I'm not gonna try it, probably end up braking too hard and get rear ended

 

This isn't something you try to learn in traffic! Part of the process is gaining enough feel to finesse the brake and throttle to manipulate both smoothly. It' takes lots of practice!

Drive Safe,
Steve R.

 

For me, it's also not the toe and heel, it's the right and left sides of the right foot. I "heel-toe" all the time in both cars I drive (Maxima and S2000) and it's become natural. Even when not driving agreesively, down-shifting always means the revs needs to go up.

 

I've not had much luck with it either. In my case, I think my legs are long enough that I can't get them twisted to a position where I can get my foot on the brake and throttle at the same time.

I found thesem Racing Pedal Set #224, under the S2ki Marketplace. Has anyone tried them??

Drive Safe,
Steve R.

 

For those learning how to do this technique, make sure you have someone who knows teach it to you as you drive. That's how I learned. The Best MOTORing videos are a great help too.

I think the hardest part is maintaining proper break-pedal pressure as you blip the throttle. To learn this part, park the car, leave it in neutral. Apply the breaks while bipping the throttle to get used to the awkward feeling of using one foot to control 2 pedals.

 

This would be easier on the track. If you are threshold braking your brake pedal will be much more "on plane" with your gas pedal, in which case very little twisting is needed. Also, after tracking a car you will most likely begin sitting a little closer to the wheel, once again reducing your need to rotate your leg in an extreme way. It is not a natural feeling at first, but no one should be physically incapable of doing it, extenuating circumstances exist, but you should be fine. Try sitting such that when holding the wheel at 9 and 3 your bicep/forarm create roughly a 30* (give or take) angle and see if you could get comfortable with that, see if that helps at all.

Keith

 

I've been practicing for about a year now and have to say I've got it down very well. It takes a lot of practice. Learn your car first by rev matching (blip the gas before you let out the clutch when downshifting on a straight road). Practicing heel & toe at idle helps too. You can use the ball of your foot and heel OR you can roll your ankle. I've tried both and I'm a lot faster using the ball of my foot and heel, but it requires more practice. I use it in daily driving and at the track. Used it this past weekend on the Dragon on most every turn. There's nothing like it! Gets addictive!!

 

[QUOTE=Intrepid175,Apr 26 2005, 08:01 PM]I've not had much luck with it either.

 

I use the left and right side of my foot as well. Twisting my knee is a bit uncomfortable. It is feels real good when you can get it just right.

 

Best practice I did was sitting in the car at neutral and practicing the footwork as quickly and smoothly as possible. I also have been rev matching all my regular downshifts, which also helps.

Right now, I definitely have to anticipate doing it and concentrate on rev matching. I'm sure in a few months it will be more instinctive.

It's ridiculous how much more involving a MT is. Cool stuff.