Left Foot Braking Dangerous?

[Bull Frog]

Hi everyone

I got my car first car a month back (Volksvagen Polo GT TSI). I am a nervous guy in general and considering Delhi traffic I thought it would be a good choice to go with an automatic car since it would be less stressful.

I didnt take driving lessons and instead hired a driver to assist and teach me. I know its recommended to use right foot while braking but I felt my reaction time was slow with right foot so I started to use left foot braking.

People say in panic one can press both gas and brake at same time so this is dangerous. I havent experienced anything like that. I have clocked around 700 kms so far and have gotten comfortable with this technique and its tuff for me to change it.

I would appreciate some feedback from members here regarding the same.

Thanks for reading

 

[Akash1886]

Hi everyone
I thought it would be a good choice to go with an automatic car since it would be less stressful.

I didnt take driving lessons and instead hired a driver to assist and teach me. I know its recommended to use right foot while braking but I felt my reaction time was slow with right foot so I started to use left foot braking.

My dear friend, you aren't alone. I have faced the same thing when for the 1st time I drove an automatic. This happens because at large we are accustomed to use both legs while driving a manual car. Hence it does take a few moments to adjust. I would suggest to just drive your car in your colony early morning and develop/ fine-tune your reflexes. In traffic being a newbie automatic driver just keep safe braking distance for now. Automatics are the easiest to drive once we get use to it.

Regards

Akash

 

[GrandRk]

Hi everyone

I got my car first car a month back (Volksvagen Polo GT TSI). I am a nervous guy in general and considering Delhi traffic I thought it would be a good choice to go with an automatic car since it would be less stressful.

I didnt take driving lessons and instead hired a driver to assist and teach me. I know its recommended to use right foot while braking but I felt my reaction time was slow with right foot so I started to use left foot braking.

People say in panic one can press both gas and brake at same time so this is dangerous. I havent experienced anything like that. I have clocked around 700 kms so far and have gotten comfortable with this technique and its tuff for me to change it.

I would appreciate some feedback from members here regarding the same.

Thanks for reading

First of all get relaxed while driving. Automatics are way easy to drive than manual. Try to use right foot for Braking and Accelerator and keep your left foot away from pedals. This will develop a habit which will be helpful to you when you drive manual cars ahead.

When you see some emergency or situation where brakes need to be applied then swiftly remove your right foot from accelerator and press it on brake pedal.

 

[vijay_968]

@ Bull Frog :
Try pivoting your right leg for easy toggling between the brake & throttle pedals. The only downside I'm seeing in your method is during emergency you might end up pressing the throttle too along with the brakes (while griting your teath ). When your left leg comes off the brake, there's a danger of the car shooting ahead. The concept of one foot for "opposite control pedals" came for a reason after all. Good luck.

 

[Sidd7hartha]

In case of manual since we keep our left foot engaged in pressing clutch while breaking it prevents from any use of accelerator by mistake instead of break. Pressed clutch disengages the engine and harm of over accelerating can be avoided. Still engaging and disengaging clutch is tiresome. AT is really a relief.

 

[Niku]

There is no problem in left foot braking, ONLY if you have mastered the technique. You must leave the accelerator, when the brake is engaged with the left foot. There is nothing wrong with it if you are okay in stopping the vehicle progressively.

However, since yours is an automatic, I would suggest driving lessons during early morning on empty stretches to practice right foot braking. This way, you will get a feel of it and soon it may become your habit. Saying this only because, you might come in a situation where you have to drive a manual car, then you would be having the habit of pressing lightly with the left foot (earlier brake, but that won't work for clutch) and the right foot would have the habit to stay on the accelerator (whereas in manual you would have to move between brake and accelerator). Trying heel and toe technique is useful in using left foot braking in manuals, but I would NEVER recommend it. I almost had a crash while learning that technique. Dropped the idea then only!

 

[TSIVipul]

@Bull Frog:
Left foot braking is no problem at all and it really never happens even in panic situations that one presses both pedals, only one needs to master the technique as already mentioned by reporter Saab.
The fact is that we are brothers that way, my regular driving is a mix of manual and automatics(my partner has got a Passat) and I have, although slowly but learnt the same because my concern was also same; response time. Now I drive automatics with both feet resting on both pedals anda manuals with the way sitatuion demands.