I am aware that I'm an old fart and my driving style/technique differs from many younger drivers.
It amazes me that many drivers (including the child-bride) rely only on the vehicles braking system to regulate speed and stopping.
The "modern" methodology of driving with one foot (right) for accelerator and braking with left foot - which is now taught by driving instructors - seems to me to be illogical.
Accelerating to a known stop point, then applying brakes hard isn't efficient or (in my opinion) safe. It creates undue wear on vehicles engine, tyres and brakes, increasing the potential for accidents to occur.
I always back off the accelerator when approaching a "stale" green light, or notice a vehicle ahead stop-lights (brakes) glow.
Over the years I think I have driven/ridden every manner of road transport (yes, even goat and horse carts), participated in several advanced and off-road driving courses, have an unblemished driving record - admittedly my B-Double reversing would be painful to watch.
I doubt I could ever have faith in automated driving (in road vehicles).
With the proliferation of suv's and tradies, dividing strips no longer work. It seems there are lots of drivers who view them as a challenge to their short cut strategy at intersections. Passing on double white lines around blind corners seems to be on the rise.
yes I amazes me to see cars etc in front of me seemingly always applying their brakes to regulate their speed be it winding or straight road, where lifting ones foot off the go pedal works amazingly well.
Most of these bad driving habits come from driving automatic cars, the brake replaces the down shift in all circumstances, maybe I'm stuck in the past wher you can shove an automatice gearbox where the sun dont shine, only manuals for me.
Sadly, I don't think this is the fault of automatic transmissions but rather some road safety numpty...I mean "expert" that decided that saving 0.5sec in an emergency was more important than being able to drive intelligently to avoid the emergency in the first place. So now they teach kids to drive with their left foot on the brake, right foot on the accelerator and brains in the glovebox.
The Paj has an automatic gearbox (2010 model) but I find that, shifting down from D to 4 or if the conditions warrant it to 3, works very well for me, slows the vehicle down extremely well especially on hills.
Everywhere I go there are "brake light Berties" As for using the left foot to brake, it would be extremely foreign to those of us that were brought up to use the right one for both actions and therefore, to my mind more than a bit dangerous??
Good point Possum3.
I also drive in the manner you do.
There is another factor there as well, reduced use of the brakes is a much cheaper option that wearing them out at a faster rate.
My pet hate is the tailgaters, gee they are rare - not.
Also the tailgater that sits on your butt through a 50Km zone and sometimes incorporated with a 40KM school zone within hours then you cop the finger and/or the horn (to be sounded only in emergencies or risk a $470 fine) as they eventually overtake you at 70 to 80 KM.
I cannot fathom how many of these young P platers and other drivers possibly consider it is wise to travel above the 50KM limit etc.
Sometimes I wish there were more speed traps around to catch these clowns. They could try spending a bit less time on social media on phones and leaving a bit earlier for their destinations.
Magnarc wrote: As for using the left foot to brake, it would be extremely foreign to those of us that were brought up to use the right one for both actions and therefore, to my mind more than a bit dangerous??
I use left braking subconsciously. Often, when driving through a busy area or when my lane is passing a row of stationary cars in the next lane, I realise my left foot is poised at the brake pedal ready for instant action if needed. That fraction of a second in application time may make the difference between stopping or being towed away.
Licensed in the '60s I was not taught it. The technique just seemed to grow on me. I had been wondering what would happen if I had to do a driving test and the inspector saw this. So I am surprised it is now being taught.
I've always driven left, right foot in automatics. I started doing this when l was 14 driving forklifts at my first job. You needed to use two pedals at once to lift the mast under load. When farming l also had similar tractor's. It seems efficient to me. I don't agree with the stop, go mentality being demonstrated by so many drivers today.
I recall a long time ago, while watching one of the Bathurst races, one of the in-car sequences where they used to show the feet of the drivers as they worked in the cars while racing. One well know driver, when not using the clutch for gear changes, he used left foot braking, and not just at the times to pulse the brake pads up to the discs.
While driving an auto, I tend to mostly drive right foot, rarely both feet. But I keep the two feet in the kit bag in case. Steep downhill off-road descent in low range, first gear is certainly a time to use two feet.
-- Edited by watsea on Thursday 25th of April 2024 10:05:16 PM
The "modern" methodology of driving with one foot (right) for accelerator and braking with left foot - which is now taught by driving instructors - seems to me to be illogical.
Me too, and bloody uncomfortable. I never break with the left foot in Auto or manual.
I get very uncomfortable with left foot brakers & often comment to my regular passenger .. "that's a left foot braker in front" when I see the brake lights glowing even as they accelerate or at least maintaining speed ... perhaps from the left foot resting on the pedal with enough force to operate the brake light.
The ride with a left foot braker often seems to me to be unnecessarily jerky with too heavy application of the break followed by speeding up and seemingly braking hard too late rather than a gradual slowing down by reduced acceleration a bit earlier, as the stop point approaches.
BTW my Grand daughter is currently in hospital from tail ending a young P plater who had firstly braked normally as she did in response, but then slammed on the breaks for an 'emergency' stop. Yep I know all about keeping a safe distance, but wonder if this was another example of the unintended consequences of left foot breaking.
-- Edited by Cupie on Friday 26th of April 2024 07:34:19 AM
