I came across a post on “how to drive an automatic” and it got me thinking about different ways of operating the foot pedals (clutch, brake and gas/throttle).

The conventional way of driving is to use your right foot to operate the gas and brake pedals. Your left foot is primarily reserved for the clutch pedal. However, there is a minority of people that can operate the brake pedal with either the right or left foot even in a manual car.

Some people who are left handed find it somewhat easier to control their left limbs and as such use their left leg to operate the clutch and brake pedals. I occasionally left foot brake but only when I’m driving fast.

Do you left-foot-brake or can you? How about heel-and-toe?

Heel-and-toe is when you step on all 3 pedals in a manual car at the same time (right foot on throttle and brake pedals, and left foot on clutch pedal). It allows you to keep the engine revved while turning in preparation for the next gear.


A word of caution: Do not try left-foot-braking for the first time if there’s someone behind or ahead of you because your left foot needs to be properly “calibrated” to apply the needed amount of force to stop the car. The very first time you try it, you will most likely come to a full stop short of your intended desired position.

What about J-turns?
The ability to make a complete turn at an avg of 40km/h. It involves the use of the hand brake and a sharp twist of the steering wheel.

It is also called the bootlegger turn.

It enables you to face where you were coming from without losing speed.

It's relatively easy to do but check out the video below of a thief being spun around by a Cop using a pit maneuver. That's hardcore driving! The spin starts about the 54 second mark:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8UwuDe4ojY