[Mgs] Re. Brake Failure, now Left foot/Right Foot Braking

[Norm 2Bs]

I missed the start of this thread.  But, here's my 2-cents.


"You can do either. The normal recommendation for people moving from a
manual to an automatic is to tuck the left foot back so you are not tempted
to use it, because if you apply the brake with that foot with the pressure
you usually use for the clutch you will stand the car on its nose. Once you
get used to left-foot braking i.e. driving autos all the time, then there
can be benefits in some circumstances (although not having had an auto for
many years I can't remember what they are ...)

PaulH."



Driver's Ed ALWAYS taught us to use ONLY the right foot - gas & brake with
an automatic.  Then one day I heard someone say that you can save 3/4 second
by braking with the left foot with a/t.  Makes sense since you don't have to
move your foot & leg over.  (And, in the past year more than a few Toyota
drivers have had a major problem doing that. As did people back in the '80s
with Audis.  During those days both my parents & us had Audis 5000s.  Never
had a runaway problem with either because we left-foot-braked.  In fact I
used to do demos for doubters - flooring the gas pedal with my right foot &
stopping the car with my left foot on the brake with no drama at all.)

What does 3/4 second mean in the real world?  Someone else can do the
calculations for the exact number.  But, it is about 75 feet at 60 mph.  How
many times do you think a 75 foot safety margin could keep you out of an
accident with your 13-foot long MGB?  Enough said.

With an auto trans, I brake with my left foot.  Has saved my butt more than
once.

Norm