One or two foot driving!

[Mick G]

Picking car up in 2 hours time and it's almost 20 years since I drove an automatic. It was a Ford Granada which I drove using just my right foot. I have drove various Milk Float type vehicles and Golf Buggies all using just one foot. Was just wondering if anyone uses two foot driving and do you find it easier?

 

[RamseyLewis]

One foot for me. When i first got it I was using my two feet because of kart racing/sim racing at home. I was afraid it would become a bad habit and forced myself to use 1 foot.

 

[N2STY]

?

 

[Kithmo]

One foot and make sure you keep your left foot firmly planted on the footrest.
First automatic I owned after driving manuals for years, coincidentally a Ford Granada too, I hit the big brake pedal with my left foot as I went for the non-existant clutch. ?

 

[Mick G]

One foot and make sure you keep your left foot firmly planted on the footrest.
First automatic I owned after driving manuals for years, coincidentally a Ford Granada too, I hit the big brake pedal with my left foot as I went for the non-existant clutch. ?

I think I did the same with the Granny if my memory cells are still working, but was just hoping for some reassurance off the knowledgeable people on here.

 

[Archev]

One foot and make sure you keep your left foot firmly planted on the footrest.
First automatic I owned after driving manuals for years, coincidentally a Ford Granada too, I hit the big brake pedal with my left foot as I went for the non-existant clutch. ?

Yeah one foot for me. My first automatic experience was with a Chevrolet Suburban over in the USA when I wanted to rent a wee runaround ?? My those giant vehicles can’t half leap around a car park with a total novice at the “controls” ?

 

[Kithmo]

With those old automatics, the engine could sometimes override the brakes, so if you used both feet and pressed both pedals you shot forwards, AKA as unintended acceleration.
Most modern cars have a switch which cuts the power to the accelerator pedal when the brake is pressed.

 

[Gadget Geek]

When driving a manual transmission, you use your right foot for the accelerator and brake. Carry that over to the automatic, it's much safer.

 

[Jomarkh]

One foot and hardly use the brake pedal as use kers3 all the time?

 

[Mick G]

Thank you for all your advice just got home with car now and drove just using right foot as all you recommend, felt strange at first being so long ago that I drove an automatic.

 

[hmadsen]

One foot and make sure you keep your left foot firmly planted on the footrest.
First automatic I owned after driving manuals for years, coincidentally a Ford Granada too, I hit the big brake pedal with my left foot as I went for the non-existant clutch. ?

I did that a couple of times in the first 2 weeks of ownership.

Now it's the reverse situation, i usually forget to put the clutch down when i coast to a stop at a traffic light, making the small petrol car we have, jump and shake

 

[Archev]

I did that a couple of times in the first 2 weeks of ownership.

Now it's the reverse situation, i usually forget to put the clutch down when i coast to a stop at a traffic light, making the small petrol car we have, jump and shake

That’s exactly why I was chuffed to see the back of our C3 Citroen manual - I made it jump often and conversely searched the EV waiting for a gear lever to sprout from the selector knob ??

 

[Eclectic]

I think the "two feet" method was initially taught as a supposedly safer way of driving automatics, but caused so many accidents it was discontinued, and only us older folk remember it

 

[Nutnut]

When driving a manual transmission, you use your right foot for the accelerator and brake. Carry that over to the automatic, it's much safer.

Thought this was standard, and taught at lesson level (at least it was for me) ??

 

[drmcw]

Left foot braking is fine if you want a cheap nose job.

 

[Nutnut]

Left foot braking is fine if you want a cheap nose job.

That cracked me up. We've not had that issue with the right foot, emergency stop or not

 

[Lovemyev]

Give your left foot a well deserved holiday, after all them years of clutch work !.
Plant it on the foot rest provided and use your right foot only.
I think any other configuration can be confusing, and a little dangerous TBH.
As correctly suggested by @drmcw .

 

[Alb]

One foot for me. When i first got it I was using my two feet because of kart racing/sim racing at home. I was afraid it would become a bad habit and forced myself to use 1 foot.

That took me back! I haven't done GoKart racing for years but I can remember that left foot braking did take some getting used to.

 

[Freddy]

Been driving over 50 years, always left foot for braking, right for throttle. Quicker for the traffic light sprint, and more importantly emergency stops, hill starts are simple, no need for hand brake, and if you are in a hurry much faster. Though the missus can't/ won't do it.

 

[hmadsen]

Been driving over 50 years, always left foot for braking, right for throttle. Quicker for the traffic light sprint, and more importantly emergency stops, hill starts are simple, no need for hand brake, and if you are in a hurry much faster. Though the missus can't/ won't do it.

Last 3 cars i owned has had hill start assist, and before that i had no problem shuffling my feet from the brake to the accelerator fast enough for the car to not roll back.

We still have a manual gear, petrol so if i changed to that driving mode it would feel even more awkward when i used the petrol.