My sister's got Rally Car driver genes!

[superavi]

My sis has had a licence to drive for sometime now. She and I work in the same company in Pune, and we travel on weekends to Badlapur (near Mumbai) which is home. She had never driven on the express highway before and I asked her to drive - actually she's a little low on confidence in driving (thank goodness for that) and wanted to drive on the highway and gain some experience.

So we enter the highway, and after the food mall/petrol pump she takes over my Siena's controls. We're going okay for sometime, the major activities being that she's keeping the car between the painted lines, sticking to and about the speed limit of 80, cursing a Scorpio which weaves from her right to the left and then again goes to the right lane, and a GJ registered Civic which blows past.

Suddenly she asks "What leg do you use to brake?". I say (without thinking) of course the right leg. If the right leg is not pressing the accelerator, it hovers about the brake pedal to ensure that I'm ready to brake. And we drive on until it strikes me!

"Which leg do you use to brake?" Without batting an eyelid, or taking her leg off the gas she says "the left". I was a little shocked, told her that that was incorrect, and she needs to use the right leg.

She says ok. And we nearly banged into the back of a bus!

We were on the bridges in Lonavla with sharp curves, luckily not doing too much (about 50 kmph or so) and we had to slow down as a bus was taking the curves alongside a truck. I began to notice that there was no let up in speed, and the rear side of the bus was fast approaching! I say loudly "Bugs (that's her name, short for bhargavi), Brake!!", She nods, and the rear looks ever so closer! "Brake, what are you doing??" We get real close, and then with about 15 feet to go, we brake and she's back in control.

She says (coolly) "arre yaar, i was trying to brake with the right leg"

I (wiping the sweat on a cool winter evening) "so did you manage to hit the brake with the right leg?"

She shakes her head, accelerates and says "no, Left"

Superavi

[RX135]

That's hilarious dude. Hope, you didn't have any unpleasant incident later on

[GTO]

Amusing story, and good to hear you guys got away lucky (and not in the cargo of that bus).

Buttttttttttttttttttttt I wouldnt let my sister drive on the expressway until she is absolutely comfortable with the controls. This could have been a dangerous situation....for you and others on the road.

[muni]

haha...pretty scary thing bro, i guess you took a bit of risk( for u, her and others) in giving her the control of the car on the highway

Some basic things like how to brake, steering control etc should be tried in isolated roads before going to the highways and the frequented ones.

And how did she get the license


Please be craeful..

[Technocrat]

Lol it was funny to read. But like others said it was sheer luck that you guys were unhurt & please do not let anybody who is not an expreinced driver drive on expressway\highways

[Samurai]

When we ordered our Santro Xing AT in June 2003 ,it took 45 days for delivery, and I was not in town.

Therefore my Father-in-law took delivery of the car from Mangalore. Since he was new to auto transmission, he asked the delivery chap to help him out. After driving it home he commented my wife that auto cars are not very comfortable to drive. My wife was puzzled by this comment and asked why he feels so. He said braking with left leg is not very natural after driving manual. He was using right leg for gas-pedal and left leg for brake, just like the Hyundai dealer told him.

[Shan2nu]

I wonder how she manages to keep the engine running when slowing down to a halt...now don't tell me she does clutchless shifting. Hehe.

But, this is a serious matter. As long as you're driving a M/T, you're required to brake with your right leg. It's very important that you have access to the clutch pedal at all times.

Shan2nu

[esteem_lover]

Reading your post & the way your sister reacted, I think she is a pretty neat & confident driver. If she is comfortable with left foot braking, so be it, get her an automatic. driving a manual could be dangerous for others on the road.
cheers

[Shan2nu]

He was using right leg for gas-pedal and left leg for brake, just like the Hyundai dealer told him.

I guess it doesn't matter on cars that don't have a clutch pedal (as long as the driver is used to it).

Shan2nu

[superavi]

She has been driving for sometime and although she was never fast (about 40-50 kmph), she appeared very smooth in her driving style. She's confident, has good road sense, and I think she's better than many of the nincompoops that are on the road. This is why I was shocked when she said that she uses the left leg to brake! And apparently no one at the driving school that she attended looked at this aspect.

I've told her that she needs to learn to use her right leg, and she's agreed to practice.

But she'll be back! As a better driver though.

Superavi

And she tells me that she shifts her legs to the "right" pedals when she's sure she has to come to a halt!

[greatDrive]

My Sister and wife drove a lot on Delhi-Agra Highway, I never thought of asking them if they used right or left foot for braking. Hope they used the correct one, But even if they used the left foot for braking, I would have never asked them to use the right foot straightaway.

[superavi]

I agree. That's another mistake I did. It, how do you say it, came out spontaneously.

S

[sreenivass]

Originally Posted by Shan2nu

I guess it doesn't matter on cars that don't have a clutch pedal (as long as the driver is used to it).

Shan2nu

Originally Posted by esteem_lover

Reading your post & the way your sister reacted, I think she is a pretty neat & confident driver. If she is comfortable with left foot braking, so be it, get her an automatic. driving a manual could be dangerous for others on the road.
cheers

The very reason behind using right foot for gas pedal or brake is their mutual exclusivity in driving. In the case of M/T there is no other choice, but use only right foot for braking/ gas. How'd she manage at traffic lights and stop/ start situations or she needs to halt while going uphill, she'd let the engine stop or first get in to neutral before reaching for brake ?

Its not difficult to learn using only right foot for braking, I'd strongly suggest get her used to right leg only on brake or gas pedal.

I'd have fainted if a driver asks me if right or left foot for brake.

[greatDrive]

Originally Posted by sreenivass

I'd have fainted if a driver asks me if right or left foot for brake.

I agree, just thinking of it make me nervous.

[vivekiny2k]

Originally Posted by greatDrive

I agree, just thinking of it make me nervous.

yes, actually.

I kinda read it as "where is the brake"