left foot braking or heel toe?

[TRD2000]

I know there is a distinct advantage to being able to utilise all three pedals at the same time. When driving auto's i've braked with my left foot for years now, and driving manuals i heel-toe so i can brake and accellerate at the same time.... Last night i was out having a bit of a fun drive down some local windy roads and thought i'd try left foot braking in my manual... I have read there are some distinct advantages to doing this... but i can't remember what they were and i'm stuffed if i could work it out! As far as i could figure i can quite comfortable use all three pedals whenever and however i want by driving heel toe and don't need to brake left foot... I know that Colin McRae and Stig Blomquist must have some reason for disagreeing with me though... So what do you guys think?

[JekylandHyde]

Generally speaking, when you are racing you want to be ON the gas or ON the brake. If you are using the same foot for both operations, you are losing time moving your foot from one place to the next.

Hell-n-toe is not used for braking & acclerating at the same time.
It is used for smoothly deccelrating the car while changing gears so that yo udo not jerk into the lower gear.

[TRD2000]

maybe i've just got big feet? i dunno... started using heel toe to change down gears like you said. but then found it worked to speed up and smooth out progression fgrom braking to accellerating and vice versa... the same as left foot braking an auto. It is worth noting though that i don't like left foot braking manuals cause i tend to catch the clutch when i put my left foot on the brake and have my right on the accellerator... like i said... maybe it's just cause i have big feet? i can't seem to get any advantage from using my left foot instead of my heel.... i'll keep trying for a while though and see how it goes.

[JekylandHyde]

Originally Posted by TRD2000

but then found it worked to speed up and smooth out progression fgrom braking to accellerating.

Sorry, but that makes no sense. You would heel-n-tow is for downshiftinig.
It makes no sense to be touching the brake if your goal is accelerate.

Originally Posted by TRD2000

i don't like left foot braking manuals cause i tend to catch the clutch when i put my left foot on the brake and have my right on the accellerator... like i said... maybe it's just cause i have big feet?

I agree. I do not enjoy even trying to left-foot brake. Instead of big feet, maybe it is because of big shoes. The racing shoes I wear are very narrow and hug my feet. It makes everything driving related more precise. Maybe you should pick up driving shoes if you are serious about working on your foot work.

Originally Posted by TRD2000

i can't seem to get any advantage from using my left foot instead of my heel.... i'll keep trying for a while though and see how it goes.

Proper heel-and-toe does not have the heel on the brake.
You have the ball of your right foot on the brake and roll your foot on the heel so that the outside of your foot blips the throttle OR you twist your foot a bit so the heel blips the throttle.

Heel-n-toeing with your heel on the brake is not a great idea.

[TRD2000]

Originally Posted by JekylandHyde

Sorry, but that makes no sense. You would heel-n-tow is for downshiftinig.
It makes no sense to be touching the brake if your goal is accelerate.

PROGRESSION from braking to accellerating... ie smooths out changing from one to the other and resultantly smooths out the way the car reacts... same way that left foot braking is supposed to.

Originally Posted by JekylandHyde

Proper heel-and-toe does not have the heel on the brake.
You have the ball of your right foot on the brake and roll your foot on the heel so that the outside of your foot blips the throttle OR you twist your foot a bit so the heel blips the throttle.

Heel-n-toeing with your heel on the brake is not a great idea.

why? I find it comfortanble... from your illustration i'd have my right foot higher on the brake and roll my foot to catch the top of the accellerator withthe ball of my foot near my little toe, but most of my foot is still firmly on the brake. to return to accellerating i just roll my foot off the brake and slide my heel back across to the accellerator. i think if i tried it the other way i'd be more likely to slip off the brake pedal..