A friend of mine...

[Klackamas]

told me tonight that he's been driving for the better part of his life with the left foot on the brake and right foot on the gas. He's 65.

Is this common?

I remember when I was learning in the late 1980's, it was taboo to use anything but your right foot for both pedals. You would be slapped, much like writing with your left hand, for anything else.


What say you?  Is he f'd up, or am I?

[The Pirate]

Right for both was the way I (and most people I know) was taught, and practice.  Four out the five cars that I've owned (and both that I currently own) have been manual transmission though, so the left foot is busy with other tasks.  I'm a right foot for both guy even when driving automatic though. 

One of the bad parts of left foot braking is said drivers have a tendency to hover that foot over the brake pedal, if not outright applying it, however lightly, when driving.  This certainly causes unnecessary wear, and the ensuing constantly flashing brake lights infuriating us drivers behind.

[Cookie Monster]

I never do that unless I'm trying to haul ass on twisty roads.

Still not used to trying to hit the smaller brake pedal in a manual transmission car though... I end up missing or stomping on both the clutch and the brake.

[ifcar]

My mother learned to drive left-foot braking, and had to unlearn it to learn to drive a manual.

[2o6]

I never do that unless I'm trying to haul ass on twisty roads.

Still not used to trying to hit the smaller brake pedal in a manual transmission car though... I end up missing or stomping on both the clutch and the brake.

You suck.

[MrH]

I never do that unless I'm trying to haul ass on twisty roads.

Still not used to trying to hit the smaller brake pedal in a manual transmission car though... I end up missing or stomping on both the clutch and the brake.

[MX793]

I was always taught that your left foot should only be used for the clutch pedal.  That said, left foot braking does have its place, mostly on the race track.  I've dabbled with using my left foot for the brake on the street just to try to get the hang of modulating the brake pedal with my left foot (in hopes that I might adapt it to the track).  I'm so used to clutching with my left foot that I tend to stomp on the brake pedal like it's a clutch pedal.  Oddly, I never seem to have that problem when driving a kart where the brake is controlled by the left foot.  But driving a manual, dedicating your left foot to the brake isn't really possible.  And perhaps this is the reason people are taught that you should only use your right foot for the brake and throttle.  In the days before automatic transmissions were the norm, you had to use your right foot on the brake in many situations while your left worked the clutch.

I suppose that on the street, having your left foot covering the brake may give you some degree of reaction time advantage, since you don't need to lift your foot off of the accelerator, move it over and then depress the brake.  You can just press down with your left foot while lifting your right.  That said, leaving your left foot covering the brake can cause you to ride the brakes, which causes premature brake wear (likewise resting your left foot on the clutch pedal can result in premature clutch wear if you're actually pressing down on the pedal).  I've seen a number of people accelerate away from a traffic light and their brake lights never turn off, which means they're either riding the brake pedal with their left foot or their right foot is pressing on both pedals.

[Eye of the Tiger]

LFB FTW!
Makes FWD more fun.

[Klackamas]

I was always taught that your left foot should only be used for the clutch pedal.  That said, left foot braking does have its place, mostly on the race track.  I've dabbled with using my left foot for the brake on the street just to try to get the hang of modulating the brake pedal with my left foot (in hopes that I might adapt it to the track).  I'm so used to clutching with my left foot that I tend to stomp on the brake pedal like it's a clutch pedal.  Oddly, I never seem to have that problem when driving a kart where the brake is controlled by the left foot.  But driving a manual, dedicating your left foot to the brake isn't really possible.  And perhaps this is the reason people are taught that you should only use your right foot for the brake and throttle.  In the days before automatic transmissions were the norm, you had to use your right foot on the brake in many situations while your left worked the clutch.

I suppose that on the street, having your left foot covering the brake may give you some degree of reaction time advantage, since you don't need to lift your foot off of the accelerator, move it over and then depress the brake.  You can just press down with your left foot while lifting your right.  That said, leaving your left foot covering the brake can cause you to ride the brakes, which causes premature brake wear (likewise resting your left foot on the clutch pedal can result in premature clutch wear if you're actually pressing down on the pedal).  I've seen a number of people accelerate away from a traffic light and their brake lights never turn off, which means they're either riding the brake pedal with their left foot or their right foot is pressing on both pedals.

O KAY. I should have specified and automatic transamission!    But that said, even with a manual, my right foot approaches the brake pedal.

[S204STi]

Disadvantages of resting your left foot on the brake pedal:  as mentioned, brake wear is accelerated.  In fact I remember a blue hair beauty who used to come in every year with brakes wiped out and the plastic wheel covers scorched...  ; also, your brake lamps may constantly be flickering or on at all times, seriously confusing other drivers.

[sportyaccordy]

I feel like a lot of gypsy cab drivers use LFB

On the highways w/no cars ahead of them they are constantly jabbing the brakes. I don't know where these guys learned to drive but we need to stop accepting drivers from there

[Minpin]

My mom does the left foot brake, as well as her parents. She says thats just the way she was taught. 50 and no accidents, so obviously it works for her.

[Laconian]

I saw a Cadillac SRX moving in traffic the other day, accelerating even, with the CHMSL illuminated. I was thinking "WHY THE HELL IS YOUR FOOT ON THE BRAKE WHEN YOU ARE ACCELERATING???!" Drove me batty!

I finally got a chance to zip ahead and check, and it was an attractive blonde in her early 30s. Either she was out to lunch during driver's ed, or she's from another country.

[Rupert]

If it works, it works, but it's terrible form, as far as I am concerned.

[Cookie Monster]

You suck.

What the fuck did I saw wrong this time?

[Colin]

Many rally drivers are skilled in left foot braking techniques.