Driving an automatic - do you use one foot or both?

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#1870068 21-Sep-2017 10:48

kryptonjohn:

Couple of pet peeves -

Drivers that don't get moving promptly when traffic in a stopped queue starts to move. Each dopey prat in the queue that does this means another car further back doesn't get through on the light's phase.

Maddening.

My biggest pet peeve is stop start traffic, Wears my breaks out, uses my gas and makes me frustrated. I will sit in first and roll at 10KPH the whole time down Lake road into devonport, I might even get a 20-50M gap infront of me but I don't close it, Just keep coasting. I watch everyone rushing infront of me go stop start stop start stop start and laugh.

Also when you stop start so on every driver behind you takes time to react and then the time needed to react and stop gets greater and greater until a nose to tail happens or someone is caught offguard. I keep a stedy flow in traffic and stops these issues for people behind me and alleviates congestion. (Proven fact)

Also those dopey drivers will boost off and accelerate to close the gap then slam the brakes on and causes the same chain reaction with reaction times.. Makes everyone behind them go stop start etc etc..

Batman

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#1870070 21-Sep-2017 10:49

Tim you need a autonomous car. That way when there's a traffic jam you whip out the xbox console.

Coil

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#1870086 21-Sep-2017 10:58

Batman: Tim you need a autonomous car. That way when there's a traffic jam you whip out the xbox console.

Haha, That would be good. Given the size of the screen in the new Tesla's I am sure something alike will be coming soon.
On that topic of Autonomous driving, I have this scary ability when driving distance to forget I am driving and appear in my location and have no idea how I got there or remember anything from the trip.

kryptonjohn

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#1870087 21-Sep-2017 10:58

Coil:

kryptonjohn:

Couple of pet peeves -

Drivers that don't get moving promptly when traffic in a stopped queue starts to move. Each dopey prat in the queue that does this means another car further back doesn't get through on the light's phase.

Maddening.

My biggest pet peeve is stop start traffic, Wears my breaks out, uses my gas and makes me frustrated. I will sit in first and roll at 10KPH the whole time down Lake road into devonport, I might even get a 20-50M gap infront of me but I don't close it, Just keep coasting. I watch everyone rushing infront of me go stop start stop start stop start and laugh.

Also when you stop start so on every driver behind you takes time to react and then the time needed to react and stop gets greater and greater until a nose to tail happens or someone is caught offguard. I keep a stedy flow in traffic and stops these issues for people behind me and alleviates congestion. (Proven fact)

Also those dopey drivers will boost off and accelerate to close the gap then slam the brakes on and causes the same chain reaction with reaction times.. Makes everyone behind them go stop start etc etc..

Yep it causes ripple effects which propagate outwards like a stone thrown in a pond. The worst of the worst is a passing lane out in the boondocks on a Sunday when everyone's heading home to the big smoke. It causes a massive traffic jam because the drivers are mostly too stupid and self absorbed to anticipate and merge like a zip while still flowing. They all have to grind to a stop as they don't leave a gap.

Coil

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#1870093 21-Sep-2017 11:02

kryptonjohn:

Coil:

kryptonjohn:

Couple of pet peeves -

Drivers that don't get moving promptly when traffic in a stopped queue starts to move. Each dopey prat in the queue that does this means another car further back doesn't get through on the light's phase.

Maddening.

My biggest pet peeve is stop start traffic, Wears my breaks out, uses my gas and makes me frustrated. I will sit in first and roll at 10KPH the whole time down Lake road into devonport, I might even get a 20-50M gap infront of me but I don't close it, Just keep coasting. I watch everyone rushing infront of me go stop start stop start stop start and laugh.

Also when you stop start so on every driver behind you takes time to react and then the time needed to react and stop gets greater and greater until a nose to tail happens or someone is caught offguard. I keep a stedy flow in traffic and stops these issues for people behind me and alleviates congestion. (Proven fact)

Also those dopey drivers will boost off and accelerate to close the gap then slam the brakes on and causes the same chain reaction with reaction times.. Makes everyone behind them go stop start etc etc..

Yep it causes ripple effects which propagate outwards like a stone thrown in a pond. The worst of the worst is a passing lane out in the boondocks on a Sunday when everyone's heading home to the big smoke. It causes a massive traffic jam because the drivers are mostly too stupid and self absorbed to anticipate and merge like a zip while still flowing. They all have to grind to a stop as they don't leave a gap.

We should create a "What really gets your gears grinding when on NZ roads" thread. Passing lanes could keep this forum busy for years.

kharris

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#1870094 21-Sep-2017 11:02

Right foot only.... that is why there is a foot rest for the left foot... because the car is designed to be used that way. I have never come across a situation where I have needed to use both pedals at the same time.... you are either speeding up or slowing down... if I am on a steep hill this can be controlled with accelerator only. Most automatic transmissions have anti roll back mechanisms so there is no need to worry about rolling backwards when moving from the break to the accelerator.

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#1870100 21-Sep-2017 11:07

Coil:

Batman: Tim you need a autonomous car. That way when there's a traffic jam you whip out the xbox console.

Haha, That would be good. Given the size of the screen in the new Tesla's I am sure something alike will be coming soon.
On that topic of Autonomous driving, I have this scary ability when driving distance to forget I am driving and appear in my location and have no idea how I got there or remember anything from the trip.

That certainly scares me!

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

Coil

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#1870102 21-Sep-2017 11:10

Rikkitic:

Coil:

Batman: Tim you need a autonomous car. That way when there's a traffic jam you whip out the xbox console.

Haha, That would be good. Given the size of the screen in the new Tesla's I am sure something alike will be coming soon.
On that topic of Autonomous driving, I have this scary ability when driving distance to forget I am driving and appear in my location and have no idea how I got there or remember anything from the trip.

That certainly scares me!

It only really happens on SH1 between Auckland and Whangarei, Traveled that road every 2-3 weeks back and fourth for the last 16 years.

kharris

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#1870107 21-Sep-2017 11:13

Coil:

Batman: Tim you need a autonomous car. That way when there's a traffic jam you whip out the xbox console.

Haha, That would be good. Given the size of the screen in the new Tesla's I am sure something alike will be coming soon.
On that topic of Autonomous driving, I have this scary ability when driving distance to forget I am driving and appear in my location and have no idea how I got there or remember anything from the trip.

It is very disappointing when you end up outside work on a Saturday

Kirk

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#1870122 21-Sep-2017 11:30

One foot only.

Anything else is a latent failure in the making.

I have been passenger to some terrible driving whose roots were in left foot braking.

HamletUnicorn

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#1870145 21-Sep-2017 12:08

Ive used both feet my entire driving life. I never rest my foot on the brake. If im not braking my foot is either on the dead pedal or hovering ABOVE or besides the brake. There is no overlap, I accelerate and brake just like a single footer. Never had any confusion during panic stops either.

Try and keep an open mind instead of repeating the same things over and over. You only see the left foot brakers with their brake lights lit. But not everyone rests their foot on the brake and you wouldn't know they were using both feet unless you in the car with them looking down at the foot well. Almost slamming your face into the steering wheel the first time you tried braking with your left foot?, I've see learners do the same using their right foot. Sure some do manage to screw it up but that doesn't mean the practice should completely dismissed. If you do it from the start, don't pick up any bad habits, and have no intention of ever driving a manual then if isn't unsafe at all

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#1870163 21-Sep-2017 12:16

When I first started driving automatic cars the left foot was used to operate the floor mounted headlight-dip switch.

I don't know why it still isn't down there.

My car now has auto-dip though, love that feature.

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jaymz

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#1870200 21-Sep-2017 12:30

The argument of "it is less work to have both feet on both pedals" is a bit weak, especially when it is coupled with "i never ride the brake".

Surely it is the SAME amount of work to move your right foot from the accelerator to the brake as it would be to move your left from the dead pedal (or the floor in some cases) to the brake? If anything it would be MORE work to move your left foot up off the dead pedal (or floor) to the brake? Considering a competent driver would simply rotate their right foot on their heel from the accelerator to the brake?

In my understanding you would have to have your left foot ON the brake pedal for there to be any improvement of speed/comfort, therefore the risk of riding the brake is FAR higher and will most likely happen without you realizing you are pressing the brake pedal down.

Coil

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#1870205 21-Sep-2017 12:37

kiwifidget:

When I first started driving automatic cars the left foot was used to operate the floor mounted headlight-dip switch.

I don't know why it still isn't down there.

My car now has auto-dip though, love that feature.

What car is that on

Coil

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#1870211 21-Sep-2017 12:43

HamletUnicorn: Ive used both feet my entire driving life. I never rest my foot on the brake. If im not braking my foot is either on the dead pedal or hovering ABOVE or besides the brake. There is no overlap, I accelerate and brake just like a single footer. Never had any confusion during panic stops either.

Try and keep an open mind instead of repeating the same things over and over. You only see the left foot brakers with their brake lights lit. But not everyone rests their foot on the brake and you wouldn't know they were using both feet unless you in the car with them looking down at the foot well. Almost slamming your face into the steering wheel the first time you tried braking with your left foot?, I've see learners do the same using their right foot. Sure some do manage to screw it up but that doesn't mean the practice should completely dismissed. If you do it from the start, don't pick up any bad habits, and have no intention of ever driving a manual then if isn't unsafe at all

So you have never driven a manual to know any different, Refer back to my comment where I almost went off a cliff after returning to manual from an auto with terrible habits.

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