A letter to HJ today.
...I'm 88 and recovering from a replaced right hip.
....The need to be able to control the car fully in an emergency is prompting me to change to an automatic and adopt left-foot braking.......
The reply contained only choice of vehicle information.
I would like to know the outcome ( Re the diver not the car choice) ?
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>> ...I'm 88 and recovering from a replaced right hip.
Surely he shouldn't be driving at all until he's recovered fully from the operation, or am I missing something?
(guessing it's a male driver, but could be wrong)
Last edited by: VxFan on Sat 1 Dec 12 at 23:56
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>> >> ...I'm 88 and recovering from a replaced right hip.
>>
>> Surely he shouldn't be driving at all until he's recovered fully from the operation, or
>> am I missing something?
>>
You are not missing something but I did in abbreviating.
"The hospital sensibly advises not driving for at least three months...."
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There comes a time when you might need to give up driving till you've made a full recovery, not sure i could master regular left foot braking after a lifetime of not doing so and thats without the added complications of age and after surgery.
As for the LFB argument, i've only once really needed to use my left foot for braking and that was for ultra fine dangerously close manouevering.
Loading Audis at Sheerness and one particular petrol turbo auto i had to nose in under an angled deck above bonnet, only a couple of inches gap when sited correctly and a hump to get over just before siting (high bonnet edge on Audi compared to others of the day), trouble was just as the clutches bit the turbo was coming on stream, so nothing then full turbo power surge no creep at all, blinking terrifying, took me several attempts to get it just right.
Hardly the sort of thing that anyone should have to contemplate in normal use so i don't understand why this practice needs to be encouraged, or am i missing something.
Last edited by: gordonbennet on Sun 2 Dec 12 at 00:04
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Hope he's not driving a Toyota - from the manual:
"Depress the brake pedal using your right foot. Depressing the brake
pedal using your left foot may delay response in an emergency, resulting
in an accident."
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>>not sure i could master regular left foot braking after a lifetime of not doing so
>>
Nor me
plus changing to an auto ( Not quite so difficult?)
I guess if you do not have enough strength in the right leg ...then?
A few years ago a great friend had IIRC the servo or valves changed on his wifes car (a Clio I think ) so that it only needed the absolute minimum pedal pressure to apply the brakes.
IMO it would have been more helpful to offer this sort of info first as I suspect few know about it.
I seem to recall comments in car reviews of the past about over servoed brakes but I guess we are all no longer concerned?
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>> A letter to HJ today.
>>
>> ...I'm 88 and recovering from a replaced right hip.
>> ....The need to be able to control the car fully in an emergency is prompting
>> me to change to an automatic and adopt left-foot braking.......
>>
>> The reply contained only choice of vehicle information.
>>
>> I would like to know the outcome ( Re the diver not the car choice)
Sounds like someone from this site winding him up.
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I'm always puzzled by the extremes of opinion re which foot to use for braking on an auto ( or indeed a manual for that matter ) To me it's simple. In "normal" everyday driving I use my right foot. If however, I'm pressing on, and want faster responses, I might use my left if it feels right to do so just as I'd steer with either hand depending on the moment's need or convenience. The other occasion when I might lfb is in a close parking situation. Never tried anything as extreme as GB describes but I can understand why he used that method on that occasion.
Anyway, not sure what all the fuss is about. I'm happy to do what feels right for me and equally happy for others to do the same.
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Age 88 -switch to auto and left foot braking. - VxFan
