What to do with your left foot while driving?
 

Since I frequently rent cars while abroad, I found in the US there is a "unique" problem. You can't rent a decent car, they all come with someting called automatic transmisson. It seems like they let the car decide what is best for you, instead of leaving this decision to the driver. It is rather annoying, I don't seem to be able to get a rental car at a decent price without this stupid "automatic" transmission.

How do you manage to keep your left foot from moving and what about your right hand.
It is utterly frustating to not be able to properly control the car. I ,mean, I know better than any car when torque is at its optimum!

Do I have to take the bus?
Or what do Americans do with their left foot and right hand while driving?
Eating donuts? Nothing?

Left foot taps to the music.

Right hand - obviously, for texting and making cell phone calls.

sf - you beat me to it.

My car has a standard transmission, in fact just about every car I've ever owned has been a standard. I even taught my DH to drive a standard and he likes it too. I prefer standards to automatics, although they are becoming increasingly hard to find when shopping for a new car. For some reason my fellow Americans do not care for standards.

Whenever I rent a car of course it's an automatic as standards are not available for rental. I find myself stomping my left foot, trying to hit the clutch. I also reach for the gearshift a lot.

Like you I always go through a state of withdrawal when I drive an automatic, but you will get used to it.

Now, when I was a kid we were riding on our bicycles around town. Everybody had at least a 3 gears, most a 9 or 18 gear "manual shift" bicycle. You either had to change gears while idling or while kicking the pedals, depending on your bike. Do those kids ride on different bicycles in the US? I just can not imagine a kid not wanting the 18 gears and going for an automatic transmission car later in his life? So what is the reason?

"Or what do Americans do with their left foot and right hand while driving?"

We tie them together, so they won't move.

Every day I learn something new on Fodor's. Today I've learned the British control their cars with their left feet. This is why the visitors cannot find their way out of the round-abouts.

Can it be, the kids did not "naturally" learn about torque just by not experiencing what it means to be going uphill on their bicycles without shifting down? That may explain it?
Maybe it really is that simple.

pedicure

not recommended, but many people wind up putting it in their mouth (a.k.a. foot-in-mouth disease...)

Rentals are all automatic since many (most?) americans can't drive stick. (It takes actually learning to drive which most people don;t do. In NY a chimp can pass the driving test.) (Actually in many places there is just so much traffic - often continuous stop and go - that a stick shift is just torture - with automatic you just let the car roll.)

What you do with your left foot is stretch it out and relax. (If there's no room for the leg to stretch out your car is too small.) Both hands stay on the wheel - in the 10 and 2 position they teach you in driving class.

Spent several years driving a manual so I do remember how odd it felt to switch back.

A small warning--some carmakers make the automatic transmission vehicle look more sporty by putting the gears for reverse, neutral etc on the floor like it's a sports car. When I first switched back to an automatic I found I would put my hand on the gearshift and subconsciously think about switching.... I broke that habit by resting my right hand on the edge of the passenger seat.

Well, if you're lucky enough to rent a new Toyota you can either use the left foot -along w/ the right-to press like crazy on the brake. (The pedal on the left in an automatic or w/ a standard, the one in the middle.) Also, continuing the Toyota theme...If the previous doesn't work be prepared to use your left foot to to jump from the car and run like hell.

I use my left foot for braking on automatic cars.

I've never given my left foot a thought whilst driving ... will check tomorrow and see what it's doing. The right hand is for snacking ... the drink holder and console caddy are on the driver's right. (Have you driven a stick in San Francisco? That would convert most to an automatic.)

I put on a peg leg and practice being a pirate.

Left foot rides on the brake pedal, partially depressed so the brake lights stay on constantly.

As for the right hand, it all depends on if I'm alone or my GF is with me.

<< What to do with your left foot while driving? >>

Brace for impact.

just27...I just finished looking at Deb's San Francisco pictures so your comment really made me smile! I cannot IMAGINE driving a standard in San Francisco!!!

We had to learn on standards. Our driving instructor knew the steepest hill, and that's where we all were taken to practice that maneuver. Scary still, thinking about it.

I've owned 2 standards, the most recent being a little Z3 and I'm still thankful not to have to be shifting anymore, although I miss that little car.

As for my left foot...it does get antsy, especially when cruise control is on and the right foot is foot loose and fancy free too!

<<<(Have you driven a stick in San Francisco? That would convert most to an automatic.)>>>

Yes, I have. And yes, it did (although we have both an automatic and a stick, and I am proud to say I am <i>capable</i> of driving either in San Francisco, but I <i>choose</i> to drive the automatic!)

logos, you make an excellent point about the bicycles. Many American kids never ride one, and I think it makes it much harder for them to learn to drive.

Our daughter was one of those, and seemed to have no concept of moving and turning at the same time. She's OK as a driver now, but I'm glad I don't have to worry about her asking to borrow my car---it's a 5-speed manual tranmission.

Another manual, San Francisco driver. It gets pretty exciting!

re: bicycles. Fixies have been all the rage for several years now.
http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/

I was a manual driver until about 5 years ago when we bought an automatic because my husband hates to drive manual. We are basically a one car household, so a compromise was needed. It was hard to give up the manual, but the things we do for the people we love.

I have driven a manual in SF, many times - we only had manuals in our family for years and years. My mom learned to drive in SF in a VW square-back wagon, manual transmission. I hadn't been driving long, still had my permit, the first time I drove in SF. We had a Chevy blazer, which definitely did not have a precision transmission.

I'm amazed that many American kids don't learn to ride bikes - with the sprawling suburbs we've got, I find this shocking.

november_moon - I, too, learned how to drive a manual in SF with my learner's permit. In fact, my parents let me drive the whole way from Tahoe and the whole time we were visiting the grandparents. Even though I haven't lived there in years I can still see every turn of Hwy 50 going down the mountain. Being able to drive a manual is a great skill to have. One of my sisters never learned and can't drive one at all.

I drive with both feet (automatic transmission) right foot on the gas, left foot on the break & both hands on the steering wheel! Always have since I was a teenager.

A foolish question! Americans even have a song about this very subject, taught in early childhood. In short --
1. Put left foot in.
2. Put left foot out.
3. Put left foot in.
4. Then shake it all about.

Suze why do you do that? Is that how you were taught?
Most experts in defensive driving advise not using the left foot to brake but rather using the left foot to steady/balance your body. Use your right foot to accelerate and also to brake.

I don't know why. It's just the way I've always driven. I am only even aware of it (to be able to answer this question) because friends have commented on it.

p.s. I have a lifelong clean driving record so I guess it must work out OK!

Did the person who taught you how to drive do the left foot thing?

Nope

Did he/she tell you not to do the left foot thing?? LOL:)
I am v/ curious about this. The only person I have ever known who brakes w/ his left foot is my cousin. And, he taught his GF(later wife) how to drive & she does the left foot thing too. It is very unusual....but I guess you knew that already!! :)

No actually I didn't know this was "very unusual". There's two pedals in the car (automatic transmission) and I've got two feet/legs. It seems perfectly natural to me. And feels more controlled than moving only the right foot back and forth.

My mother taught me to drive when I was 15 years old. Plus Drivers' Ed. in high school. Honestly I don't remember how I drove then, or what anyone said about it. That was a LONG time ago ;-)

My husband and son do the left foot on the brake thing, too.

Sounds pretty unsafe! But anyway it will keep others away from you when you accelerate and let the brake lights light up at the same time. Good for them but not very nice. :-). You'd get a ticket.

I don't accelerate with my foot on the brakes... sheez!

So where do you put your right foot when you hit the brakes with your left foot? :-)

Driving a stick shift is a life skill that everyone should have. It's like learning to swim, which fork to use, or not pick your nose in public. Anyone who neglects teaching their kids those things (and others) is failing as a parent. Really limits your options for car rental in most of the rest of the world if you can't drive stick.

When I was working my way through school, I drove a stick shift Yellow Cab in San Francisco on the night shift. I'm driving an automatic, at the moment, but I really miss choosing my own gear ratio at times.

:-)

nukesafe~ I guess I'll have to let my dear Mom know she failed as a parent then (since I never learned to drive a stick shift).

logos~ You don't "put" your right foot anywhere, you just lift it off the gas pedal.

Some drivers use their left foot for braking.

The right hand is used to operate the radio, heat, a/c, to eat snacks, and to fondle the person in the passenger seat.

HTTY