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Re: Two-Foot Driving
jpc@philabs.philips.com (John P. Curcio) wrote:
>In article <40djsh$le4@newdelph.cig.mot.com>, Bill Horwath <horwthwp> wrote:
>>If you drive an automatic, your left foot should have nothing to do. It should
>>just sit there, relaxing. I would consider it dangerous to drive an automatic
>>with both feet, left on the brake, right on the gas. During a panic stop,
>>two-foot drivers tend to mash the brake and gas pedals.
>I question how this theory of hitting both the brake and the gas came
>about. Is there any physiological reason why someone would do that?
>>This can lead to a
>>"runaway" car. The engine will overcome the brakes, and continue to push the
>>car forward, especially during the early stages of the "panic stop".
>I have heard (don't know the truth) that any car on the road today has
>brakes which will hold the car while the engine is floored. Granted,
>it is a different case if the car is in motion vs. while at stopped.
If you put the brakes on before flooring the engine (while stopped) the brakes
will easily hold it. But if you are trying to brake while moving and are
flooring it too you will most likely lose the vaccum needed for the power
brake booster and depending on whether you let the pedal up at all you can
wind up with no power assist which mkes it very hard to stop the car.
>>I make a point to tell people that their brake lights are on, when I suspect
>>that they are two-footers. These people need to know that they are a hazard on
>>the roads. Never stay directly in front or behind these drivers.
>When driving an automatic, I brake with my left foot. Reason? I am
>used to driving a standard. Have you ever tried to hit the
>(non-existent) clutch pedal while driving an automatic? Scary. You
>end up hitting the brake pedal instead, throwing yourself into the
>windshield and scaring the living shit out of everyone in the car.
>I find that I don't tend to keep my left foot on the brake of the
>automatic any more than I keep my left foot on the clutch of a manual.
>I have not noticed any premature brake wear....
I found the same thing.
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