Left or Right foot brake??

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gatordaryl

gatordaryl

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gatordaryl
As I'm new to online racing and never participated in any sim racing ... Just curious as to what the top guys/girls are doing as it relates to braking.

I'd like to hear from anyone in the top 50 nationwide if possible ... Are you using your left or right foot to brake? I'm currently right foot braking only.

After putting in about 6-7 hours I'm in the top 30ish in the NE and definitely feel I have better times in me ... just wondering if I need to change up my approach.

Thanks and good luck to everyone. It is really helpful to be able to read all of the info you all post.

Happy New Year and of course ... Go Gators!
 
There are fast drivers that do both. I was able to complete all the a-spec races and licenses using the shifter and right foot braking. However, I've switched to left foot braking for the GT academy because it can save you a couple tenths per lap.
 
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Thanks for the responses so far ... looks like most are left foot braking. Any right foot brakers in the top spots??
 
I thought left foot braking was the only way, thats probably because Ive never used a pedal set with a clutch. I can tell you though that anyone who has come over from Forza uses left foot braking because Xbox wheels always had just 2 pedals...until the Fanatec came out.

It just seems that left foot braking is superior because you can modulate both brake and throttle at the same time, which is nearly impossible to do well with one foot unless you are a sick heel-toer.
 
I use the left foot for braking. It can actually be a detriment to me at times since I tend to switch between braking and accelerating too quickly. I have to tell myself to not do it, especially for hairpin turns.
 
Left foot braking. I actually have my clutch pedal from my G27 removed right now and the brake pedal mounted where it would be so I've got a nice spread between gas and brake on my inverted pedal set up.

I started left foot braking because I was having trouble with some of the gold licenses without it. Made things much easier, you can save a lot of time.
 
Right foot braking, I always use right foot in real cars and it goes the same for sim. The only time I use left foot is in a go kart or an open wheel car that has only two pedals.
 
Not GT Academy i know, but Micheal Schumacher used to do both in F1 depending on what mood he was in.
 
wow, looks like there are alot of people using the left foot for braking. I use the right foot and im 91st place with out having spent as much time on it as i would have liked. I have really only had like 3 or 4 times that i have had time to sit down for a couple hours to play. If i get more seat time then i will crack the top 50 for sure. I may try and get used to left foot braking since it seems to be gaining tenths for everyone thats doing it which if i can get used to sould get me in the top 32

Right now im a right foot braker but may make the switch if i can get used to it.
 
zr1chris
wow, looks like there are alot of people using the left foot for braking. I use the right foot and im 91st place with out having spent as much time on it as i would have liked. I have really only had like 3 or 4 times that i have had time to sit down for a couple hours to play. If i get more seat time then i will crack the top 50 for sure. I may try and get used to left foot braking since it seems to be gaining tenths for everyone thats doing it which if i can get used to sould get me in the top 32

Right now im a right foot braker but may make the switch if i can get used to it.
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I honestly thing the ratio of right foot brakers vs left foot brakers in sim racing is 1/100. I have seen so many threads about this on other sim sites and there are barely ever any right foot brakers.

If I started out driving with a wheel in sim racing before I started driving a real car, I probably would have done left foot, but since I drove real cars on the track first, it was just natural for me to use my right foot and I never thought about until I saw debates about it on sim forums. Now I am like you, and astonished at how many people left foot brake in sim racing! If any right foot brakers make it to actually driving a real car they will probably feel more comfortable because right foot braking is essential in the real cars with real clutches.
 
i do left foot brake since prologue... and in real life too ( i drive gay-automatics) and you can start more quikly and neutralize the car in corners doing this :) and now if i brake in real life with right, i brake like a dumb or a noob
 
Hmmm, I guess I too use my right foot for braking (grrr, drive a 5 speed Civic IRL).

Although I have tried left foot, but it feels weird, will start practicing using my left foot (as some people mentioned that it shaves off some time).

Last I checked I was ranked in the high 180's ...have only a few weeks to catch up! :(
 
TRC_Hunk
I thought left foot braking was the only way, thats probably because Ive never used a pedal set with a clutch. I can tell you though that anyone who has come over from Forza uses left foot braking because Xbox wheels always had just 2 pedals...until the Fanatec came out.

It just seems that left foot braking is superior because you can modulate both brake and throttle at the same time, which is nearly impossible to do well with one foot unless you are a sick heel-toer.
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Actually i started with Forza and im a right foot braker. I just cant seem to get used to using my left foot to brake. I can only use it for a clutch like i used to when i owned cars that had them.

I was going to try and get used to using the left foot to brake but i figure if i do make it to the finals and we most likely have to use cars with a clutch then i will have to switch back to using the right foot anyway since there is no way that you can clutch and brake with the left foot.
 
GT Motion
I honestly thing the ratio of right foot brakers vs left foot brakers in sim racing is 1/100. I have seen so many threads about this on other sim sites and there are barely ever any right foot brakers.

If I started out driving with a wheel in sim racing before I started driving a real car, I probably would have done left foot, but since I drove real cars on the track first, it was just natural for me to use my right foot and I never thought about until I saw debates about it on sim forums. Now I am like you, and astonished at how many people left foot brake in sim racing! If any right foot brakers make it to actually driving a real car they will probably feel more comfortable because right foot braking is essential in the real cars with real clutches.
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Thats exactly what i was thinking and thats why im bailing on the idea of trying to switch to using the left foot for braking. It maybe faster now but when it gets to the finals and we are using real cars with a clutch then its going to be impossible. I learned in a real car first which was before GT1 even came out.
 
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I'd left foot brake in real life if it wasn't for the fact that if you're not strapped in really tight, you fall of your seat doing it.

None of my cars ever had proper racing seat belts, so no LFB in real life, but always did it in sims
 
GT Motion
Right foot braking, I always use right foot in real cars and it goes the same for sim. The only time I use left foot is in a go kart or an open wheel car that has only two pedals.
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Same. I don't know what open wheel car you've driven, but both the Formula Ford and the RT/2000 have a nice steering column splitting your legs. It would take some inhuman flexibility (and REALLY tiny feet) to be able to brake with your left foot in one of those babies
 
chandler325i
Same. I don't know what open wheel car you've driven, but both the Formula Ford and the RT/2000 have a nice steering column splitting your legs. It would take some inhuman flexibility (and REALLY tiny feet) to be able to brake with your left foot in one of those babies
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I actually have not driven any open wheel car that would allow me to use left foot for brake, however I had to throw that out there or else people would jump my case saying "but you can do it in an open wheeler". I have been a part of huge debates on this and since the majority of sim racers, started in sim racing first, they believe left foot is the race car driver way, and right foot is old fashioned.

Right foot is actually the proper way you are taught when in driving school, left foot is something you are taught when learning rally or something you learn and add on at a later time for road racing, after you have mastered heel toe and right foot braking, even then, left foot braking is uncommon for every corner.

One thing to think about in real cars as FixByWire mentioned, is when you are braking hard your momentum carries you forward, and if you are driving a car with a transmission that allows clutchless downshifts then it is probably really fast which is going to make deceleration that much harder. I know F1 drivers and NASCAR sometimes use left foot, but that is because they are in cars that cost a fraction of a billion dollars to develop and the equipment strapping them in probably cost more than some small homes, so when they go into a corner they can afford to have both feet hover over both pedals. Us however, who will most likely be driving less equipped cars, would have a hard time avoiding footwork issues when pushing the car to the limit.
 
I only got my DFGT yesterday, but I use my right foot to brake. Thats probably due to the fact that I drive a manual car in real life, so I have to use my right foot to brake. It just feels weird using the left. Except when using a Go-Kart, then I'll use my left.
 

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