Back to left foot braking

what, you only test drove it for a mile and it seemed fine?

 

You brake with your left foot?? How would you ever drive a manual?

 

The brake pedal is on the left side, isn't it? Two pedals, two feet; seems right to me.

 

Cycle, do you mind explaining why it works better for you to brake with your left foot? I understand that you feel the space is cramped, but I'm not clear how left footed braking helps. I am not trying to be difficult, only curious.

Tom

 

In a manual you need to depress the clutch with your left foot at the same time you're depressing the brake pedal with your right foot. Seems like bad practice to use your left foot for braking...

 

It's always bad practice to do left footed braking, unless you are doing some sort of advanced racing maneuver.

Tom

 

Sorry guys, I disagree that left foot braking is bad practice. It's quicker and therefore safer. I DO have a brain, however, so when I get into a manual, I use right foot braking, AND I don't press the brake and accelerator at the same time in the Prius.

It's called adaptability. It's what is supposed to have made us so successful on the planet.

 

Studies I have read don't support the assumption that left footed braking is faster. Does your information come from metrics, or your own perception?

Tom

 

Of course you can't use your left for braking while driving a manual transmission car; you have to use all three feet then.

 

i believe left footed braking is illegal in massachusetts, and the possible cause of some unintended accelleration.

 

That is the main problem. Left footed braking can be used to good advantage by race drivers and others using advanced driving techniques. The principal disadvantage is that people tend to press with both feet in an emergency, mashing down both the brake and the gas.

A second, less serious problem is a tendency to ride the brakes during normal driving.

Tom

 

There have been a lot of studies into this, and the overall finding is that left foot braking increases reaction time and is dangerous. Ask any professional driving instructor he will tell you left foot braking is a practice that has no place on public roads.

Now, on a track trying to drift through a turn its a different story, but in a mainstream car on a public road, bad idea.

I too don't understand how cramped legroom makes right braking impossible...

 

Then don't look down

Seriously, don't brake with your left foot, its dangerous

 

you must be on e big fella, big fella. you need yerself a sweet lincoln towncar or something, like kickin' back on the sofa!

 

Yep.

In all seriousness, did you even test drive the Prius? I've never owned an auto before, so i took one for a four hour drive before buying one...