Do you left foot brake in the TSX?

 

There's very little reason to do so.

 

isn't that kinda dangerous ?

 

not really, after youve learned how to do it, its attcually prob better in an emergency situation... I defenutly felt when Autocrossing a lot of improvement w/ the TSX around corners when left foot braking...just wondering if anyone else did too



Edit: And Why does this thread have 33 views, in 3 votes...common guys Im calling you out

 

Only in automatics. Manuals are harder to do left foot.

 

I only left foot brake when I'm racing. I gently apply some brake to correct my line in tight turns.

There is no reason to do so during regular driving.

 

Exactly, didnt mean driving through town using ur left foot, ment more for racing, and everyonce in a while on a really nice road

 

I'd reason that unless your a professional you're better at braking with your right foot than you are with the left. For racing its cool, but for an emergency give me what's natural.

 

my left foot stays busy with the clutch.

 

I tried working that from time to time, but never found a practical use for it on day to day driving.

 

I don't do it that much, only when I feel like it, which is not that often.

 

Too dangerous!

 

I never do it... though I've got a friend who does it...

 

 

I always use the emergency break to break......

 

you mean brake

 

early morning posts suck...

 

No need to LFB on a day-to-day driving. Some people have good results from LFB on auto-x, but I don't, so I don't LFB at all.

 

left foot brakers are the reason you see those tards on the roads with their brake lights on even though they are accelerating.

Seems very dangerous for 99.9% of the people. I will say pro racers can probably do it. Most people have a tendancy to slam BOTH feet down during an emergency. So that would hit the accel and brake at the same time.

 

I don't left foot brake. I have an AT. If I need a quick getaway from a redlight I do keep my left foot on the brake and my right foot hovering on the gas.

 

I do LFB - you have two feet why not use them? (in an auto ONLY that is)
Surely your reaction time would be quicker with this method? See if I can dig some links up.....

 

I never really have done this with any of my vehicles AT or MT. In most of the MT vehicles I drove, I used my left-foot only for the clutch and my right-foot for the accelerator and brake. Sometimes at the sametime.

 

I left foot brake....when I race Go-Karts

 

I think my grandfather left foot brakes

 

okay think that was the last nail in the coffien.... were Vastly outnumbered....


:padlock: ?

 

I used to left foot brake on the TSX (auto) because I didn't know what to do with my left foot since I'd come from manual trannies. I don't do it that often anymore, but I really miss driving a manual . . . especiall w/the TSX.

 

the dead pedal and the clutch pedal was made for the left foot. besides, i don't like keeping my left leg straight or too close to the right leg while driving anyway, so i use my right foot only.

 

u guys remember "Superstar" from BMW Films season 1? hehehe

 

alright i just reazlied wut i said made no sense hahahaha

i just watched "Star" (not superstar) and i was mistaken sorry. hehe

 

Only time the left foot is on the brake in my AT is when I'm about to jump off the line.

 

that or if my right foot gets tired in very slow, stop and go traffic...i will use my left foot to brake, release, brake basically when it is slow enough to move without throttle...never while driving normally or hitting the gas...

 

when i'm tying my right shoelace at a red light .

 

I have never used my right foot for braking while driving an AT. And, the reduced reaction time has saved me from being in an accident in more than one instance. In the most notable case, a female passenger was thrown out of a car in front of me and I managed to stop about a foot short of running over her. Had I not been accustomed to using my left foot for braking, I firmly believe the increased reaction time (to move my right foot from throttle to the brake) would not have allowed me to stop in time and I would have likely ran over her. But, instead of being dead, she escaped with no injuries.

In another situation, a van without any brake lights, stopped abruptly in front of me. It took a couple of seconds to register, on my mind, that he had actually stopped -- since there was not much indication (it was also at night). In addition, I was not able to see the traffic in front of the big, fat, van. As is often the case, I had my left foot over the brake pedal and was able to apply brakes immediately after my mind realized that I needed to stop. I stopped about 6 inches from his rear bumper.

I also find left foot braking to by advantageous when driving in the mountains. Around a sharp curve, I can brake in one instance and then be on the throttle in the next instance (much faster than I could move my foot from brake to throttle). Since FWD cars pull, it helps to negotiate a sharp curve. In addition, when you come around a sharp curve and find something smack dap in the middle of your lane -- such as a wreck, a farm tractor moving at 7 MPH, or a tractor-trailer (18 wheeler) coming at you, in your lane, at about 30 MPH -- it is very good to have zero reaction time. When I am driving in the mountains, my right foot is usually on the throttle and my left foot is right over the brake pedal. There is one tricky curve where you would normally start accelerating -- and immediately discover that you should actually be braking. There has been several accidents at that curve this year because drivers misjudge it. I am thankful, on such curves, that I can switch from throttle to brakes without delay.

My wife broke her right foot and was not able to tolerate any pressure. For certain, she was not able to walk on her right foot. But, she could still drive by using her left foot for braking. She did not find it hard to learn to brake with her left foot, but has since switched back to using her right foot for braking -- so I guess that is more natural to her.

I learned to use my left foot for braking long before I had an automobile. At one time, some motorcycles had the brake on the left and some of them had the brake on the right. All that I rode had the brake on the left. So, left foot braking is what is natural for me. It would seem painfully slow to have to move my right foot from one pedal (throttle) to another (brake) before I could even begin to apply brakes or throttle (vice-versa). Think about it when you drive a go-cart. Notice how much quicker you can shift from brakes to throttle and vice versa.

However, I do not advocate that others use their left foot for braking. If it is not instinctive, it can be dangerous -- as others have pointed out. And, it can take a long time to become instinctive. In addition, one has to be sure of not having even a slight amount of pressure on the brake pedal when not intended. In my situation, my heal is resting on the floorboard and the upper part of my foot is over the brake pedal. To apply brakes, I simply rotate my left foot forward. All the AT cars I have driven have had power brakes and did not require much brake pressure.

P.S. It is also helpful at traffic lights on steep inclines. I can rest with my left foot on the brake and then apply throttle, when the light turns green, as I release the brakes. The car will not roll, not even an inch, backwards.

 

Hey Jim, I've never seen a motorcycle with a left-side brake. Which models did you ride?

 

You are too young *grin*

Many of the bikes had the brakes on the left in the 60's. The ones I had were Harley's -- and the one I rode the most was the Sportster. I had a good friend that had a Sprint and the layout was the same if I recall correctly. I believe the Triumphs and BSA's also had the brakes on the left. When I would sometimes ride a bike that belonged to someone else, the first thing on the checklist was to make sure I knew which side had the rear brake pedal. Fortunately, the front brakes were standard. I can add that these were the days before the Japanese bikes hit the shores.

Having brakes on the left was great for racing on dirt because you could shift gears while doing a power slide around a left curve (oval track) with the left foot extended.

Sometime later, and I don't know when, the Federal Government mandated that all brake pedals be standardized on the right side to eliminate the confusion -- and the resulting accidents. To this day, I hate riding bikes with brakes on the right. But, it is better than not riding at all.

 

Well, according to the poll at this point, one in six AT drivers use their left foot for braking. It is apparently not as rare as many would believe.

 

Hmm...if the brake was on the left, was the shifter on the right?

That's really interesting, by the way. I've been interested in motorcycles for a while so it's kinda cool to learn something I've never even heard about.

 

On the older bikes the starter was where the right foot brake would be...

 

Correct. That is why you could shift gears while your left foot was hanging out. The kick starter was also on the right side on most bikes. If I recall correctly, the starter was attached in the center on the BMW's and extended to the left side. You you would stand on the left side of the bike to start it.

I have also never been a fan of electric starters on bikes. I would rather kick start and not have the extra weight of an electric starter and larger battery.

Here is something else you may not know. A few of the bikes had compression releases to reduce the compression and make kick starting easier.

Do you recall seeing any Harleys (Harley 74) with a gear shift level up against the left side of the gas tank. You had to take your left hand off the handle bar to change gears. I believe the clutch was on the left side and the brake on the right side. That was no speed shifting with that arrangement.

 

I've always wanted to learn how to ride. I have plenty of friends that do, but after my girlfriends friend got into a fatal accident I sorta backed out on wanting to learn.

There was also a post a while back on someone that had their tank explode while they were riding now that's why I feel safer in a car.