Subject: Two-Foot Driving

From: [email-masked] (Robert L. Stinnett)
Date: 10 Aug 1995 02:40:47 GMT

Any pro/cons on driving with both feet?  I've been told that it wears out 
the brakes faster because you are applying brakes and have your foot on 
the gas, usually, at the same time (which I admit I sometimes do).  

I just learnt that way and never broke the habit.  Besides, I feel I can 
react quicker should an emergency situation occur.

RLS

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From: [email-masked] (Robert King)
Date: 9 Aug 1995 17:59:23 GMT

>the gas, usually, at the same time (which I admit I sometimes do).

   Yep, you got it.  Plus, if you ever need to learn a stick, it's a REAL
bitch trying to unlearn that habit while learning new ones.  

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| Robert A. King                |                                       |
| Systems Software Engineer     |                                       |
| Kodak Health Imaging Systems  |    "I drank WHAT?!?" -- Socrates      |
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From: [email-masked] (Greg Dunbar)
Date: 9 Aug 1995 22:45:39 -0700

Robert L. Stinnett ([email-masked]) wrote:
: Any pro/cons on driving with both feet?  I've been told that it wears out 
: the brakes faster because you are applying brakes and have your foot on 
: the gas, usually, at the same time (which I admit I sometimes do).  

You should only use both feet if you are driving a manual.
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[email-masked]  Public Access User -- Not affiliated with Teleport
Public Access UNIX and Internet at (503) 220-1016 (2400-28800, N81)

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From: Bill Horwath <horwthwp>
Date: 10 Aug 1995 18:41:21 GMT

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. 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 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.
-- 
       bill

([email-masked])

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From: [email-masked] (Paul Gatke)
Date: 10 Aug 1995 19:59:49 -0400

>([email-masked])

 OTOH, there are ways to do things that can work well technically.
When I have used two foot technique in the past it was quite easy to
simultaneously press down with my left foot on the brake and remove my
right foot from the gas. This maneuver doesn't really require any great
training. It's pretty simple and intuitive. I'm sure there are lamers that
would not be able to successfully move their right foot from the gas to the
brake successfully just as they would stomp both feet in two foot driving.
Natural selection tends to weed these people out although the authorities
don't seem to care too much about going after idiot dangerous drivers.

I personally don't use my left foot to brake (need it for clutch at the
moment :-)) but I was taught that in an automatic it can be a very useful
technique due to the greatly decreased response time in emergencies. I
agree that most people just rest their left foot on the brake and wear
out their pads (no pun intented).

p

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From: [email-masked] (Mr. Fun)
Date: Fri, 11 Aug 1995 05:04:27 GMT

[email-masked] (John P. Curcio) wrote:

>In article <[email-masked]>, Bill Horwath  <horwthwp> wrote:

>>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

>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.

>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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From: [email-masked] (Mr. Fun)
Date: Fri, 11 Aug 1995 05:10:15 GMT

>([email-masked])

This is no more likely then any number of other potential things that could go
wrong in a panic stop.  The reduced reaction time gained by using both feet
(left to brake) more then offsets the chance of mashing both the gas and
brake.  I've been left foot braking since I learned to drive and have never
had a problem in panic stops and can be ready to stop without constantly
taking my foot off the gas.  If it were really true that people had any
trouble keeping their feet straight in a panic or otherwise then no one could
learn to drive a car, a motorcycle, and fly an airplane without being in great
danger.  Each of those things requires you to learn to use you feet for
different things in different ways as well as using your hands differently
too.  Someone just learning might occassinally get confused but that is hardly
reason to suggest people learn a much less effective way to drive (single
footed with an automatic) rather then learning the better way to drive (both
footed).

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From: [email-masked]
Date: 11 Aug 1995 05:36:09 GMT

>the gas, usually, at the same time (which I admit I sometimes do).  

One big problem with this is that some drivers rest their right foot on the
brake pedal, making the brake lights blink randomly..  Following these bozos 
is a chore, because you can't tell if they're stopping or going.  One day, if 
I get the chance, I'm going to uull up alongside and announce their brake lights
are failing because they're blinking constantly..  Mahybe they'll take it to the 
shop and spend much $$$ troubleshooting this "problem"