Safe Speed Forums

As mentioned elsewhere my eldest lad has suddenly decided he wants to get a licence. I've left him alone with his instructor as I feel that these days after being on the road for almost 50 years, I've got possibly more bad habits than good, as would be seen in the eyes of a tester.
OK- forget large van/HGV drivers, who sit over the pedals, and more often have to lift foot between pedals. But how do you move the right foot between pedals in a car light van ? That was his question.
Something I've never thought of till I developed a hip problem, then I noticed I'd always kept my heel flat on floor ,directly over brake pedal and swivelled it right to throttle, using my ankle as control . That was how he'd found it easiest. OK, for the purists that do heeling and toeing( something I felt would confuse him) .
Poll question options are- (if I can find how to create a poll ).
1) do you keep feet on floor and swivel using ankle
2) lift foot between pedals
3) Other.

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lets bring sanity back to speed limits.
Drivers are like donkeys -they respond best to a carrot, not a stick .Road safety experts are like Asses - best kept covered up ,or sat on

I sorted out your question so it's a Poll. You needed to scroll down to set it up - that's all.

I keep the left foot around for the clutch and the right pivots between brake / clutch - healing and toeing when required.
In a van the pedals can be further apart, so I'd tend to be sitting more upright so the feet are better positioned to 'go from one to another' as necessary.
When your learning it all seems like a lot to do because your brain is having to control every muscle input. Get him to practice when sitting down (anywhere) to build up muscle learning. It will gradually become easier and he'll have less input to each action as it becomes more automated.

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Safe Speed for Intelligent Road Safety through proper research, experience & guidance.

Thanks, SS2- He seems to have it sorted. I gave my advice based on how I now drive with a hip problem. I'd never noticed that, I'm one of the "heel & toe " club , in a car, and my right foot sits midway between the pedals and pivots on the heel. Possibly I've driven this way for lots of years ,with out thinking about it. I suspect I have, as it's the most comfortable way of driving most saloon cars.
I do this out of habit ,so as to drive with no hip movement, which means no moving pain. But the important point is that my right foot is always over the right pedal . He seems to have adapted this as a natural movement, so perhaps I've (subconsciously ) passed something on.
Also, thanks for sorting out the poll. I await results. Might be interesting.

_________________
lets bring sanity back to speed limits.
Drivers are like donkeys -they respond best to a carrot, not a stick .Road safety experts are like Asses - best kept covered up ,or sat on

BUMP.

_________________
lets bring sanity back to speed limits.
Drivers are like donkeys -they respond best to a carrot, not a stick .Road safety experts are like Asses - best kept covered up ,or sat on

It depends on the height relationship between the pedals.

With some cars the brake pedal pad was set so much higher than the accelerator pad, that lifting the foot was necessary. IIRC the Ford Consul/Zephyr/Zodiac range of the 1950s were like that, but hopefully more recent designs do not incorporate that limitation.

It always seemed to me to be a bad arrangement in that it caused an additional delay in applying the brakes, which is not what you want in an emergency situation.

Best wishes all,
Dave - yes folks, I'm still around.

Thanks, Dave, I wasn't thinking of older cars or more commercial ones ( referring to your background) , as I've driven Transits and similar from the MK 1, where you sat over the pedals and had to lift foot off one to get to the other massive pedal. My poll was on how modern vehicles are driven, and came about as an enquiry from my son who is learning to drive. I've thought about it recently as with a right hip problem ,I have to site my right foot defaulting to best placed for braking. My right heel is set just behind the brake pedal and off set to move the throttle pedal, but returns to hit brakes.
Son's question is which is more common
1) - move right foot between pedals using heel as a pivot, or lift foot between pedals.He found the former easier and something I've never thought about , till I analysed my foot positions in various classes of vehicle and find that now in a small car, y foot pivots as above.
2) Lift foot between pedals as you'd do in a heavier vehicle.

_________________
lets bring sanity back to speed limits.
Drivers are like donkeys -they respond best to a carrot, not a stick .Road safety experts are like Asses - best kept covered up ,or sat on