General Chat

I am having a discussion with a motoring jounalist as to whether one foot or both should be used when driving a car with automatic transmission.

I believe that most cars in the USA are automatics, so is left foot braking taught or is it right foot only?

I lived in the USA for about a year, and drove both auto and manual. I used the right foot only, seemed most natural, but not sure what is 'recommended'!

Our American domiciled host taught himself to drive in the States. He has never driven a shift gear vehicle and he uses his right foot for both braking and accelerating. From his actions, it would seem that one foot for everything is the most natural way.

It would be interesting hear from anyone who was professionally taught from the word go in an automatic.

If you need an answer from across the pond, I could ask him to ask a friend, but it may take 24 hours what with the time difference etc!

Hi Brian, in Australia you are taughtright foot only for automatics..

Right foot only for automatics, two feet for standards.

Having used two feet on automatics for years, I must say I am surprised that right foot only is advocated since using both gives much better control, especially at low speed or on winding roads.

This journalist is saying use both feet for low speed manoeuvring e.g. parking but right foot only at other times.
I would have thought that was the worst combination and likely to lead to confusion.

LOl having driven mainly gear shift cars in my life but occasionally auto's I was told "Tuck your left foot under the seat, and leave it there!!!

LOl

pressing the brake with with the same left foot pressure used on a clutch..........Disaster..........

but it depends entirely on how you were brought up with cars, and the method that suits YOU best!!
Bob

Hi Brian,

I have driven a manual car for years, but have recently changed to a 'geartronic' basically an automatic with the option to change gears manually but without a clutch and was advised to use right foot only on pedals......took a while to get used to!

TF

My husband a Black Cab Driver uses both feet when driving my automatic car and both when driving his automatic cab!

It should be right foot braking only but I usually use the left foot in my automatic Volvo. I often use left foot braking in my manual Landie too, paricularly if I'm off road, but unless you race or rally and have learned the knack you should n't really do it on the road.

It doesn't take much learning, just a bit of co-ordination. I first started using it on an automatic Ford Capri years ago.

Much quicker on country lanes, you can brake for a corner and instantly put the power back on once you are past the apex.

It's the same as on a motorbike in essence: I've got two manual bikes and two automatic scooters.
The clutch on the manuals is the back brake on the scooters but there is never any temptation to mix them up, you find that you just instantly adjust to whichever one you are riding.