So we head to the local high school to use their big parking lot. Right off the bat he forgets to put it in drive before he hits the gas. I guess it's my fault that I didn't go through all the pre-drive routine. Anyway, we're tooling around and I notice he's using his left foot to brake with! I tell him he needs to stop and just use his right only, and he gets all pissed off and doesn't understand why. He wasn't real excited to start driving anyway, and this just turned him off even more. Am I right to insist that he drive with just the right? Or are there lots of people that do it with both feet? BTW, we don't own any manual tranmission cars, so the clutch thing isn't an issue at the moment.
[This message has been edited by Tammykos (edited 07-29-2008).]
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03:51 PM
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jimbolaya Member
Posts: 10652 From: Virginia Beach, Virginia Registered: Feb 2007
Originally posted by Tammykos: Am I right to insist that he drive with just the right? Or are there lots of people that do it with both feet? BTW, we don't own any manual tranmission cars, so the clutch thing isn't an issue at the moment.
Yes, you are correct. There may not be a manual in the driveway today but, there maybe tomorrow. Teach him the right way. BTW, don't do like I did with the Fieros, it's gets very costly, scares you almost to death and breaks your heart everytime they destroy one,
Didn't take long for my oldest to get his first ticket. He was in Daddy's yellow GT and was doing about 32 in a school zone. Also just recently got pulled over for no front license plate (just a warning). He says the Po-Po (his name for the police) are just out to get him.
Yep, two teenage boys who are now driving.. so stay off the sidewalks in Colorado Springs!!
Been through it with 2 kids. You're in for some fun!!! My girls weren't bad at all, they both wanted to drive so they put their mind to it and did well. The hardest part was trying to teach my youngest how to use a clutch. Her first car was a Sunfire. That was fun. She was so frustrated but she did figure it out!!
It is supposed to be right foot only but my mom uses both and occasionally I catch myself using both. As far as Im concerned it doesnt matter. the one thing I do notice though is when using both feet you find of get on the brakes a little to hard.
I seriously advice you to force yer youngin's to take a defensive driving class. Teaches them some driving tips and behaviors like how to hover their foot over the brake pedal when they aren't accellerating (That stops a LOT of teen accidents, where they panic and slam down on whatever petal their foot is currently over)
Besides, when ya take the class, you get $$ off yer insurance for three years (in NY at least).
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04:32 PM
ryan.hess Member
Posts: 20784 From: Orlando, FL Registered: Dec 2002
He HAD to take a driving class (it's not "defensive" driving, though) in order to get the permit before he turned 16. And once he's a bit more comfortable behind the wheel, he'll do the behind-the-wheel instruction phase. Hopefully, that's when Mr. Instructor would notice him trying to use his left and yell at him, too. We've got a year with the permit, so lots of time to break the nasty left foot habit. I told him only old ladies in Florida drive like that!
just go get a cheap car that is a standard. that way it forces him to use only one foot on the brake and gas. or better yet go find a friends car that is a standard, burn up their clutch and save you some money.
just go get a cheap car that is a standard. that way it forces him to use only one foot on the brake and gas. or better yet go find a friends car that is a standard, burn up their clutch and save you some money.
Just pick one that is easy to change. And make the kid do it so they learn its important not to burn them up. My first car i had to put back together, so it taught me to appreciate the value of not trashing it early.
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09:28 PM
Patrick Member
Posts: 39143 From: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Registered: Apr 99
Have him push both pedals at the same time and see what happens. Hint: you loose some vacuum to the power brakes while doing this. It's best to use the right foot only and it's safer. My son wasn't too eager to learn to drive last year, when he turned sixteen. We finally enrolled him in a driving course this year and he failed his first driving test. He hit the curve doing a 3 point turn, pulled away from the curve without making sure there was no traffic coming, and accelerated too slowly. That one has me scratching my head. We hope he passes the next driving test, next week, before we move to Florida, or he might have to start all over.
I think we would all agree that it wouldn't be a Fiero then.
But would you really want your kid to learn in a Fiero? You know they would push its limits on the curves and get into trouble pretty fast. i was a kid once...
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09:39 PM
Patrick Member
Posts: 39143 From: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Registered: Apr 99
But would you really want your kid to learn in a Fiero?
?????
I was only commenting on how difficult it is to change the clutch in a Fiero. If they're going to burn up a clutch learning how to drive/shift, it might as well be in a car with a clutch that's easier to replace.
Best advice I ever had when I started driving was to keep my heel on the floor.
It's somethig we just do and don't think about. Told my son that whe he started driving and it helped alot. Too may kids lift thier whole leg and try to control the gas and brake from thier knee.
[This message has been edited by mike-ohio (edited 07-29-2008).]
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10:20 PM
ryan.hess Member
Posts: 20784 From: Orlando, FL Registered: Dec 2002
Best advice I ever had when I started driving was to keep my heel on the floor.
It's somethig we just do and don't think about. Told my son that whe he started driving and it helped alot. Too may kids lift thier whole leg and try to control the gas and brake from thier knee.
I can't do that, at least in my DD. The brake pedal is too high, and my ankle isn't that flexible.
She was so frustrated but she did figure it out!! 
