2 foot drivers-pride and snobery
Have you noticed as i have-virtually every single day there is a news report of someone missing the brake and stepping on the gas, thereby plowing
into a building or group of people?
Thats a result of snobery and pride(thats the way weve always done it-good enough for grampa, good enough for my dad, good enough for me and
thats the way its gonna stay for my kid)
Most of us were taught to drive with 1 foot for the gas and brake. There was a reason for that--the left foot was for the CLUTCH PEDAL. How many
still use one? 10% maybe? usualy by choice.
nearly 3000 teens die each year between 16 and 18. Another 2000 people get tangled up in their mess. I believe that can be cut in HALF easily just by teaching
them to drive with 2 feet-the number kids that live would make it worth the change alone.
(Ya didnt like seat belts either--but got used to it--ehh)
Teen_Driving_Statistics. While teenagers have faster reaction time they also are much more prone to -PANIC STOMPING-
if they miss the brake or make any other mistake they tend to -stiffen up--leg stiffens and makes it worse. Accelerates when stepped on and jumps even faster when
they stiffen-nearly every young person ive taught does it.
Seniors do the same thing(over 60 crowd--uhem-ME) plus their muscle tone and reaction time is slower,and harder to move the arthritic joints quickly. They also panic stomp.
Of course if you already have a left foot -over- the brake there is little probability that you'll miss it. Then of course if you-STOMP-the worst that will happen is both brake and gas get stomped and cancel each other out
This effect is greatly reduced by driving with two (2) feet as attested by all the folks driving this way--in 42 years of driving ive had only one accident (Cruise control electronics failure) and only 1 ticket (cop with a quota! I went around a-parked-bus. crossed the yellow line)--neither of which could be avoided by any means. others 2 footers report similar driving records.
---the snowball effect---
The -Snowball Effect. One thing affects another, affects another, affects another. This 2 foot DRIVING change could reverse the snowball--
and quickly. I forsee as much as a 50% reduction in teen deaths and accidents, and the resuts would be seen quickly--within the first year most likely.
the number of teen accidents overall would probably drop as much as 40-50% first year or so. 20-30% for everyone as more people switch to two feet. reducing insurance
rates,(less property damage, less personal injury--less accidents) increasing discresionary income and
stimulating the economy by default. Lets say my insurance drops 40.00/mo(in my case) thats $480.00 nearly as much as the 600.00 -1 time stimulus money- given by
the gov--only this is EVERY year savings. add to this the reduction in property damages and rates on business and property insurance could follow/ and so it
snowballs. one just has to get it rolling-and figure out where to push the ball to get it started. By itself it probably wont fix our problems--but find 2 or
3 snowballs to get started and it will grow quickly and make big difference.
And get this
--it would cost little or nothing to implement.
--Billions of dollers in less property damage,(cars,homes,people,etc) not to mention fender benders. i would have had many benders if i had to move my foot from gas to brake-that extra split second--morons drivers ya know.
--lower insurance rates could be offered to 2 footers. (2 foot insurance company??)
--may start a whole new industry--at least in the short term--3-5yrs. Anyone with older cars with carbeurators-could rent them out--
turn down the idle untill you have to keep your foot lightly on the gas to keep it running. Forcing the left foot for the brake.
(This breaks the long taught habbit very quickly!!) i should know--mine wouldnt keep running-its how i learned. Two or three days, 2 feet was habbit--and much easier and safer.
and I NEVER MISS THE BRAKE--and rarely step to hard on the gas.
The clutch hasnt been needed sine the 90's in most cases--what happened to whats best for the MAJORITY of the people.
What was that old saying? You cant't fool -all of the people -all of the time! WRONG, all the people-20 plus years! id say thats close enough.
MIKE