Folks
I broke my Achilles tendon in my right leg 6 weeks ago and haven't driven since. Plaster comes off in 10 days but my foot will be weak for months. I have to drive to get to work. Some friends recommend I buy a cheap auto and I have in fact got the option of a 1990 MK 2 Golf auto. Question is, will this help or not? I'm not convinced as I'd have to learn to brake safely with my left leg for there to be any advantage. Any advice out there?
Thanks
Baz
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A friend frequently went on rallies (!) in a Vanden Plas Princess Auto when he broke his leg, but it was his left leg.
I would say you will experience great difficulty driving with your left leg, to the point of being a hazard to yourself and others, sorry!
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Sorry to hear about your woses, Bazza, but I can't see how an auto will help.
All the stress and strain will come from the operation of the accelerator and brake and I'd have thought a temporary shift to left-foot braking would be extremely dangerous - love to know what the insurance company would say if they knew you were doing this.
I guess you'll be wearing a support bandage around your ankle for a while and that may help a little, but your physio is the best one to ask about this.
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How about looking for a left hand drive auto??!!
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Errrrr.....
You obviously are not familair with left hand drive cars then!
Pedals are the same way round!
Nice idea tho!
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I think you could train your left leg to be an efficient braker (not breaker, like the right) in a day or two. Just find a secluded road and practice until you feel comfortable. In the US where all emergency vehicles are autos I was taught to brake with my left foot as it reduces reaction/response time as you aren't flipping your right foot back and forth. It felt strange at first, and I eventually reverted back to right foot only, but it can be learned quickly and effectively.
Not applicable here, but with an auto you can hold the brake on and depress the accelerator slightly to take up any torque converter slack giving you quicker acceleration when you release the brake...using it a clutch of sorts.
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Errrrr..... You obviously are not familair with left hand drive cars then! Pedals are the same way round! Nice idea tho!
Really???? Well you learn something new everyday!!!
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Baz,
I don't think you'd have any problem with left foot braking in autos - I've done so for as long as I can remember. I've had a mix of autos and manuals for more than thirty years, often at the same time (like now), and I swap from one to the other without even thinking about it. It comes as naturally as riding a pushbike - which incidentally also has two pedals that are usually operated with one foot on each!
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I've tried it before out of boredom. You won't have any problems. At first your instinct will be to press the brake too hard since the left foot is usually used as on/off (well, not quite, but often is)
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Thanks for the advice so far folks.... there's always someone out there who knows!
Baz
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"I would say you will experience great difficulty driving with your left leg, to the point of being a hazard to yourself and others, sorry!"
I concur. Any spare brain capacity would be far better utilised analysing the situation further ahead, rather than creating "trick" driving techniques.
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For once I'd have to agree with Trevor.
Sounds like a recipe for disaster to me, especially if you suddenly had to brake in an emergnecy - too much chance of messing it up by moving your feet instinctively.
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Though many people here (HJ included, I think) advocate Left foot braking in Autos, I'm not a great believer in it.
As a long-term auto driver, after years in manual's, I still can't get used to the idea of using the left foot as a stopper.
Even though I am ambidextrous [what's the correct word for feet - ambifootstrous???:)] in sports, my left still doesn't seem to have enough control to ease the brake on, as my right does.
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Firstly, left leg out of action is no bother at all, with an auto; the first auto I drove was for that reason. However, here we have a weak right leg, requiring left foot braking. So I thought I\'d be practical and take out the Supra auto to try it, accelerating with the right and braking with the left. It is really quite easy, at least in that car, although as stated elsewhere it is a little difficult to be smooth at first; I am sure I could train myself to do it (I do not want to, as I drive manuals as well).
But, you have to be really on the alert; I had a character pull out in front, no mirror no signal, and there was right foot off the throttle and heading for the brake; catch it and left foot on the brake, and the pressure was excessive.
I\'d probably have a go if it was that or no motoring, but I really hesitate to recommend it to others.
Tomo as was!
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Bazza
Sorry to hear about your injury. Make sure your doctor has signed you off as fit to drive otherwise your insurance could be invalidated.
HTH
Charles
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Left foot braking with an auto is fairly easy to master, and with experience, makes driving an auto easier.
Many disabled drivers have a left foot throttle as well.
Just try driving one of those !
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I recall reading of Douglas Bader, who took to driving again after losing both pins.
As he had lost one above, and one below the knee. he couldn't use the conventional pedal setup, so had the clutch and accelerator transposed.
"Had a bit of a fright bringing it here," said the delivery driver. "But then I just crossed my legs over, and everytrhing was fine!"
The mind boggles!
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How about a moped?
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>How about a moped?
Which side is the foot brake ?
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>How about a moped? Which side is the foot brake ?
Some have both the brakes on the handle bars. More often than not, the rev and go type with either no gears or an auto gearbox. More commonly known as chicken chasers.
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