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2019+ BMW 3 AND 4-SERIES FORUMS (G2x Generation) Local Forums AUSTRALIA Poll: Left Foot Braking

View Poll Results: How many people left foot brake?
Not at all 17 85.00%
Occasionally 3 15.00%
50/50 0 0%
Always 0 0%
Voters: 20. You may not vote on this poll

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      06-27-2020, 06:05 PM   #1
SteveAus
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Poll: Left Foot Braking

How many people practise left foot braking?
1. Not at all
2. Occasionally
3. 50/50
4. All the time

I used to left foot brake all the time, especially in my younger years while club rallying in manual cars.
But, weirdly, I find that since I have been driving automatics, I have reverted to right foot braking, I think mainly because of the provision of a footrest for my left foot. Yes......getting lazy!
Nowadays, I find myself left foot braking for less than 5% of my driving time, but I like to keep up the practise when I remember to do it........You never know when you’re going to break your right ankle and have to wear a moonboot.
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Last edited by SteveAus; 06-27-2020 at 06:11 PM..
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      06-27-2020, 06:11 PM   #2
Slideit
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Used to with my first car (Datsun 1600, hotted up, of course) but like you Steve as I moved up the car food chain (to autos) and stopped doing track days, the practice has disappeared from my routine.
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      06-27-2020, 06:17 PM   #3
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Rarely. When on a freeway on-ramp waiting....yep!
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      06-27-2020, 06:54 PM   #4
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Another time I left foot brake is after I’ve washed any of the cars.
The brake discs are always slightly rusty after a wash, so I dry the brakes off and clean the discs by left foot braking gently while still driving the car forward.
I like to do this rather than park the car overnight with a thin film of rust on the discs.
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      07-07-2020, 12:59 AM   #5
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Its a bad habit on the road. Hv been in traffic behind left-foot brakers occasionally - remember that even just resting yr foot on the pedal triggers the brake lights, then think what that does to traffic behind.. cant tell when really stopping, confusing when accelerating. Worst of all in slow moving traffic, so pls keep it to the track or elsewhere, not on the street/.
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      07-07-2020, 02:05 AM   #6
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[QUOTE=Tasclean;26405795]Its a bad habit on the road. Hv been in traffic behind left-foot brakers occasionally - remember that even just resting yr foot on the pedal triggers the brake lights, then

The idea of left-foot braking was introduced to me through driver training programs run by training schools, like Jim Murcotts, and other advanced driver training courses. All as a a tool to use on the road as a defensive driving technique. Reduce the reaction time in an emergency and so on.

My biggest objection to this technique is that without the left foot bracing your body and keeping it in the seat, it’s harder to pull back on the brake pedal and apply delicate pressure to control locking up. This is probably not an issue with modern cars with various driver assistance systems, but was on the race track where all the braking is hard braking, and most of my cars didn’t have ABS.
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      07-07-2020, 02:25 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SteveAus View Post
Another time I left foot brake is after I've washed any of the cars.
The brake discs are always slightly rusty after a wash, so I dry the brakes off and clean the discs by left foot braking gently while still driving the car forward.
I like to do this rather than park the car overnight with a thin film of rust on the discs.
That's a good point. I usually park the car overnight with the car in P with the handbrake off and usually go down my carpark ramp with the brake lightly on (it can still roll down without accelerating) to dry that rotor rust.

Careful as the electric park brake goes on automatically when switching off the car if you're not careful. It's not a nice feeling when you disengage it the next day. Basically it's a loud jerk as you start to roll forward!
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      07-07-2020, 05:22 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tasclean View Post
. so pls keep it to the track or elsewhere, not on the street/.
I deferred replying to this post immediately........

This forum is designed to inform and help fellow 3 Series drivers. It is NOT a platform for telling people what to do, or not to do, with their cars.

I’m certain the people who replied to this poll who occasionally left foot brake have the skill to do it properly and do not ride the brake pedal (for obvious reasons).

FYI, I was taught to drive properly by a Police pursuit driver (my neighbour in England), long after I obtained my driving license. It was he who taught me how to left foot brake properly. If this method of braking is endorsed by a British Police Force officer, then I’m sure it’s ok to use this skill on public roads.
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      07-08-2020, 02:17 AM   #9
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I'm with Steve on this. I have used left foot braking for many years but not foot resting on the brake pedal .
I must say on the G20 I don't find it as natural as my other car or even on the 335 I owned some years ago. I'm still getting familiar with this car.
The position of the brake pedal is not in line with the foot rest. Used correct can save a split second, in an emergency it could save you. I have to say like Tasclean I have noticed people driving with one foot on the gas and the other on the brake. Some Taxi drivers seem to do it .
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