers use when a car with a stick shift is stopped on a hill.

* A woman is like a tea bag. You can't tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water. *
- Eleanor Roosevelt

violann · ‎03-10-2010

@sunshine45 - your statement is interesting, because if you drive a car with a clutch pedal, you actually HAVE TO USE YOUR RIGHT FOOT TO BRAKE. Otherwise, you'd have to be crossing feet if braking and releasing the clutch simultaneously.

It used to be the law in my state that you HAD to use the same foot for the brake and the gas.

Vivian · ‎03-11-2010

I drove a standard shift for 30 years, breaking with my right foot, as I've always done, and using the left foot for the clutch. I assume that's the way everyone has been taught. When I switched back to cars with automatic transition, it took awhile to get used to not having a clutch. More than once, I stepped on that non-existent clutch and came to an abrupt and unwanted stop, having stepped on the brake instead, I'm strictly a right foot only driver now.

Yardlie · ‎03-10-2010

@Elvita wrote:
Braking with your left foot is illegal.

@Elvita... Just curious where it is considered illegal to brake with your left foot? I was taught that right-footed braking is preferred, but that it is perfectably acceptable to brake with the left foot unless you ride the brake...which is hard on the brakes, and then also the brake lights will go on.

Yes, I do brake with my left foot. When I was in school, our classroom driver's ed instructor taught us that there were studies to show that there was a slightly faster reaction time in braking when using the left foot. They told us that our "behind the wheel" instructor would evaluate left footed brakers. If you rode the brake, he would make you switch to one foot driving. I never rode the brake and never had to have brakes replaced...and I've driven some cars until they were 10 years old.

A kind gesture can reach a wound that only compassion can heal. ~~ Steve Maraboli

sunshine45 · ‎03-09-2010

@violann wrote:
@sunshine45 - your statement is interesting, because if you drive a car with a clutch pedal, you actually HAVE TO USE YOUR RIGHT FOOT TO BRAKE. Otherwise, you'd have to be crossing feet if braking and releasing the clutch simultaneously.
It used to be the law in my state that you HAD to use the same foot for the brake and the gas.

@violann

my father drove a stick for many years. none of us learned how to drive his cars, including my mom.

all i know is when he finally decided to drive automatics, he used his right foot for the gas and his left foot for the brake. maybe because his left foot was always active with the clutch, he didnt know what to do with it when he switched over to automatics?

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"The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing." - Albert Einstein

ladyroxanne · ‎03-09-2010

always brake with the right.

SusieQ_2 · ‎03-27-2012

@sunshine45 wrote:
@violann wrote:
@sunshine45 - your statement is interesting, because if you drive a car with a clutch pedal, you actually HAVE TO USE YOUR RIGHT FOOT TO BRAKE. Otherwise, you'd have to be crossing feet if braking and releasing the clutch simultaneously.
It used to be the law in my state that you HAD to use the same foot for the brake and the gas.

@violann
my father drove a stick for many years. none of us learned how to drive his cars, including my mom.
all i know is when he finally decided to drive automatics, he used his right foot for the gas and his left foot for the brake. maybe because his left foot was always active with the clutch, he didnt know what to do with it when he switched over to automatics?

I was thinking the same thing violann was. Now the comment makes sense, though braking with the left foot is crazy!

Another comment that I thought was confusing was this -

"if you look more closely at that photo, the lady has the clutch depressed, so that car isn't moving anywhere."

How does having the clutch pushed in mean the car isn't moving? I don't understand that.

SuesCat · ‎07-11-2012

@fthunt Great question.. I laughed when i saw it!

A few yrs ago myself and 5 other family members (brother, sister, nieces) drove into D.C. from Arlington to see the National Tree (Christmas). I was behind the wheel. My brother was in the front seat and yelled in amazement: "Sue!!! You're a Left-Footer???? LoL Everyone was in disbelief and hilarity ensued! They sure had a lot of fun at my expense that night! I laughed, too... we're not sensitive or easily offended folks.. haha

I learned to drive braking w/ my right foot. But my first husband used his left and i adopted it. 'Been doing it for 40 yrs now and never dropped a transmission, burned out brakes, or had an accident. So far, so good!

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