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[Glyn]

I have a 2.2 auto. It runs perfectly fine for eg my wife as she uses her right foot for the throttle and brake with her left foot tucked safely out of the way.And indeed if I try and drive like that I too have no problems.
However I have always been a left foot braker right foot throttle,and having driven autos for the past 35 years never had a problem till I got the Omega.
The problem is, for eg,approaching a junction,roundabout or somewhere you need to slow down but not necessarily stop. You are left foot braking,  right foot off the throttle,decide you don't have to stop, so right foot back on throttle left foot off brake and away you go.If however you put your throttle down before you have your left foot off the brake, the engine sort of dies and will not pick up revs for quite a few seconds. Can anyone tell me if this is normal,possibly the computer not letting it rev as it thinks the brake is still on,if so is there a way round it.

Hope I,ve described it clear enough.

Cheers Glyn

[Auto Addict]

Shouldn't make any difference, as far as I'm aware.

[stevebubs]

I have a 2.2 auto. It runs perfectly fine for eg my wife as she uses her right foot for the throttle and brake with her left foot tucked safely out of the way.And indeed if I try and drive like that I too have no problems.
However I have always been a left foot braker right foot throttle,and having driven autos for the past 35 years never had a problem till I got the Omega.
The problem is, for eg,approaching a junction,roundabout or somewhere you need to slow down but not necessarily stop. You are left foot braking,  right foot off the throttle,decide you don't have to stop, so right foot back on throttle left foot off brake and away you go.If however you put your throttle down before you have your left foot off the brake, the engine sort of dies and will not pick up revs for quite a few seconds. Can anyone tell me if this is normal,possibly the computer not letting it rev as it thinks the brake is still on,if so is there a way round it.

Hope I,ve described it clear enough.

Cheers Glyn

Not tried it on my omega (and can't coz it's broken) so can't say for sure, but this is definitely common behaviour on many modern cars.

[Andy B]

MY wife's Astra auto  (drive-by-wire as I think is a 2.2) definately 'switches off' the transmission when you're stopped with your foot on the brake. I find that you have to wait a second between lifting your foot from the brake before it 'turns' the transmission 'on' again. If you don't wait - like Mrs Andy B :-? - the transmission comes in with a thumps cos the revs have already risen a bit before the transmission has decided to play.
I don't have any delay when I drive my 3.0 auto with 2 feet.
  Paul M is the expert on this!          

[Turk]

Left foot braking is primarily a performance driving technique, and if anything, is detrimental to safe, everyday driving. Although I have used it myself for steep hill starts in my auto Elite, when my handbrake went through a 'not to clever' spell.


The following link may be of interest:
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left-foot_braking

[VX1]

MY wife's Astra auto  (drive-by-wire as I think is a 2.2) definately 'switches off' the transmission when you're stopped with your foot on the brake. I find that you have to wait a second between lifting your foot from the brake before it 'turns' the transmission 'on' again. If you don't wait - like Mrs Andy B :-? - the transmission comes in with a thumps cos the revs have already risen a bit before the transmission has decided to play.
I don't have any delay when I drive my 3.0 auto with 2 feet.
  Paul M is the expert on this!          

My Wife's Astra is the same but I use my right foot to operate the throttle and the brake. When pulling away from a stand still there is a second or two delay when pulling away, not to sure why it does that to be honest seems crazy!!

[Big_Roger]

Hi All,
I also have always driven auto's for over 35 yrs using both feet.
I don't have any problem as described with my 3.2  unless of course my foot co ordination is such that I don't try moving off with the footbrake on !!

Maybe I'll try it next time I go out.

Roger

[zirk]

A new way of Heal and Toe I suppose!

Personally I always use my right foot for both those pedals, weither Manual or Auto, I believe this is both more practical and safer.

[VXL V6]

Left foot braking is primarily a performance driving technique, and if anything, is detrimental to safe, everyday driving. Although I have used it myself for steep hill starts in my auto Elite, when my handbrake went through a 'not to clever' spell.


The following link may be of interest:
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left-foot_braking

I have driven Automatics for a long time and always brake with the left and accelerate with the right. It is not detrimental to safe everyday driving and infact, I can respond quicker driving this way.

If you have never used your left foot to brake it does take practice to master (preferably not on a public road).

[Taxi_Driver]

I have a 2.2 auto. It runs perfectly fine for eg my wife as she uses her right foot for the throttle and brake with her left foot tucked safely out of the way.And indeed if I try and drive like that I too have no problems.
However I have always been a left foot braker right foot throttle,and having driven autos for the past 35 years never had a problem till I got the Omega.
The problem is, for eg,approaching a junction,roundabout or somewhere you need to slow down but not necessarily stop. You are left foot braking,  right foot off the throttle,decide you don't have to stop, so right foot back on throttle left foot off brake and away you go.If however you put your throttle down before you have your left foot off the brake, the engine sort of dies and will not pick up revs for quite a few seconds. Can anyone tell me if this is normal,possibly the computer not letting it rev as it thinks the brake is still on,if so is there a way round it.

Hope I,ve described it clear enough.

Cheers Glyn

Perfectly normal on the dbw omegas (2.2/2.6/3.2)

In fact seems normal on all dbw vx's .......both my 1.8 veccies did it and my 2.2 omega does it.
It seems to me that when the brake is applied the ecu cuts the ignition.....ie it thinks why do you need spark when youve got your foot on the brakes.......you need all the stopping power.

I discovered this when i tried to bed in some brake pads on one of my veccies 'the quick way' .......ie brakes lightly applied and loads of throttle........the veccy was having none of it.......and engine only picked up when i fully took my foot of the brake pedal.

HTH

Edit............should have added......when i discovered the above on one of my veccies, i tried it on the other one.......the same....and then i tried it on my omega......the same  

[Big_Roger]

Hi All,
I had to go out this evening so I deliberately tried to see if my 3.2 did the same.
I definately do not get the same response as Glyn.
If I hold on brake with left foot, and right on accelerator to move off, then release footbrake, it leaps forward like a greyhound leaving the trap.

I don't know if this helps or hinders. Maybe the 3.2 is different ?

Roger

[Mike Collins]

My 2.6 responds as normal if you apply power while holding the brakes with the left foot.

I had a 2.2 vectra a few years ago that shifted into neutral of its own accord when held  on the foot brake. That gave an odd delay when pulling away. This was documented in the user's manual. Could the 2.2 Omega have the same feature?

[Glyn]

Thanks for the replys.
Big Roger and Mike Collins, yes mine is fine and reacts just as yours do,and also if I am travelling at any speed much over say 10 15mph and press the brake whilst keeping the throttle on then release the brake its no problem. It only happens in the circustances I described.eg almost at a stop gearbox in freewheel. Sorry if I can't explain very well.
Turk I strongly but politely disagree with your comment about my driving syle being detrimental to safety,when I believe obviously the opposite.
Though I would agree were we talking about manuals.And until about a month ago I had 30 years accident free driving to put in my defence.
Cheers Glyn

[Turk]

I suppose if a person only ever drive auto's, then it's safe enough.  As a rule for ordinary everyday driving on a manual vehicle, the right foot is for brake and throttle control, the left is for the clutch. If there is no clutch, the left foot is not used.  The link explains why.
 
I've tried left foot braking (apart from the steep hill start I mentioned), but found I had less brake feel. I have both auto and manual Omegas. My braking just isn't second nature when L/F braking on the auto.  

At the end of the day...if it works for you, stick with it.

I don't know what a driving instructor or examiner would say on the subject.   Would we fail the driving test if we applied left foot braking, on either kind of car ?   Anyone on here know what the official view is ?  

[Andy B]

......
I don't know what a driving instructor or examiner would say on the subject.   Would we fail the driving test if we applied left foot braking, on either kind of car ?   Anyone on here know what the official view is ?  

Don't do it. Just use your right foot.
That's what he said when i was 'invited' to attend a speed awareness, course last year & I left foot braked.  
"Although I wasn't pressing both pedals at the same time  .... I might!"  :-?