You left foot braker?

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by P-hack

That is known as heel-toe technique, his heel is pressing on the gas to keep the revs up or match downshift rpm (and possibly the turbo spooled up) while his toe is on the brake.

Yeah, I missed his foot angling towards the gas pedal.

[Occasionally6]

I have always driven automatic transmission cars using my left foot on the brake pedal, at least most of the time. Yes, faster reaction time but also just less work, particularly in heavy, stop-start traffic.

I also occasionally do so in a manual transmission car, only very seldom while shifting gears though. While it is possible to shift without using the clutch and brake, I find it takes more concentration - for me at least - than I want to use on that. Much better to focus on hazard perception.

Simultaneously applying brake and gas pedal inputs can be used for car control/altering brake balance. The rally/race car drivers in the videos above may be doing that. It is most useful in FWD, slightly less so in 4WD, cars. Similar to pulling on the emergency brake (if it acts on the rear wheels - which most do).

I did half spin a few times while learning how to do it - and I still don't feel I do it particularly well.

[redpoint5]

I only use left foot braking when I play Grand Turismo. Basically, only when I'm racing.

I had a grandmother that would go through a set of brakes in less than a year because she always had her left foot on the brake and they were always dragging.

I don't see how it could substantially increase reaction time unless the foot was actually resting on the pedal, in which case it is generating braking force.

Isn't left foot braking how burnouts are done? I've never had a vehicle powerful enough to do one.

[UltArc]

I tried it when I was still developing my driving style, and found I was accelerating too quickly. It is easy to control it, but when I was still fully learning the road, it just made me drive faster. More so an issue because of immaturity, nothing else.

Agreed on Gran Turismo (I love it, not so much the left foot braking).

I have little to add, but that not too long ago I was in a car and used my left foot to brake (always on a clutch, and I shift as fast as possible every time) and holy crap, I have never stopped a car so fast before lol

It hurt at the time (seat belt + aggressive jerk/immediate stop), but even then I was laughing out loud.

[Occasionally6]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

I don't see how it could substantially increase reaction time unless the foot was actually resting on the pedal, in which case it is generating braking force.

A typical urban/suburban speed might be around 18m/s. Even a fraction of a second might be the difference between avoiding a crash and being halfway into the car in front (say).

It does take time to release the gas pedal and shift that foot across to the brake pedal.

Isn't left foot braking how burnouts are done? I've never had a vehicle powerful enough to do one.

Yes .

The power of the car matters less than the technique used. It is easier to break traction with a manual trans. - simply side step the clutch - but not impossible to do so even in low powered auto. trans. cars, especially if they are FWD.

The trick is to apply the brakes only enough to stall the TC up, then come off the brake pedal as the throttle goes down. Once traction is broken you can hold the car using the brakes.

If you really wanted to do it and have no (rather than very little) mechanical sympathy and deep pockets, rev in Neutral and select 'D' to get the wheels spinning.

With FWD you can simply use the emergency brake. Unfortunately many FWD vehicles will just drag the locked rear wheels.

(Yes, I had a misspent youth.)

Originally Posted by UltArc

I have little to add, but that not too long ago I was in a car and used my left foot to brake (always on a clutch, and I shift as fast as possible every time) and holy crap, I have never stopped a car so fast before lol

It hurt at the time (seat belt + aggressive jerk/immediate stop), but even then I was laughing out loud.

The only problem I had was when initially manually selecting gear in an auto. trans. after driving manual. That led to a simultaneous stab on the brake pedal.

[bestclimb]

One does not need particularly quick reaction times if they are heads up and eyes out, and traveling at a speed appropriate for the environment.

[Frank Lee]

I am reminded of something I saw perhaps 40 years ago- on 60 Minutes or in Popular Mechanics?- that tested drivers' reactions to a tethered barrel being shot out from roadside directly into their paths. Most drivers slammed on the brakes... and every single one of them hit the barrel. Some drivers swerved... and many of them did NOT hit the barrel.

I'm glad I saw that when I was young; it saved my bacon on at least one occasion, when a horse and young rider (the horse was the one in control ) blasted up onto the road right in front of me in a VW Microbus. I was hard on the brakes AND swerved, somehow avoiding a collision and leaving lots of my nice expensive tires on the road. An observer to the whole thing said that was some mighty fine driving. I credit that Driver's Study with planting the seed in my head for always having a contingency plan.

I think if you drive with a foot hovering above the brake pedal, you are just going to slam on the brakes in the same way as when you are wielding a hammer, everything looks like a nail.

[UltArc]

Originally Posted by Occasionally6

...
The power of the car matters less than the technique used. It is easier to break traction with a manual trans. - simply side step the clutch - but not impossible to do so even in low powered auto. trans. cars, especially if they are FWD.
...

I was only able to spin my front tires in a car with really bad grip. Really bad. In my FRs, it's always been holding brake, then hitting gas and the rear brakes let loose, and they just spin. Also, a lot of waste in my youth.

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

...I'm glad I saw that when I was young; it saved my bacon on at least one occasion, when a horse and young rider (the horse was the one in control ) blasted up onto the road right in front of me in a VW Microbus. I was hard on the brakes AND swerved, somehow avoiding a collision and leaving lots of my nice expensive tires on the road. An observer to the whole thing said that was some mighty fine driving. I credit that Driver's Study with planting the seed in my head for always having a contingency plan.
...

Excellent point. Now is the most important time for that. Many people think the brakes when something happens ahead. Try it in the snow, or the slick, and one just slides forward. Turn, and one can easily avoid it if they are aware of their surroundings.

[Occasionally6]

Originally Posted by bestclimb

One does not need particularly quick reaction times if they are heads up and eyes out, and traveling at a speed appropriate for the environment.

Take every possible advantage you can.

[P-hack]

dragging brakes and pointlessly flashing brake lights are not an advantage.