Switching legs

[Drawweight]

I’m in the last couple of weeks (out of 8) in a moon boot and not driving has been trying.

Has anyone had to switch legs and use their left leg to drive with, automatic car obviously. In not going to try it btw.

Does it take days / weeks for it to feel normal or is it simpler than I’m imagining?

[sleepezy]

Achilles rupture?

Two answers.

A long time ago I used to be involved in insurance. We had a client who'd had his right leg amputated so had no option. He had taught himself to drive with the left leg only and we could insure him, via a specialist underwriter. So it is possible.

I have also spent my time in a moon boot, 6 months in may case. This prompted a discussion with my brother in law, a traffic officer. The discussion was about when I could start driving again having been in the boot for so long but then expanded to your question. His answer was that although there's nothing legally requiring you to drive in any particular way, you'd have a hard time convincing him you were in proper control of the vehicle at the time if you had an accident. The encumbrance of the boot would be a factor as well as the ability of anyone to actually do drive competently.

All relevant to automatic cars, I hope obviously. Manual would be ... tricky!

[twing]

Mobility do a left foot conversion, a couple of different ones in fact. An old colleague of mine sold a lot of Motability cars and was forever getting adaptations done.

[brillomaster]

It'll take some getting used to, a couple weeks id have thought before it feels natural.

A lot like driving stick, on the wrong side. Everyone starts off by punching the door card with your left hand, but eventually relearns left foot clutch, right hand change gear.

Left foot braking is weird too... in a road car, a lot of people struggle with left foot braking, but put them in a go kart and theyre fine after a lap or two.

[thebraketester]

brillomaster said:

Everyone starts off by punching the door card with your left hand

Haha. So true.

[Wacky Racer]

It's obviously possible (In an emergency), but personally, for the sake of two weeks I wouldn't risk it, certainly through busy town traffic.

Also, it could be a get out for your insurance if there was an accident.

[HTP99]

Doesn't sound particularly safe, you'd have to hoik your left leg over the brake pedal to get to the accelerator, it'll be all kinds of weird in terms of foot and leg angles and where would your right leg be in all this, in it's cumbersome boot.

I'd love to know what your insurance company would think of this set up too.

[lj04]

Explain to the Police and insurance company what you were trying to do, good luck. Just wait. All the best

[Rayny]

I used to have restricted movement in my right leg, so when I learnt to drive it had to be an automatic and I had to use my left leg.
My two driving instructors and the driving examiner did not comment on my cack-footed use of the pedals.
This was only possible in cars that had space to the right of the accelerator pedal for me to put my right foot.
Ford Escort Mk2, Triumph Acclaim, Ford Capri, Mercedes 190, BMW325 and Vauxhall Cavalier were all suitable.
A rover P6, amongst others, was not suitable.
I've since regained full mobility in my right leg, and now usually drive with my right foot.

[Drawweight]

I’m not going to try it, it was just a thought if someone lost their leg or the permanent use of, how easy would it be to adapt.

It might actually be more natural to fit simple hand controls.

[gotoPzero]

Back in the day (25+ years ago) I was doing some interesting driver training and we had to do some left/right foot only driving. It was alien but after a few runs it was possible to get it down but your brain does need re-wiring. This was in a manual - we had a way to deal with the stalling on hills (kind of) but in an auto it would not be too hard - but I would be very very careful in your situation because if you had an accident it would be 100% obvious that you should not be driving. So I would not risk it.

[shirt]

I had an Achilles injury and did what you suggest. It wasn’t difficult, albeit I am used to left foot braking which is where the skill lies.

[Rayny]

shirt said:

I had an Achilles injury and did what you suggest. It wasn t difficult, albeit I am used to left foot braking which is where the skill lies.

I found the 'skill' lay in not catching the brake pedal when moving your foot over to the accelerator

[RDMcG]

Many years ago I had a vicious knee injury and was in a flexible brace for months. Learned to drive with wrong foot . (Auto)). What surprised me was how totally insensitive my braking was at first . Luckily I lived in the country so was able to practice on quiet roads. Once I got the hang of it I was ok.

[ferret50]

Main issue is that your left leg is trained to kick out a clutch and release it gently!

I usually reverse 'er indoors auto out of the carport into the turning area and I find that I am 'stabbing' the brake with my left foot!

But many years ago I ran an XJ6 auto and always 'left foot' braked, so it is possible to re-train one's left leg.

[Sausage dog and mustard]

I feel it could, and should be learnable(in the same way right hand and left hand drive cars- i owned one of each for a fair period, once past a couple of days hitting the door when going to change gear (as another poster said), it became as natural as catching a ball in either hand...
...good point about go karts too...


However, a lifetime of driving manuals, i still have to.fold my left leg well out if the way of the peddles when driving an auto to avoid my "dump the clutch" reflex kicking in when braking, which usually results in an unexpected emergency stop...


So it could definitely be learned, but would take some time to develop "unconcious competence", during which period i suspect any passengers or nearby vehicles would not be impressed...

[vaud]

I think stopping the muscle memory in the event of an emergency would be the hardest - stopping the right leg going for the brake pedal..