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

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geekIT

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#223228 20-Sep-2017 10:19

After 60-odd years of driving - most of them automatic cars - I find it almost impossible to drive an automatic using only one foot.

(In NZ, of course, it's the right foot.)

So I use both feet. IMHO, there's no other way to properly control a car if your one foot has to keep hopping from accelerator to brake. For example, backing up a steep, narrow driveway, especially with a loaded trailer. Motorway driving, bumper-to-bumper. Slotting into a sloping, supermarket carpark.

(Ever noticed that most large carparks have their spaces oriented across the slope and not up and down? That's to minimize the mayhem)

So, what's your method? One foot or both?

[Mod edit |Stu| Moved to correct sub-forum.]

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#1869074 20-Sep-2017 10:23

I use one. My uneducated left foot learnt driving operating the clutch pedal so only knows how to plunge it to the floor. Applying it to the brake pedal is ugly.

Only you and race drivers use both feet!

MikeB4

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#1869078 20-Sep-2017 10:27

One foot and let the vehicles smarts handle slopes and parking

Here is a crazy notion, lets give peace a chance.

eph

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#1869080 20-Sep-2017 10:28

Are you one of those guys who got their brake lights always on (-> one foot (left) is constantly on the brake pedal)? :)

I personally only use one foot on one pedal, grew up on manual transmission cars and also ending up with one foot on the brake pedal and the other on acceleration pedal doesn't strike me as a good idea for most people (I think it would be quite hard to not to brake and accelerate at the same time (at least for me)).

Btw. I use handbrake for those steep hill scenarios you've mentioned (and yes, it's doable even with the foot hand brake).

trig42

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#1869081 20-Sep-2017 10:29

The first time I drove an Automatic (after learning to drive in a Manual, and driving them for a few years), I wondered if I could use one foot for Brake, the other for Accelerator. Bad move, My Clutch foot braking was even more effective than an emergency stop.

Since then, I've only ever used one foot, and have had no issues with hill starts, motorway crawls or supermarket carparks.

Gurezaemon

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#1869083 20-Sep-2017 10:33

I imagine that in a world with only automatic transmissions, it would make sense to use both feet - right for accelerator and left for brake, but I often have to drive manual cars as well, and retraining the left foot to switch between using clutch and the brake would be too chaotic.

cruxis

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#1869084 20-Sep-2017 10:36

I use both feet always have, properly I because started out on motorcycles. Sat my license and instructor commented its not a problem as I never rested my foot on the brake pedal it was always hovering over it.

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Coil

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#1869085 20-Sep-2017 10:36

I use one foot and I learnt that the hard way. I used to be the two foot auto driver, Easy as heck! Until I almost went off a cliff in a manual.
Just bought my S4 and was taking it for a "spirited drive" to Piha with some friends, Went to brake into a corner and it was a little late and something spooked me so I hit what I thought was the brakes. Turns out it was the clutch and I used my left foot out of auto driving habit.

Fortunately in this scenario I was driving well under the limits of the car and I pulled it around the corner but none the less a very scary moment and if I was doing 5-10Kph more I would have been flying down the Piha valley!

Lesson learnt and I can not for the life of myself left foot brake now.

Edit: When at slow speed maneuvering in an auto yes I may use both feet for say backing a trailer up a hill or something alike. Its very rare for me to do that but it can be necessary.

In a manual I can hill start on any hill without the handbrake and have zero rollback, so excuses for that are moot as far as I am concerned when you are in an auto.

dryburn

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#1869087 20-Sep-2017 10:37

My mother used to drive like that, and this drastically decreased the lifespan of the brake pads.

cadman

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#1869092 20-Sep-2017 10:39

The correct way. One foot.

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#1869093 20-Sep-2017 10:40

I drive an auto and a manual. I use one foot for accelerator and brake in both cars, mostly because of muscle memory - changing the function of the left foot would cause problems.

I prefer the auto these days, much easier in heavy traffic, and it's fairly smart about things like leaving the brake on until I hit the accelerator, knowing when I want to coast and when I want to slow down, etc. No idea how it works it out.

Coil

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#1869095 20-Sep-2017 10:42

dryburn:

My mother used to drive like that, and this drastically decreased the lifespan of the brake pads.

People forget its hard to hold your foot in an upright position without relaxing it on the pedal, People will do this subconsciously and consciously deny it.

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#1869096 20-Sep-2017 10:42

One foot.

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kryptonjohn

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#1869098 20-Sep-2017 10:45

Whenever I have to place my right foot on the brake pedal, other than to come to a stop, I admonish myself for my lack of anticipation and wastefulness! I try to coast/engine brake into situations that require reduced speed.

But yeah, if it's a stop sign or red light I'm on the waste pedal.

Coil

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#1869103 20-Sep-2017 10:49

kryptonjohn:

Whenever I have to place my right foot on the brake pedal, other than to come to a stop, I admonish myself for my lack of anticipation and wastefulness! I try to coast/engine brake into situations that require reduced speed.

But yeah, if it's a stop sign or red light I'm on the waste pedal.

If I showed you a photo of my tires (I might at break) you can tell I am quite the "Waste Pedal" user.

kryptonjohn

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#1869109 20-Sep-2017 10:53

Heh! I think I'm OCD about it. Can't bear to be driven by my wife on a long trip as she constantly pumps the brake pedal.

Every.

Bloody.

Corner.

But I daren't say anything!

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