Braking with The left foot

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pyrox69

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SpeedRudster
We have a G27 steering wheel when we play, i just noticed my brother was using his left foot to brake, i tried to tell him that was a bad habit, and to be careful because that is a dangerous habbit to take in a real car. we got into a pretty weird argument. so how do you guys use the brake? left foot or right foot?
 
pyrox69
We have a G27 steering wheel when we play, i just noticed my brother was using his left foot to brake, i tried to tell him that was a bad habit, and to be careful because that is a dangerous habbit to take in a real car. we got into a pretty weird argument. so how do you guys use the brake? left foot or right foot?
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Left foot.
 
Braking with your left foot takes a lot of practice but is definitely a better way to race. Being able to apply the brakes and keeping when throttling the gas pedal can help you keep more speed through the turns. However, left foot braking isn't necessary when driving on the street.
 
Left foot. As was said above, the ability to use both gas and brake at the same time. Faster and more stable transitions.
 
Left foot is a perfectly safe and acceptable habit, personally I find it faster than heal and toe.

While it isn't unsafe in the real world - it can in some countries and states cause you to fail your license test.
 
Left foot when possible (as I don't have a wheel with clutch, that's always in GT - I also do it in real life). It allows faster reaction time and more precise control.
 
IIC
Right foot H&T.

Because racecar.
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Right foot H&T and left foot.

Depends if you need to change down or not.

Oh and because that's simply how I drive (virtual or not).
 
Left foot, when racing (in real life) there is a higher risk factor. The reason braking with both feet is viewed as dangerous when street driving is because you are not as focused when street driving and therefore the thinking is that in a moment of panic you could accidentally press both pedals at the same time. I used to race go karts in real life so I learned to drive with left foot brake. When I took my driving test I had to use right foot for both. I asked the instructor who was a cop why left foot braking was bad and that was the explanation he gave me.
 
DFGT with no clutch I use left foot, it's board anyways lol. When I drive IRL, I drive man and no choice really, left foot is dedicated to the clutch the right foot going back n forth from gas to brake.

When I drive an automatic IRL I use the right foot for both gas and brake, I have learned to keep my on street driving much more relaxed physically but alert mentally. The aggression comes out on the Track and transition speed becomes an important factor.

From what I experience emergency stops are two foot, manual, one on the clutch the other on the brake, in automatics, I see two feet on the wide brake pedal. Honestly though I can't recall if I've ever done a two foot brake stab on an auto because I've spent 99% of my time driving in manual cars, but I've seen it from the passenger seat. One time I saw a two foot grab it was my girl driving and well she's not that big not that heavy, I figured she needed two legs strength to get on that pedal lol.


With just a gas n brake pedal heal toe is not gonna be used, why would you?. Got me a lil confused on the comment of finding left foot braking faster than heal toe, when you heal toe BECAUSE the left foot is busy with the clutch, can't really left foot brake, if your left foot is dealing with the clutch, so you heal the gas blips to set revs for shift after using the tranny along with the brake to slow the car. I guess you can blip the brake with the left foot from time to time, but only when it's not dealing with the clutch (trail braking situation or lil blip here and there) when your gonna be shifting, the left foot is occupied.
 
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I’ve always braked with my left foot, had to learned how to drive in a Go-Kart. It’s faster in quick reactions, even on the street. It depends on the person to what they feel most comfortable with, if the car is auto, manual, paddles or a sequential.

I have a question.
How does heal, toe compare in GT5 to real life, is it the same or close? If not how did you go about making the clutch pedal feel to you liking?
 
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Zuel
I’ve always braked with my left foot, had to learned how to drive in a Go-Kart. It’s faster in quick reactions, even on the street. It depends on the person to what they feel most comfortable with, if the car is auto, manual, paddles or a sequential.

I have a question.
How does heal, toe compare in GT5 to real life, is it the same or close? If not how did you go about making the clutch pedal feel to you liking?
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It's ok. Depends on which real life car you are talking about.

I like using the heal/toe method a lot and it really comes in handy.

But far as left foot braking I got out of that habit converting from the DFGT to the G27
 
For normal street driving I would always use my right foot to brake as that's the way I got taught to drive.

Since owning a wheel, I got into the habit of left foot braking but once I got back into a car in the real world I would go back to right foot braking.

When I got my current car I started to practice heal and toe as the box on my Impreza down shifts so much smoother if I rev match the gears (blipping the throttle as I am just going down a gear). It took me a really long time to get it to be instinctively and just to be able to judge how much or how little throttle was required to change.

You should try and avoid doing things on the public road when you're learning new techniques as it can potentially lead to an accident, which is why track days are such a great investment if you want to improve your driving ability. It's never a bad thing to strive to improve your driving ability and skill, but it is so important to not push your limits no matter how tempting until you're doing things instinctively and ideally in an safe environment.
 
Same ^

On the real road I right foot + Heel N Toe.
Go karts I left foot brake (obviously) and then on my wheel I have been left foot braking for many many years.

Ive never had an incident in the real world where I have gone for the brakes with my left, I think you can safely have a habit for gaming and a different one for real life.
 
Automatic:
In real life road driving-i use only my right foot
In real life racing-i two foot it
In a race game-i two foot it
Manual:
In real life road driving-i use right foot for gas and brake and left foot for clutch
In real life racing-i do the same thing
In a race game-i do the same thing again (right for gas and brake and left for clutch)
 
In GT5 I use my right foot when I need to use the clutch, and left foot whenever I can.

I've never used my left foot to brake in real life, the reason it's a bad habit in real life street driving is that people who left foot brake often rest their foot on the brake pedal (without realizing it) and drive around with the brake slightly depressed. This wastes brake pad, wastes fuel, heats up the brake fluid and leaves the brake lights on. There's also the "stomp on both pedals in an emergency" possibility.

In racing, when you're focused I think it makes a lot of sense, and is very nearly a requirement, but on the street most people who do it are improperly taught novice drivers who've never driven anything other than an automatic. At least, that's my knee jerk reaction.
 
Felix
For normal street driving I would always use my right foot to brake as that's the way I got taught to drive.

Since owning a wheel, I got into the habit of left foot braking but once I got back into a car in the real world I would go back to right foot braking.

When I got my current car I started to practice heal and toe as the box on my Impreza down shifts so much smoother if I rev match the gears (blipping the throttle as I am just going down a gear). It took me a really long time to get it to be instinctively and just to be able to judge how much or how little throttle was required to change.

You should try and avoid doing things on the public road when you're learning new techniques as it can potentially lead to an accident, which is why track days are such a great investment if you want to improve your driving ability. It's never a bad thing to strive to improve your driving ability and skill, but it is so important to not push your limits no matter how tempting until you're doing things instinctively and ideally in an safe environment.
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Same for me.

(Only change Impreza to VW Golf MkIII VR6 :sly: )
 
Left foot braking & paddle shift on DFGT. It gives you the opportunity to be able to feather the throttle & brakes at the same time. Also allows for better reaction times, for me at any rate.This doesn't affect my real life driving at all, which is right foot braking & paddle shift. (When I don't feel lazy, that is... ;) )

I can't brake with my right foot in GT5 anyway, since I installed a centre bar to eliminate vertical flexing on my rig...
 
I use the left foot braking while doing rally on snow and dirt. Seems to work a bit better, as you can feather both pedals at the same time-as others have mentioned here. Right foot braking on tarmac.
 
OK lets set a few things straight here , On the street it is viewed by many as an extremely bad habit to develop, BUT there is a time and place and this of course depends on whether it is an Auto or Manual Gearbox (IRL) .
I use all three feet, :P
There are times when I dab with the left on the brake but Heel'n'Toe with Clutch so also brake with the right as well. This of course also depends on the Car and how it is configured in real life too. Paddle shifter or Sequential lever and so on, IRL Left foot braking is VERY common for Rally driver's who break the car loose while maintaining power and then controlling the turn with judicious use of steering and Power.
Ultimately it is use what works for you as a Sim racer but remember to DIVORCE our Sim Racing from the real world.
 
Left foot. Being able to control both at the same time and reaction times.

Besides I race gokarts and it is the only way to go there.
 
Left foot in GT5 to brake as I have a DFGT. However the few times I've had the chance to drive in real life on test courses and on I've found it varies but for me, but left foot braking is more comfortable as it's what I'm used to.
 
Felix
For normal street driving I would always use my right foot to brake as that's the way I got taught to drive.

Since owning a wheel, I got into the habit of left foot braking but once I got back into a car in the real world I would go back to right foot braking.

When I got my current car I started to practice heal and toe as the box on my Impreza down shifts so much smoother if I rev match the gears (blipping the throttle as I am just going down a gear). It took me a really long time to get it to be instinctively and just to be able to judge how much or how little throttle was required to change.

You should try and avoid doing things on the public road when you're learning new techniques as it can potentially lead to an accident, which is why track days are such a great investment if you want to improve your driving ability. It's never a bad thing to strive to improve your driving ability and skill, but it is so important to not push your limits no matter how tempting until you're doing things instinctively and ideally in an safe environment.
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+1 to this. There is no confussion wether I drive on a simulator, on the kart, on my car at the street or my car on a track day.

Your mind adapts instantly whenever you sit on and does which you had trained before on each circunstance.

By the way, I left foot on sim and kart, and right foot on my real car on street and track. No need to heal & toe, it's not a racecar.
 

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