Left-foot braking

[2b1ask1]

I’ve been driving multiple vehicles since my early teens and have always left foot brakes in two pedal cars, I don’t see why you wouldn’t, it allows you to cover the brake far quicker than moving off the gas. I drive two pedals 90% of the time now and have to remember when I jump in a manual to right foot brake! Usually after a long cruise on a motorway I’ll be rolling up to the junction and wonder why the brake isn’t doing anything!

 

[alfatwo]

No, you left foot brake in a manual gear shift car...whats wrong with ya!
Left foot breaking in a auto.. Paaa, Volvo estate drivers have being doing that for decades...

Dave

 

[Mr Spoon]

I still don't left foot brake in any auto i have owned. I can however left foot brake in a go kart. I have no idea why I would want to on the road, I just don't unsettle the car enough (yet) to warrant being able to control the throttle and the brake at a similar time

 

[Ebenezer]

Presumably you'll chew through your brakes more quickly though as a consequence?
Also if your foot is on the throttle aren't you reducing the braking effect so have to brake earlier or, I guess, have to brake much harder?
Eb

 

[2b1ask1]

Presumably you'll chew through your brakes more quickly though as a consequence?
Also if your foot is on the throttle aren't you reducing the braking effect so have to brake earlier or, I guess, have to brake much harder?
Eb

I assume that is directed at Capes?

you are lifting as you are applying the brakes so not really. It is a muscle memory thing, once you have it in the bag there is nought wrong with doing it.

 

[Ebenezer]

But if you are lifting then you get off the boost (on a turbo), so the point of left foot braking is to be braking that split second earlier?
Eb

 

[Felonious Crud]

Great topic
I've been left foot braking for at least 15 years and my daughter a physiotherapist, says my left calf is bigger than my right.
I took to left foot braking after reading Frank Gardiner's ( Le Mans / F1 / Porsche 968 ) book " Drive to Survive" where he espouses having the left foot ready to hit the brake as you sense danger situations. Like "will this idiot in the left lane suddenly pull into my lane" etc. It trains you to constantly assess situations and predict possibilities. By having the left foot ready ( hovering but not touching the pedal ) you slash reaction times and save the day.
When I've raised this with motoring enthusiasts I get blank stares, like I'm from mars.
The common response is "won't you get all muddled when you drive a manual," but I've found that isn't the case.

This! When I left-foot brake, It's not some fancy rallying trick, it's just using both feet and being faster on whichever pedal I need next. And not at the same time - the Vantage cuts power if the throttle and brake are used concurrently.

 

[allandwf]

Something I've never felt the need to do on the road.

 

[Gooner]

On the Sport GTS you need to do it if you want to use the launch control feature :

Sport / Auto / ESP off / one foot on brake / keep revs at 2500 / release brake (and floor it I presume, haven’t actually tried it).

I get a similar effect in my 4200 Spyder. I don’t suppose it’s true launch control, and probably pretty bad for the clutch (so best held just momentarily). If you time it right though the acceleration is instantaneous and a lot of fun.

If you try it, you are on your own with bust clutches, driveshafts etc.

 

[GeoffCapes]

The biggest issue I have found with left foot braking is that your muscle memory will mean that you press the brake like a clutch and smack your head on the windscreen, until you get used to it.

I did a rally driving course at Silverstone when I was 23 or 24 and they tried to teach us how to left foot brake.
Being not used to left foot braking I did exactly that, fortunately the harness and crash helmet saved me from head butting the windscreen!

 

[philw696]

Defeating the object unless you have your red Sparco boots on in my opinion.

 

[Tallman]

I get a similar effect in my 4200 Spyder. I don’t suppose it’s true launch control, and probably pretty bad for the clutch (so best held just momentarily). If you time it right though the acceleration is instantaneous and a lot of fun.

If you try it, you are on your own with bust clutches, driveshafts etc.

The Sport GTS has the ZF auto box but I can imagine the drive shafts might take a bit of stress..

 

[philw696]

You lot laugh but the Sparco boots are worth 2 seconds a mile quicker

 

[LDM 3200]

I seem to use a combination of normal / toe & heel / left foot braking depending on the vehicle / type of driving, all feel pretty natural to be honest.

 

[azapa]

there was an onboard, I think, with vettel in a 488 or something, using left foot braking, couldn't find it though, but this popped up and is quite interesting, for a slow work day:

 

[CatmanV2]

there was a onboard, I think, with vettel in a 488 or something, using left foot braking, couldn't find it though, but this popped up and is quite interesting, for a slow work day:

That's interesting. Clearly he's not using his left leg much when he's right foot braking, so logically it makes a lot of sense to left foot brake.

OTOH most of us most of the time don't need to worry about transfer of weight to the front of the car. And he's certainly going to be chewing through pads (and discs) a lot faster where he (quite clearly and called it out) was on the throttle and brake at the same time

C

 

[Team GCR]

There is no better feeling than hammering along Hafren

Next time you coming to Hafren come and say hello

 

[MrPea]

I just find it more comfy to have both legs doing things when I only have two pedals, so one foot per pedal in an auto.
Recent Maserati have the two pedals quite offset to the right, so are more comfortable with only one foot but thankfully the MC20 has them more neutrally placed.
That said, I learnt it in a manual. Oh, that first time of using the brake pedal like a clutch and testing the seatbelts!