I'm surprised that so many people feel older cars need two feet because of poor idle, etc. I've driven my old (built in '69) car since '89 as a driver, 12 months a year from '89 to '97 and then summer only since then, and never once did I need two feet to keep the engine idling. Something isn't kosher with your car if you must use two feet to keep it running. Get a cam that's streetable or fix the carb- that's not a problem you should have. If it's the cam, well, that's your own fault :laugh:
I use a foot on the gas and brake when I am resuming moving after being forced to stop on an incline, but other than that, I just use the righty.
Right foot on the gas, left foot at the brake. If a panic stop situation presents itself my left foot is applying the brakes as my right foot is coming off the gas. Two feet, two pedals! What's the problem? o No:
It's funny it's pretty even, I know some people who have tried driving a "go cart" and they couldn't get the hang of the two feet driving. I think it is individual how comfortable you are using both feet instead of one. I don't really see any benefit either way you go, but there's always the chance of a brain glitch when you're using both feet. If you're comfortable enough to use both feet, then I think it's just like driving with just the right foot. I'm not used to using a cruise control and when I'm sometimes playing with it on my girlfriend's car, it becomes like a stupid game, as you try to maintain your cruise speed. I don't like being driven by the car, I'm much more comfortable knowing that the car is going the speed it is, because I'm giving a certain amount of gas. This is probable a thing you'd get used to, I'm just not too familiar with the cruiser.
One or Two Footer Alan, Ditto here as well!!! If you rode behide me you would not be able to tell (I Don't Ride The Brake). I've always had manual cars except my wagon and that two foot driving has saved many of my cars. I've driven some road courses and thats the only way to get your car up around turns, AL.
Anyone who drives with a left foot on the brake pedal should either learn how to drive, or, not have a license. Have followed many of these fools over the years. All you get is brake lights on for no reason. I drove a truck for 33 years, Over 2,000,000 miles accident free. learn how to drive,or park it. There is no reason for using 2 feet ,except driving a stick shift JOE
Kimson, read what you posted. You know it could be dangerous, but you still think it's OK. Think about that a moment
Joe, I've been driving 30 years and use both feet, and have the same driving record. Be careful with the way you post!!!! I'm NOT A FOOL and don't ride the brake!!! I do have a CDL and drove tractors, motor coaches, and many large pieces of equiptment. Part of your post is uncalled for, you should have only made a comment on drivers the ride the brake!!! Also I drive on road courses and if you use on foot your into a tree or on your roof!!! :af: AL.
My first thought after this question related to old drivers. That seems to be a common way for them to drive - one foot for each pedal. To me it's the result of not being confident in the ability to react, due to the slowed reflexes. You can always tell, as they drive away from a stoplight, or up a hill, the brake lights are still on although there is acceleration. There are times that I have done, it most of which have been mentioned. I never got the choke set up right after I swapped intakes and blocked the cooling passages off from the heads on my GS455. Since I mostly drove it to the track anyhow, it didn't really matter enough for me to bend the perfect rod to get it to work. And even once the car had sufficiently warmed up, it would take longer to pull the choke off due to the still-cool aluminum. Thus my secondaries would still be locked out. I chose to left-foot brake it in that situation. The other time would be at the track. Since I haven't had a car with a line-lock, I'd foot-brake it. I've also done the occasional brake tap for tailgaters, but I don't keep my foot at the pad at all times.
I drive with one foot 95% of the time. my carb linkage sticks holding the carb open for fast idle and I'll blip the gas while stoped (left foot on brake) to try to release the fast idle cam. I'll also use left foot in the morning because sometimes when I first drop the car in gear it will stall out and die even at high idle so i keep the right free to operate the gas. but once in gear it runs and idles fine and wont die. other than those instances i'm a one foot driver. -nate
1 or 2 feet I do the same, a bit with both feet. Consider coming to an uncontrolled intersection, you can save a valueable second or 2 but using your left foot to cover the break, hover your left foot over the break, which is a correct answer on driver's tests, in case some nut is not looking out in the beater they are driving. I am so used to driving a stick that when I get into my boat, RAGTOP, I naturally cover the break, hover my left foot over it, when approaching an intersection or unpredictible situation (whether it is another vehicle or the unpredictible play of children). Reaction time is about one second to think about it and another to make the movement from the gas to the break with your right foot. Depending on your speed you can travel right in to a situation in those 2 seconds. And it takes longer as you get older. VIC :TU:
The Skylark has never agreed with a cold start. I fiddled with the carb until my hands varnished and bloodied, but I could never get it to idle right unless I'd been activity driving it for 15-20 minutes. I even took it in to a shop, and had him adjust the carb and timing. Still just as bad. Backing out of the garage is always a chore. Park, Start, Rev, Nuetral, Rev, Reverse, Neutral, Rev, Reverse, Stall, Nuetral, Start, Rev... Even with both feet it's no cakewalk. Other than that, I typically only drive with two feet in crowded, 5mph areas, like parking lots full of small children and expensive cars. Also if I'm backing up, I feel more comfortable knowing EXACTLY where the brake is, so I like to keep a foot on it. In situations like those, I believe it's both safer and easier with one on the gas and one on the brake. ~Mike '66 Skylark 340-4
I voted for both feet. Do y'all remember the car in my avatar at the GS Nats or Buicks at Bristol? One foot on the brake and one on the gas! I usually cut a very good light and you can ask Doug H. he remembers me winning against delay box cars at the Nats. Can't do that with one foot. :laugh: At one of the resent safety meetings at work they called it shadowing the brake pedal to be prepared for something up the road just as Vic said. Could save some childs life using this technique or at least the safty video said so. Like Van Halen sang "One foot on the brake and one up your &#@". Or was that my version!!!! :grin: Too each there own. But since I have matured a little I have had no accidents using both feet. And I also have my CDL inwhich I may drive a 10 wheel dump truck, 18 wheeler(International with lowboy trailer and one large escavator) etc. When operating one of the backhoes at work I usually use both feet and both hands. Takes some practice to do that. Some of the boys at work are quite talented, I'm still a little slow but safe. Later
I use both feet all the time at the track(road course and drags) and sometimes on the street. At the track, especially roadcourse or auto cross, if you don't 2 foot you will lose. The brakes on a roadcourse car certainly are used to set your weight shift but they better also be used for slowing in the straight line BEFORE you decide to shift the weight. I don't think 150mph down the straight and not braking hard before that second gear corner is gonna work. I use one on the gas and one on the brake in my autocross car even when I'm not upshifting. I use the brake to control wheelspin out of corners sometimes. A gentle squeeze of the brake will up set the chassis less than off the gas on the gas everytime. Sometimes I even roll the throttle and roll the brake at the same time if the situation arises. Drag racing my footbrake 10 second car requires 2 feet also. Left on the brake, right on the gas. Apply throttle while holding brake til I reach 1500rpm. Bottom yellow illuminates, release brake with left foot while matting gas with right. Much quicker than trying to reach from one pedal to the other. I just took it for granted that all successful racers use both feet. With an automatic on the street I do 1 or 2 foot driving. Depends on the situation. If I'm in heavy traffic it's 2 feet all the way. That .2 tenths of a second of reaction time gained might save my wife and son's lives.
I never thought there would be so many people "driving" with two feet. By Driving I mean actually on the street in traffic driving. Not racing, Not letting the car warm up, Not getting ready for a burnout. Just driving. I'd love to know where you learned this. As far as I've ever seen everybody gets taught in driver's ed, to drive with one foot. How would you drive stick? One foot for the clutch and one for the Gas/Brake right? The same one for the Gas/Brake. You take the clutch out of the equation and one foot for the same pedal. And to all those folks who say the don't ride the brake enough to cause premature wearing, brakes rub a little bit all the time, even if you aren't on the brake. So any presurre at all would increase that. And the idea that you need two feet on the brakes to drive a non pb drum braked car, what did people do before power brakes with a stick? Get the passenger to help?
Instead of braking, my first instinct is to steer - brakes are secondary, and I've not been in an accident yet (which is probably more a result of my trying to be ahead of a group rather than in it). There is a difference between tailing someone who seems to hit the brakes and someone who is just crazy... I usually snap the auto into reverse and back to flash the backing lights. Too fast for the tranny to grab, but the tailgaters drop back VERY fast. Now who's the amatuer? (Just kidding.)
When at the track I think it would be a loss not to use both feet. When driving a stick I'd be using the left foot for the clutch only. I don't know why I started to drive with both feet, it suits agressive driving when you are entering sharp corners etc. but I'm not exactly driving the buick agressively. I just find it easy to use one foot for each pedal, but it's one at a time, and I'll most of the time change foot from the left to the right to hold the brake, once stopped. Regarding the safety of it, I think it depends on how comfortable you are doing it, I know a lot of people who are in a lot worse shape becaue they're distracted by other things surronding them when driving. I must admit the brain glitch factor is there if panic mode would set in, but last time I had to brake hard, I already had the left foot on the brake, and then stomped it with the right too by instinct.
