Just one more thing, Scylla, re: engine braking. I still contend that for most situations for normal drivers, braking with the brakes is better than downshifting. Of course, there are exceptions, like my semi truck example. This wisdom, of course, does not apply to downhill grades, where obviously engine braking is the thing to do. Further support for my argument, in specific regards to cornering (where I feel people most missaply engine braking) can be found here: 2007 Mercedes-Benz E320 BlueTec - AskMen
And more about engine braking in regards to Formula one and performance driving:
And, of course, the master himself has talked about this very subject.
I know there are some that argue to the contrary, but the general consensus among the automotive community, even according to Cecil, is that downshifting really doesn’t make sense anymore.
Next time when addressing my points, please refrain from your ascerbic tone. I may know what I’m talking about. I happen to even work for a car magazine. Perhaps you’ve heard of it? Car and Driver?
OK, let’s make amends and agree we had two different scenarios in mind. I actually agree with you on your comments to Gato. I don’t think left-footed braking is a particularly good idea outside the track. I personally can’t fathom any reason why you’d left-foot brake, but my philosophy on driving is to use whatever technique is comfortable for you. Hey, if you’re comfortable left-foot braking, more power to you. If you like shuffle steering rather than hand-over-hand, fine. As long as your keep control of the car, knock yourself out.
The insurance company site was just the first one I came across. I didn’t even read it all the way through, but I just wanted to demonstrate that what I said isn’t totally insane. Like I said, I was taught this way by drivers I very much respect. But you know how heated technique discussions can be among gearheads. (Case in point, I suppose :)) I’ve heard both views and there are certinaly scenarios in which depressing the clutch helps versus keeping the car in gear and vice versa. After hearing all the arguments, and through my experience, I’ve come to the conclusion that in the majority of situations, hitting the clutch is the best first option, for the reasons I’ve stated before, and that are echoed on the insurance site. You respectfully disagree, also citing valid reasons for why hitting the clutch may not be such a good idea. I agree with those reasons; I just happen to think your situation occurs less often than mine. That’s all.
i guess i take the operation of a motor vehicle a bit more serious than most, because i regard every time i drive a “special circumstance” because i can be killed instantly by someone elses, or my own inability to control my automobile, and i hone my skills accordingly. if i can save .025 of a second in braking reaction time, and the resulting distance to hazard or reduction in velocity to preform avoidance manouvers by having my left foot poised over the brake pedal, i fail to see how this is “bad technique”. what do you folks do with that other leg? what position is your right foot in? is it really able to get to the brake as fast as your left if it was poised over the pedal?
uncomfortable? ackward? so was walking the first time you tried. practice. isn’t something that may save your life worth practicing? or is driving just not that serious…?
ps: never done any 80 mph powerslides on any public highways. (powerslides are inefficient and not the quickest way 'round!)
No offense meant, but I find it very hard to read your posts when you don’t capitalize or punctuate.
I also find it hard to believe that it’s your habit to drive while you hold your foot hovering above the brake pedal for extended periods of time.
I also don’t see how it saves any time if your other foot is still depressing the gas (and you can’t guarranty that its not.)
How often is it that you drive that every time is a special circumstance, or is it a “special circumstance,” because you narrowly avoid flaming death each and every time you get behind the wheel with your dangerous and unorthodox driving habits.
Watching you approach an intersection where you have to slow down, downshift, turn the corner, and then drive away must be a panic. Just call you smooth…
I think I would just like to sum up what seems to have been said for “pro-left” advocates (I’m saying this in jest, so please don’t hate me.)
Left-Foot Braking (LFB) is only better than RFB in extreme cicrumstances, such as racing or if one hovers their foot over the pedal 100% of the time.
1b) Hovering the left foot over the brake pedal increases the chanve that both the accelerater and brake are pressed at the same time. (And I don’t care how good a driver you are, NO ONE is perfect, and EVERYONE makes mistakes, ESPECIALLY when in an emergency.) This downside, then, negates the small benefit LFB has over RFB.
This having been said, it is easy to see that LFB can never be better than RFB 99% of the time you will be driving. It can, however, be worse than RFB.
Therefore, it is easy to see that RFB is the better choice.
Thinf of it this way: in LFB you have to:
take right foot off gas
move left foot of of floor
put left foot on brake
press brake
in RFB, the following is done:
take right foot off gas
put right foot on brake
press brake
Three steps is easier than four. I know what you are saying, “I can do two simple things at once, I’m not an idiot.” Well, some people are, and some of those people LFB, and you might panic in an emergency. And just because you haven’t before doesn’t mean you won’t in the future. There is simply no argument for LFB over RFB, there is, however, arguments for RFB over LFB.
Plus the other point that Scylla mentioned, which is that if you have your right foot on the gas and your left on the brake, then you are ‘floating’ in your seat. A car seatbelt is not a 5-point harness, and in violent manoevers you WILL be jostled around. Under such circumstances, it’s going to be difficult or impossible to have a lot of control over your brake pedal.
If you brake with your right, then your left foot is firmly on the footrest which is reinforced and provided for EXACTLY that reason, allowing yourself to ‘pin’ yourself into your seat so that you maintain full control.
As for the speed of left-foot braking, that’s clearly a non-issue, because when you are not braking your left foot is supposed to be on the footrest, which is even farther away from the brake than is the gas pedal.
Left-foot braking is simply a bad idea. Period.
As for using your engine to brake, it’s a good technique for mountain driving. Here in Canada, there are mountain roads that slope downwards for a long period of time, as in miles. If you ride your brake all the way down, you’ll not only wear them down a lot, but you’ll overheat them and lose braking effectiveness when you need it most. Downshifting and using engine braking takes a lot of stress off of those brakes.
I take my driving very seriously and I just don’t buy your left foot braking argument. I fail to see how it would save you time. I guess in your mind the theory behind it works, i.e. having your foot hovering over the brake in the same way that a short stop is poised hunched over with his glove. But the real question is whether or not braking with the left foot is actually faster than braking with the right foot. You still have to move your foot off of the accelerator when you brake, why not put it on the brake?
When you think about it, braking is a last resort maneuver when avoiding an accident. If you take driving seriously, as you say you do, I would think that you’re more than likely poised to manuever as opposed to being poised to brake.
I can’t help it. The title of this thread reminds me of Pat Benetar’s Hit Me with your Best Shot:
*You’re a real hot driver with a long history
Of braking with your left foot, unlike me
That’s okay, let’s see how you do it
Save a millisecond? Are you NASCAR’s Pruitt?
Braking with your left foot
Why are you braking with your left foot?
Braking with your left foot
It’s not the way!*
I don’t brake with my left - can’t, I drive a standard! I think it’s silly, too, for reasons others have already put more eloquently than I.
However, I did have the chance to test the brakes in a Sentra the other day - my car was in the shop and they nicely gave me an automatic rental. Without thinking, went to shift at the stoplight. Recent-year Sentras have pretty good breaks, and I made a cool squeal noise as I locked the wheels up. This in and of itself is reason enough for me not to try to brake with my left. Left foot = clutch only. If there’s not three pedals, my left must content itself with the footrest. If only my brain would remember this more.
However, said above scenario has only happened twice, the first time years ago. As I recall, the Corvette had better brakes. Spouse has got an automatic - I spose someday I’ll try again and we’ll see how good of brakes the Xterra has.
)
