Omega Owners Forum

Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: sir moanalot on 14 May 2007, 19:12:41

Title: you couldn't make it up !!
Post by: sir moanalot on 14 May 2007, 19:12:41
i always thought the people in my head office were complete muppets, but this made my mind up !!
engineer- (off sick) ive a problem with sharp pains in my leg.
occupational health office- what leg is it?
engineer- the right one.
o.h.o- in that case would an automatic van be any better for you?
i give up......................
Title: Re: you couldn't make it up !!
Post by: Ronald_McBurger on 14 May 2007, 19:38:42
What is wrong with driving an automatic van with your left leg? It is what a lot of amputees do every day. (not the van, just an automatic)
Title: Re: you couldn't make it up !!
Post by: Danny on 14 May 2007, 19:41:27
amputees would have become acustom to operating the brake pedal safely with their left foot!

you ever tried braking with your left foot, having been so used to using the right foot all the time previously? :D
Title: Re: you couldn't make it up !!
Post by: sir moanalot on 14 May 2007, 19:53:14
it would certainly bugger me up driving like that i can tell ya. and the engineer doesnt have a permanent disability just a stabbing pain now and again, mind you we do at least 500+ miles a week.
Title: Re: you couldn't make it up !!
Post by: miggy on 14 May 2007, 19:56:27
I once braked with the left foot, nearly butted the windscreen [smiley=grin.gif] [smiley=grin.gif]
Quote
amputees would have become acustom to operating the brake pedal safely with their left foot!

you ever tried braking with your left foot, having been so used to using the right foot all the time previously? :D
Title: Re: you couldn't make it up !!
Post by: Danny on 14 May 2007, 20:05:21
exactly, I did the same on the day I bought my beast, I'd only had one car before and it was a manual and had never driven an automatic, so coming to the end of the first road i drove on during test drive I instinctively went for a non existant clutch and hit the brake with the left foot, and you'd be shocked at how heavy you catch it when you think you're only gonna touch it lightly with the left foot

did a pretty good face plant on my steering wheel!
Title: Re: you couldn't make it up !!
Post by: Chopsdad on 14 May 2007, 20:38:12
Forget the van - how about a 3.2 Elite estate instead.   :y
Title: Re: you couldn't make it up !!
Post by: Baron Von Spongebob on 14 May 2007, 20:46:05
I use my left foot for braking most of the time..
Title: Re: you couldn't make it up !!
Post by: Ronald_McBurger on 14 May 2007, 20:52:55
Quote
amputees would have become acustom to operating the brake pedal safely with their left foot!

you ever tried braking with your left foot, having been so used to using the right foot all the time previously? :D

Wrong danny. i am both registered disabled and an approved driving instructor. trust me, as long as they can manage, that is all that is required.  :y
Title: Re: you couldn't make it up !!
Post by: Andy B on 14 May 2007, 22:45:54
Quote
I use my left foot for braking most of the time..

Like wise.
Title: Re: you couldn't make it up !!
Post by: Martin_1962 on 14 May 2007, 22:50:03
I mainly left foot brake
Title: Re: you couldn't make it up !!
Post by: Andy B on 14 May 2007, 22:51:13
Quote
amputees would have become acustom to operating the brake pedal safely with their left foot!

you ever tried braking with your left foot, having been so used to using the right foot all the time previously? :D

My father-in-law suffered a stroke years ago and was left more or less paralised on his right hand side. He has a left foot accelerator fitted to his car. It's a very well thought out conversion that allows either a left OR right accelerator, as you lift one of them up & out of the way, the other drops down.
Title: Re: you couldn't make it up !!
Post by: royston1945 on 14 May 2007, 23:28:28
I use my left foot for all braking in an auto.Suprisingly easy to get used to modulating your braking imput ,even in an emergency situation.I started many ,many years ago when I owned a Humber Super Snipe auto which refused to idle, so keeping it running whilst braking required both feet - one on the brake and one on the throttle to stop the thing from stalling.The habit has stuck to this day.
Title: Re: you couldn't make it up !!
Post by: Markjay on 14 May 2007, 23:48:45
Quote
I use my left foot for all braking in an auto.Suprisingly easy to get used to modulating your braking imput ,even in an emergency situation.I started many ,many years ago when I owned a Humber Super Snipe auto which refused to idle, so keeping it running whilst braking required both feet - one on the brake and one on the throttle to stop the thing from stalling.The habit has stuck to this day.

There's a Heel-and-Toe technique for that, which is a must in track cars as they are all manual, but the accelerator and brake pedals have to be at the same level for this.

Basically you twist your right foot inwards, keep the toes on the brake pedal and the heel on the accelerator, this allows you to brake and accelerate at the same time.

Just in case is sound too loony (why would you want to brake and accelerate at the same time?), you don't do this while the clutch is engaged, instead you do this when you change gears midcorenr - it allows you to rev up the engine before popping the clutch, while slowing-down through the bend.  You need to develop some feel to operate the accelerator with the heel which is less sensitive than the front of the foot, but other than that it works a charm.



Title: Re: you couldn't make it up !!
Post by: royston1945 on 15 May 2007, 00:20:01
Yeah,heel & toeing, another lost art .I learnt that technique in the sixties when I owned a 1958 Thames 4D 3 ton van,powered by a sidevalve V8 with a 4 speed crash gearbox without any form of syncromesh on any gears. If you fluffed a downchange on a steep hill you had to stop and start again in first.I soon became expert  at timing the changes, eventually I became able to do totally clutchless changes once the gearbox oil was hot. The technique was also invaluble when I started competing in rallies a few years later.
Title: Re: you couldn't make it up !!
Post by: VXL V6 on 15 May 2007, 08:45:21
Yep, me too, always use left foot on brake pedal, much easier and smoother.

Heel and toeing is great fun but the pedal height difference on most standard cars doesn't allow you to do it :(