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[Andy B]

.....
I've always driven auto's with right foot for throttle and left foot for brake....

However, I don't suggest you do that until you've practised with no one behind you a number of times to get some sensitivity in your left foot!!!

So do I, but as you say it does take some practice, hence my comment about stowing his left foot out of the way so that he doesn't try to hit the clutch in a panic situation.  

[psychnurse]

So... my next stupid question.... what is kickdown  

[psychnurse]

.....
I've always driven auto's with right foot for throttle and left foot for brake....

However, I don't suggest you do that until you've practised with no one behind you a number of times to get some sensitivity in your left foot!!!

So do I, but as you say it does take some practice, hence my comment about stowing his left foot out of the way so that he doesn't try to hit the clutch in a panic situation.  

And there are usually quite a few of those  

[VXL V6]

If you push the throttle down past the point of resistance (ie. flat to the floor) the box should, if it is able, shift down to the lowest gear it can for the speed and not change back up until you hit 6.5k or you release the throttle a little.

[Vamps]

Start in P.

Foot on brake, move to D or R as needed.

In a gear, the car will 'creep' without foot on brake, you can use this creep on hills etc.  Sometimes you may need to coordinate feet on steeper hill.
As for parking, 2 schools of thought - 1 foot or 2 feet, with 2 feet being constantly holding a small amount of gas, whilst controlling speed on brake, reason being that the engine may surge a little whilst trying to creep back a few inches, resulting in dents!

Why?

[Andy B]

So... my next stupid question.... what is kickdown  

When you giive the right pedal a shove, the gearbox will change down a gear (or two depending how fast you're driving & how far you've shoved the pedal). That's kick down!    

[Vamps]

 
At some of the responses. Put you left foot out of the way and leave it there, you do not use 2 feet with an automatic, there is no need and no advantage as far as I can tell, in my opinion.

[psychnurse]

If you push the throttle down past the point of resistance (ie. flat to the floor) the box should, if it is able, shift down to the lowest gear it can for the speed and not change back up until you hit 6.5k or you release the throttle a little.

Ahh, thanks for that... hence kickdown....

 

[Andy B]

Start in P.

Foot on brake, move to D or R as needed.

In a gear, the car will 'creep' without foot on brake, you can use this creep on hills etc.  Sometimes you may need to coordinate feet on steeper hill.
As for parking, 2 schools of thought - 1 foot or 2 feet, with 2 feet being constantly holding a small amount of gas, whilst controlling speed on brake, reason being that the engine may surge a little whilst trying to creep back a few inches, resulting in dents!

Why?

If the hill is steep enough the car will creep backward so you either use the handbrake or foot brake. If you use the foot brake "you may need to co-ordinate feet"  

[Vamps]

So... my next stupid question.... what is kickdown  

When you giive the right pedal a shove, the gearbox will change down a gear (or two depending how fast you're driving & how far you've shoved the pedal). That's kick down!    

works better in sports mode, you can also drop a gear manually ready for that 'overtake' on a country road.

[psychnurse]

At some of the responses. Put you left foot out of the way and leave it there, you do not use 2 feet with an automatic, there is no need and no advantage as far as I can tell, in my opinion.

I think this would be my preference in driving style.. but each to their own.  

[Andy B]

At some of the responses. Put you left foot out of the way and leave it there, you do not use 2 feet with an automatic, there is no need and no advantage as far as I can tell, in my opinion.

There is no advantage or need to climb a mountain but people do cos they can . An auto has two pedals, most people have two feet and if you can drive an auto with 2 feet, why not. I find it easier drive with both feet than with one ....... until I get back in the manual shed for work!    

[Vamps]

Start in P.

Foot on brake, move to D or R as needed.

In a gear, the car will 'creep' without foot on brake, you can use this creep on hills etc.  Sometimes you may need to coordinate feet on steeper hill.
As for parking, 2 schools of thought - 1 foot or 2 feet, with 2 feet being constantly holding a small amount of gas, whilst controlling speed on brake, reason being that the engine may surge a little whilst trying to creep back a few inches, resulting in dents!

Why?

If the hill is steep enough the car will creep backward so you either use the handbrake or foot brake. If you use the foot brake "you may need to co-ordinate feet"  

Disagree mate, hold on the brake then when you are ready to move on just press the go pedal, there should be no delay, I have never had a car roll back, even with hill starting with a Caravan.

ps. did I hear you were at Ganges as a boy??

[HolyCount]

Thanks for all the advice guys.   Must say Im bricking it a bit! Just going to be so strange for me not to use the left foot, but I sometimes wish the elite was an auto. With such a beast of an engine to change gear seems to be an unessacery evil sometimes! Although when overtaking is quite nice  

I've always driven auto's with right foot for throttle and left foot for brake....

However, I don't suggest you do that until you've practised with no one behind you a number of times to get some sensitivity in your left foot!!!

Deffo! Think I will be a right footer for as long as I can help it. Looking forward to driving an auto if a little scared  

Trick is, when driving auto for the first few times, tuck your left foot behind your right leg ( as if you are tucking under the seat) --- that keeps it out of harms way and helps you not to try to declutch with the brake !!!  You will, however, probably make a few unexpected "emergency stops"  

[Vamps]

And when you really get used to it, you can throw it around and have just as much fun as in a manual, without the effort.