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I may be jumping to conclusions, so forgive if I'm mistaken; I just read a story about a pedestrian who lost both of his legs because someone hit their gas pedal instead of the brake, they jumped a curb and pinned the person. Unless I'm mistaken, it's very hard to accidently hit the gas instead of the brake unless you are someone that drives with their left foot on the brake and their right on the gas.
Of course I know manual transmissions require you to drive with 2 feet, so I'm excluding them, but how many people do you know that drive with 2 feet and the have automatic tramsmissions?
I've read about past stories where someone drove their car through a building or into house, and they said the person meant to hit the brake instead of the gas, but common sense has me asking this question; How hard are they pressing the gas to give it enough force to either crash through a building or house, or jump a curb and hit someone. I've never accidently hit the gas when I meant to hit the brake, but my friend drove with 2 feet for a long time, and I remember him running over a mailbox, because he hit the gas instead of the brake...I think he drives with 1 foot now.
Please comment on this, I just want to know your opinions about 2 foot drivers.
I recently broke a toe on my right foot so I've been driving with both feet lately. I could probably get away with driving normally but the fear of having to punch the brakes, screwing my toe up worse than it already is, brings my left foot into play. In saying that, a large percentage of my past vehicles have had manual transmissions so I'm aware of which foot is doing what.
I do know a few people who drive like this on a regular basis and it scares the bejesus out of me. Aside from burning through brakes like toilet paper, all of thier vehicles are loaded with various dents and scrapes which leads me to believe they have a hard time distinguishing one peddle from the other.
Count me as one who uses both feet in an automatic. It's just something that developed early on in my driving. Not that I'm suggesting anyone else should do the same but it has saved me severe grief more than once.
In case anyone asks...
In 33 years of driving I've never had an accident that I caused nor do I ride the pedal causing my brake lights to stay on. Brake wear is right within normal specs and the engine and tranny on the 20 year old daily driver are in top form. I've also had standards over the years and had no trouble converting left foot to clutch and right to gas/brake, panic situations included.
And I don't ride the brake with my left foot. How do I know? Because a set of brakes on one of my cars (back when I owned only one car) lasted 8 years, from 1980-1988.
Not me. I am right handed but do carry my keys in my left front pocket and my wallet in my left back pocket. And I open jars with my left hand. But throw a ball and write with my right hand.
I learned to drive 40 some years ago in a standard shift car. So I have always used right foot for gas and brake. Left foot was for clutch.
I hate following people who stay on the throttle and use the left foot for controlling speed with the brakes. Brake lights flashing on and off for no discernable reason and the cars systems are fighting each other.
Control normal speed with throttle. The brakes are for slowing or stopping for a reason.
I have no idea what the driver is going to do when brakes lights are constantly coming on.
I don't know if they just have a heavy left foot or they are actually braking for something.
In todays cars with the brake pedal arm micro switches you only have to move the pedal maybe 1/4 inch to activate brake lights.
I think all cars with auto trans should have a left foot capture device that prevents the driver from left foot braking.
But I'm an old dude that knows the left foot is meant to be used for the clutch and if there aint one, leave the left foot on the floor.
Everytime I see something on TV about someone running a car into a building because they hit the throttle instead of the brake I figure they are two footed drivers and pushed the wrong pedal at the wrong time.
Right footed drivers push on the brake and use the left foot to brace themselves in a panic stop.
Two footed drivers can be pushing on both pedals at the same time in a panic stop.
YeslI took a drivign course years ago and always how drive with both feet even with a automatic.It no problem because i automatically lift teh right foot. Many times it the large movement that causes people to hit the gas pedal instead of the brake when moving the right foot IMO.Also causes slower reaction i that movement.
When driving an automatic I just use one foot. My Father on the other hand always drives an automatic with two feet. He was a cop years ago and all the driving courses he took taught that. It is so ingrained, I doubt he could drive just using one foot.
My initial smart-arsed answer was going to be "Nope, I'm 6'2" tall, don't know how you would see over the steering wheel if you were only 2 foot."
I only use 2 feet when I'm driving a standard shift, and the left foot is for the clutch only, never the brake. I don't know anybody who uses left foot braking. I think it's a ridiculous idea. The proof of that is that it was pushed by highway safety groups in the 1970s. Anything being pushed in that era was stupid.
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