Is it bad practice to have your foot covering the clutch?

And my vote goes to...

- Mrs Philips

Andy C

Someone has once told her "If in doubt, both feet out....", and it stuck. At least if so, the right foot wouldn't be long behind to stamp on the brake pedal.

Try that in an Automatic forgetting the missing clutch pedal, ye forehead tends to hurt after it's hit the steering wheel...

When driving down the motorway? I see no problem with putting your foot in a comfortable position, quite possibly on the 'foot rest' (if the car has one, a recent Fiesta I drove has no space to the left of the clutch pedal at all!).

However, having your foot on the 'foot rest' is incompatible with your suggested approach of "if you need to stop quickly it is the brake pedal she should be worrying about". A few times I've caught my foot under the clutch pedal when taking it off the rest and trying to get to the brake. It's a lot further from the rest to the brake (plus involves two movements - up and across), than from hovering over the clutch to the brake (one movement - across).

So, as long as the clutch isn't actually being touched, then I see no problem with it. I certainly wouldn't see it as being 'wrong', and would probably see it as prudent in situations where you anticipate having to brake quickly.

I wouldn't say it was wrong as long as she doesn't touch the clutch BUT hovering her foot there will tire the leg and when she comes to use it, her leg muscle won't be very efficient.

Also, the clutch doesn't help her stop quickly, it stops the engine stalling if you do an emergency stop. You can stop quite successfully without pressing the clutch at all.

Furthermore (and this is a very weak point ;-) ) it could be said that in the milliseconds it takes you to move your foot from accelerator to brake, the engine provides a tiny amount of engine braking helping stop

- which is removed if you bang down the clutch instantly.

Anyway, don't worry about winning too much, as the lack of sex will soon 'change your mind' if you won.

If her foot genuinely doesn't touch the pedal, then I can't see that it would harm the car. (And is probably way OT for u.r.c.m.!)

However, my brother was taught to drive like this; I ended up replacing the clutch in his first car before it was 6 months old. He soon learnt an (expensive) lesson.

WRT the safety aspect, I would find it so uncomfortable to drive like that for any significant amount of time that I feel that any very marginal advantage to safety would be negated by the distraction the pain in my ankle would cause.

In truth, like so many things in life, there's not really a definitive answer; if she feels safer driving like that, and she is aware that resting her foot *on* the pedal will kill the clutch, why worry?

Chris

Although pre-engaged release bearings are fairly common, so it does depend on the car, it won't make any difference to a 205 GTi, I'd be impressed if you got 6 months out of a Morris Minor:-)

Thanks everyone, some good replies there.

The matter was brought up recently as she has just swapped over to a hire auto after yet another idiot drove into the back of her. We seem to have the worlds first fully working car cloaking device as it is hardly ever out of the repair shop.

We are still on our first clutch so I assume that she isn't killing it so will leave it as it is. As stated she is comfortable this way so why change.

thanks again.

H Phillips

If she really isn't touching it, then she should be fine. I'd imagine it's an uncomfortable way to drive though.

However, when I was learning to drive, I occasionally made the mistake of leaving my foot on the clutch pedal, thinking I was putting absolutely no pressure on it. I was proved wrong when the instructor stuck his foot under his clutch pedal and nudged it back up.

So you can't drive either.

Oh FFS. I've not put my foot on the floor or the 'rest' for close of 50 years and I think I've had one clutch and I generally keep my cars for a long time. Keeping your foot covering the pedal DOES NOT wear the clutch. Pressing it down sufficiently will. Being a pedant doesn't make you right.

Andy C

I guess you don't drive much or very far then.

Do the brake lights work? :-)

I prefer to use the brake to stop quickly :-) In an emergency stop situation I don't really care if I stall the engine in fact it can be quite a good thing to do in some situations.

Tony

IME driving schools teach some absolute rubbish. It is extremely hard to find a good instructor that will teach you to 'drive' rather than just how to pass a test.

Why not get her to enrol on an advanced driving course such as the IAM, it is enjoyable and rewarding (and not expensive) and leads to a test which can give you a good insurance discount.

Trying to correct a relative's driving habits is best done by a third party.

To answer the question: covering the clutch in normal driving is not an advisable habit ( I have never heard it being recommended by anyone before)

Am I reading you correctly? You appear to be using your left foot to brake with. I make this deduction because you say you get it stuck under the clutch pedal when you move it from the footrest to the brake.

Whatever else you do, you shouldn't be using your left foot to brake with. So you shouldn't be hovering it over the clutch pedal.

Or are you resting your right foot on the left footrest???

Rob Graham

Left foot braking's a very usefull skill :-) Although not really on the public highway.

Depends how much of an understeering tank your road car is ;).

About 10000/year. I've just tried putting my foot on what I take is intended to be a rest position and the pedal catches my shoe on the way up. Couldn't be doing with that. I do now recall having a bearing fail a long time ago, so I may have contributed to it, but certainly not a major issue IMO.

Andy C

Not a very relaxing way to drive IMO. Even under comparitively light braking one tends to move forward in the seat, especially if the brakes are particularly light, as they are in my car. Easily counteracted if ones left foot is on the rest or floor. It also helps with accelerator control, as ones body is more stable. A heel on the carpet certainly wouldn't prevent me sliding forward in my car. Mike.