Hovering foot over clutch.
09-21-2016, 09:57 AM
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Hovering foot over clutch.
I posted a video on youtube driving one of my cars in traffic, in the rain. I live in a traffic ridden area, so there was a decent amount of stop and go, no highway driving.
Anyways, the trolls on the youtube had an absolute field day with my "clutch skills". In traffic I normally hover my foot over the clutch pedal so I'm ready to press it. Either I need to downshift to start engine breaking, or I need to slam on the breaks because of an idiot.
In the video it looked like I was resting my foot on the clutch. So everyone was screaming and laughing that I was going to ruin the clutch and that I was a noob. I looked at some videos and found that other people were doing it too, however, when I found a bunch of Japanese racing videos where they have cameras everywhere inside the car, I noticed the racecar drivers always put their foot back on the dead pedal, even if it was for a short amount of time. I'm guessing this is due to having a more solid seating position and having your foot hanging in the air waiting for a gear shift is pretty stupid while taking turns at high speed on a track.
And I know you're going to say "but you really will be eventually resting it, you just don't realise it". Uh nope, it's pretty obvious if that were to happen - it's a very distinct feeling when your foot is resting right on the pedal and you're pushing on it even a little bit.
After I cried for a bit from the ebullying, I attempted to explain to people that I was merely hovering and at no point was my foot even close to putting pressure on the clutch. Of course, the damage was already done and there was no convincing a troll otherwise.
I was wondering if anyone else has the same habit? Do you consider it a bad habit? If so, why? Let's also try and keep track driving separate from daily driving, I don't think we need to be in trackstar mode all the time when we're just running to the grocery store.
On the highway it's a different story for me, I never have to hover, always right on the dead pedal. Only in traffic do I catch myself hovering.
Anyways, the trolls on the youtube had an absolute field day with my "clutch skills". In traffic I normally hover my foot over the clutch pedal so I'm ready to press it. Either I need to downshift to start engine breaking, or I need to slam on the breaks because of an idiot.
In the video it looked like I was resting my foot on the clutch. So everyone was screaming and laughing that I was going to ruin the clutch and that I was a noob. I looked at some videos and found that other people were doing it too, however, when I found a bunch of Japanese racing videos where they have cameras everywhere inside the car, I noticed the racecar drivers always put their foot back on the dead pedal, even if it was for a short amount of time. I'm guessing this is due to having a more solid seating position and having your foot hanging in the air waiting for a gear shift is pretty stupid while taking turns at high speed on a track.
And I know you're going to say "but you really will be eventually resting it, you just don't realise it". Uh nope, it's pretty obvious if that were to happen - it's a very distinct feeling when your foot is resting right on the pedal and you're pushing on it even a little bit.
After I cried for a bit from the ebullying, I attempted to explain to people that I was merely hovering and at no point was my foot even close to putting pressure on the clutch. Of course, the damage was already done and there was no convincing a troll otherwise.
I was wondering if anyone else has the same habit? Do you consider it a bad habit? If so, why? Let's also try and keep track driving separate from daily driving, I don't think we need to be in trackstar mode all the time when we're just running to the grocery store.
On the highway it's a different story for me, I never have to hover, always right on the dead pedal. Only in traffic do I catch myself hovering.
09-21-2016, 10:13 AM
#3
Unless it's total stop and go traffic with constant changes in motion, I rest my foot on the dead pedal. For just casual driving around the city (traffic or no), I rest my foot on the dead pedal. You don't need the clutch in to hit the brakes (initially, at least) so there's usually no real reason to be ready to hit the clutch, even in an emergency.
09-21-2016, 10:19 AM
#5
I probably hover a bit in town. I was worse in my younger days but am pretty much a dead pedal guy now.
I know people who just RIDE the clutch the whole time but they don't seem to learn.
On a side note my sister drove a clutch for about a dozen years. I took her car shopping and she wanted a small SUV, this was about ten years ago. She drove a Kia Sportage and was comparing it to a CRV and I told her it had less power than the CRV so she would have to work the clutch and downshift a lot to keep up with traffic. She said "What is downshift?"
I told her it is when you drop a gear to get the engine in the power range when you want to accelerate or pass. She said "You can do that?!!!?!?!"
So for a dozen years she was just lugging the engine and waiting to build power. She thought once you got to the top, you had to come to a stop and start over in first. Going back down never occurred to her.
I bet there are lots of people who can drive a stick but don't do it well or have bad habits. I still can't heel and toe.
I know people who just RIDE the clutch the whole time but they don't seem to learn.
On a side note my sister drove a clutch for about a dozen years. I took her car shopping and she wanted a small SUV, this was about ten years ago. She drove a Kia Sportage and was comparing it to a CRV and I told her it had less power than the CRV so she would have to work the clutch and downshift a lot to keep up with traffic. She said "What is downshift?"
I told her it is when you drop a gear to get the engine in the power range when you want to accelerate or pass. She said "You can do that?!!!?!?!"
So for a dozen years she was just lugging the engine and waiting to build power. She thought once you got to the top, you had to come to a stop and start over in first. Going back down never occurred to her.
I bet there are lots of people who can drive a stick but don't do it well or have bad habits. I still can't heel and toe.
09-21-2016, 10:50 AM
#6
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09-21-2016, 10:51 AM
#7
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09-21-2016, 10:53 AM
#8
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Thread Starter
Yeah, one of my coworkers had a manual 5 series and whenever he drove the car would shake and vibrate because he was engaging/shifting at such low RPMs.
09-21-2016, 12:09 PM
#9
Registered User
I purposely made it an effort to always switch btwn the dead pedal and clutch pedal, and I was actually inspired to do this from watching the Best Motoring videos lol
09-21-2016, 12:10 PM
#10
In the Lotus, I would put my foot under the clutch pedal; basically the only place my leg could go. Not sure where I would place it in other cars, but not on top or resting near the clutch pedal that's for sure. Dead pedal if equipped or in front of seems the most logical.