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Old 11-14-2013, 04:33 PM   #7 (permalink)
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Been left foot braking autos for a very long time. Probably since the late 1960s and it has saved my bacon on several occasions. Once I started to turn right at an intersection, with a green light. I glanced to the left and saw a car coming at 45 MPH. He blew right through the light and locked them up just past the intersection. I had hit the brakes hard before I even got completely off the gas.

Another time was when some derelict pulled onto the Interstate in front of heavy traffic going 70 MPH. Combined with situational awareness, knowing there was a clear left lane and a stab of the left foot to slow down a little, I managed to avoid a real disaster and a multi car pile up which could have been deadly. The idiot just drove onto the highway at a 45 degree angle without accelerating in the service lane at all.

A couple more times it has given me a better chance when someone swerved over into my lane on a two lane road, with a ditch 2 feet from the roads edge.

The funny thing about the Fiesta. If you do not get your foot completely off the brake when you get ready to accelerate, the tranny computer does not shift properly and you get some jerking. I even disconnected the battery cable to reset the CPU, before I realized that it was my left foot touching the brake pedal.

Sometimes the difference between an accident and a close call is having your left foot ready for virtually instant braking instead of having to lift it off the gas pedal and applying the brake, with the possibility of getting your foot stuck under the brake pedal.

I know left foot braking is frowned upon by many, but for me it is an additional advantage. My reaction time is greatly reduced and it has helped me avoid serious injury on several occasions.

regards
Mech
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