On Mar 22, 11:30*pm, Ashton Crusher wrote:
On Sun, 21 Mar 2010 21:20:16 -0700 (PDT), Harry K

wrote:
On Mar 21, 2:43*pm, Ashton Crusher wrote:
On Sat, 20 Mar 2010 05:15:20 -0700 (PDT), wrote:
On Mar 20, 4:40*am, Ashton Crusher wrote:
On Fri, 19 Mar 2010 09:41:53 -0700 (PDT), Roy
wrote:

On Mar 19, 2:45*am, Ashton Crusher wrote:
On Thu, 18 Mar 2010 16:48:57 -0400, wrote:
On Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:53:10 -0700 (PDT), Harry K
wrote:

On Mar 17, 11:41*pm, Ashton Crusher wrote:
On Wed, 17 Mar 2010 21:28:57 -0700 (PDT), Harry K

wrote:
On Mar 16, 10:33*pm, Ashton Crusher wrote:
On Tue, 16 Mar 2010 13:58:35 -0700 (PDT), Harry K

wrote:
On Mar 15, 11:23*am, Douglas Johnson wrote:
Jim Yanik wrote:
using left foot for braking makes it possible for one to apply both brakes
and throttle at the same time.
In most cases,outside of the track,this is not good.

Agreed. *So don't do it.

Besides,just because a state or states "encourages" something does not make
it right or proper. States are not any authority on driving techniques.
That "encouragement" could merely derive from some bureaucrat of the same
bent as you guys.

By the same authority, it doesn't make it wrong. *I was just using it to confirm
my memory that my Michigan driver's ed taught left foot braking.

IMO,operating differently depending on what car you're using means you
aren't developing the reflex or habit that people revert to under
emergencies.Thus,you could,under pressure,use the wrong foot at a critical
time.

This could be a problem, but hasn't for me. *I own both automatics and manuals.
I move between them regularly. *I brake with the appropriate foot without
thinking about it, even in an emergency. *I've *never* screwed it up.

I'm kind of surprised at the amount of controversy this has stirred up. *It's
clear I'm in the minority here and on the net. *That's OK. *In any case, I'm
done with this topic.

-- Doug

It's not the first time and wont' be the last. It usually shows up in
the driving forums though.

I defy anyone to drive any time at all with their left foot in the air
above the pedal. *Whether they are aware of it or not, they _will_
have their foot touching the pedal.

Harry K

Harry, *I've done it for years and my foot doesn't press the pedal. Is
your foot really so insensitive that you can't tell the difference
between when you are touching something and pressing something? *It's
no different then when someone has their foot on the gas pedal, if
they are moving they are pressing the gas and holding it in a fixed
position. *If they are stopped they will merely be touching it and it
won't move yet you can tell you are touching it. *it's the same with
the brakes. *As I said in the other post, these things are skills that
you learn by doing. *If people don't want to learn them it's their
choice, if they learn them poorly, that's their problem, but there is
no doubt that left foot braking can provide shorter reaction times and
smoother driving, all other things being equal, it's just the physics
of the thing.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

And you just _know_ that you never activate the brake lights just how?

Harry K

Because doing so causes my lockup torque converter to unlock and
that's very noticeable.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

??? Never heard of the brake 'unlocking the torque coverter' but then
I haven't heard of a lot of things. *Any cite for that?

Harry K
It's true, it does unlock the converter, but big, fat, harry deal!!.
So what? Lifting your foot off the gas unlocks the converter too.
Guess that's why the "Crusher" doesn't want to lift his foot untill he
has to stop. Must be worried about "burning out the clutch"

Maybe you and Harry and a couple others who can't drive and use two
feet have no interest in how well you drive or how defensively you
drive but some of us do.
==
Probably the best way to defensive drive is to stay off the roads and
highways when some "elitist" know-it-all is practicing his left foot
dance over the brake pedal and consequently following too closely as
he thinks (or knows) that he has an advantage of a couple of seconds
over me in his braking reaction. So, next time you venture forth, post
a sign in your window stating that a LF driver is about.

==

Please quote where I have ever said I follow closer then anyone else.
The only "elitist" know-it-all's here are harry and clare who claim to
know what's best for everyone else. *I've just stated my preference,
I've never said I think you or anyone else is a hazard if you don't do
it my way. *But you and harry and clare and a few others keep claiming
ANYONE who LFB is a hazard - you folks are the very epitome of
"elitist" know-it-all's- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

What you claimed was this:

"I hold my foot in the air for anywhere from perhaps a few seconds to
half a minute. *It
moves back and forth between resting next to the pedal and hovering
over the pedal when I want to be ready for braking. It's all just
second nature. *If traffic is slowing up ahead my left foot will
shadow the brake without my right foot moving at all and I just
maintain speed. *I can easily cut a half second of reaction time if
something happens, which translates to 44 extra feet to stop in at 60
mph and in the process I don't have to jerk the passengers back and
forth taking my right foot off the gas to be ready. *"

Faced with that same situation, I would simply take my foot off the
gas pedal and start applying the brakes to increase the
separation. * * I think Harry and any other driver concerned with
safety would too. *I think that is what any driving school today would
teach. * Do you disagree? * *As for jerking the passengers back and
forth, I don't know what kind of vehicles you are driving or how you
drive, but seeing a need to increase separation in traffic, I do it
all the time without jerking anyone around.

You choose to focus on one half of the equation, which is the slight
fraction of a second reaction time advantage having your left foot
hoovering in the air over the brake pedal brings. * You completely
ignore the other obvious part, which is doing it your way, you still
have to account for the time it takes your right foot to come off the
gas pedal, the throttle to close, etc. * * *Doing it our way, you are
already slowing down, increasing the separation margin, instead of
hauling ass down the highway maintaining a smaller separation, while
thinking you are safe because you have some stopping distance
advantage. * *That's why I say your methods are unsafe.

You have a paradox in your theory that is insurmountable which others
have pointed out as well. * You admit you only cover the brake when
you think you need the tiny fraction of a second margin you say it
brings. * *Yet, if it is foreseeable, then instead of covering the
brake, the really safe thing to do is simply slow down right then.
And for the true emergency, your left foot is no closer to the brake
pedal than a right foot driver's. *In fact, it may be actually farther
away than a right foot driver's foot that is on the gas pedal.

I also think others who have said the hoovering method can lead to
riding the brakes have a valid point. * I see people on the highway
occasionally with the brake lights flashing on and off for no apparent
rational reason. *Not a lot, but then there aren't a lot of left foot
brakers either. * I personally don't know a single one. * *I would
suspect that when you use the hoovering method, it's easy to start to
just rest that left foot on the brake pedal. * After all, that allows
you to be even safer right? * Then your foot is right there on the
brake most or all of the time.

It's really quite simple. Instead of you making up what I do just
listen to what I do. *I do exactly what you RFBers do EXCEPT I start
my preparation about half a second, sometimes more, before you do by
moving my LEFT foot into position (half a second+ before you would be
moving your right foot off the gas and over the brake). *There's no
difference in following distance compared to you. *There IS a
difference in reaction time however, I have at least as 0.2 second
advantage over you, about 20 feet. *On the freeway that can easily be
the difference between running into someone and not, you would have
run into them, I would not have.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

It is called maintaining a safe following distance. *If you would quit
tailgating you wouldn't need that .2 sec.

Harry K

If I'm tailgating then so are you.

If you are allowing the same space I am, you don't need your
fictional .2 sec.

Harry K