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Controlled sub-stance

I have been following your various comments over the years on left foot braking and was interested to see the one headed "Science friction". You stated, "everything was scientifically measured.” But what seems to have been overlooked is the physical bias that will have been reflected in the tests, depending on how the driver routinely brakes an automatic. My point is, assuming you routinely brake with your left foot when using an auto gearbox, you will obviously perform better when braking with left foot than with right, because when having to brake with right you will have to overcome your habitual left-foot approach to use the right foot. Another factor that I feel is quite important is that in the case where someone sometimes drives an automatic and sometimes drives a manual, right-foot braking is the same procedure in both cases, whereas a left-foot auto braker will have to change to right-foot braking when using a manual gearbox, thus being likely to be a little slower to hit the brake.

Asked on 19 September 2010 by MB, via email

Answered by Honest John
Except I usually brake manuals with my right foot. I drive about 150 different cars a year, both manual and automatic. Obviously if you drive an automatic properly, which means two feet, two pedals, as opposed to slop about in one using one foot to operate two pedals, you will be better prepared to brake. That is my point. You can stop the car quicker, whether you are out on the highway, or driving down a high street with a lot of pedestrians present, or passing a school at coming out time, or manoeuvring in a tight spot when someone steps into the path of the car. Right foot braking automatics in the last three of those circumstances actually kills about 100 people every year either because it's too slow or because the driver hits the accelerator again instead of the brake.
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