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Total de-feet
You seem to be stressing the use of left foot braking whilst manoeuvring only, where I can see your point if you have to use
the accelerator. However, all my automatics over thirty years have engaged drive at idle, which is why the brakes have to be on before you can select a driven gear. My experience is also different from yours. I have first hand knowledge of only two runaway car incidents. The first was an elderly lady who jumped up the kerb into my daughters shop front, coming to rest against her desk. The second was a middle-aged businessman who leapt over an embankment and shot across a dual carriageway just in front of me. Both drivers had selected D instead of R and had reverted to right foot braking, but hit the wrong pedal. Of course when the car accelerated they just pushed the pedal harder.
the accelerator. However, all my automatics over thirty years have engaged drive at idle, which is why the brakes have to be on before you can select a driven gear. My experience is also different from yours. I have first hand knowledge of only two runaway car incidents. The first was an elderly lady who jumped up the kerb into my daughters shop front, coming to rest against her desk. The second was a middle-aged businessman who leapt over an embankment and shot across a dual carriageway just in front of me. Both drivers had selected D instead of R and had reverted to right foot braking, but hit the wrong pedal. Of course when the car accelerated they just pushed the pedal harder.
Asked on 14 August 2010 by PR, via email
Answered by
Honest John
I have reports of at least a dozen deaths due to loss of control while
manoeuvring. The death is usually of the driver's spouse, or, even more tragically, his or her child. Ironically one was of a retired driving instructor who tutored his pupils to drive automatics one footed. Practising what he preached killed him. But if you are uncomfortable left foot braking out on the open road, don't do it. Some of us are more co-ordinated than others. That's why some people can become helicopter pilots or successful race or rally drivers and others can't. I don’t include myself in that category, but in ADAC wet braking tests in Germany I did slow a Mercedes from 80kmh to 10kmh between 4 metres and 6.4 metres shorter left foot braking than right foot braking.
manoeuvring. The death is usually of the driver's spouse, or, even more tragically, his or her child. Ironically one was of a retired driving instructor who tutored his pupils to drive automatics one footed. Practising what he preached killed him. But if you are uncomfortable left foot braking out on the open road, don't do it. Some of us are more co-ordinated than others. That's why some people can become helicopter pilots or successful race or rally drivers and others can't. I don’t include myself in that category, but in ADAC wet braking tests in Germany I did slow a Mercedes from 80kmh to 10kmh between 4 metres and 6.4 metres shorter left foot braking than right foot braking.
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