Which side is the brake on in a car?
2 Answers
The position of the brake varies depending on the type of vehicle: in automatic transmission vehicles, the brake is located on the far left, while in manual transmission vehicles, it is in the middle. In manual transmission cars, the left foot operates the clutch, and the right foot controls the accelerator and brake, with the accelerator positioned to the right and the brake in the center. When pressing the brake or accelerator, the body requires support to maintain balance. While the right foot is on the pedal, the left foot can stabilize the body on the floor. If both feet are placed on the brake and accelerator separately, they will be in a semi-suspended state without a stable point of support, which can easily lead to unstable operation of the accelerator or brake.
My driving instructor emphasized in the first lesson: both the accelerator and brake are under your feet, the left foot is completely unused, and the far left in an automatic is the dead pedal. Manual transmissions are slightly more complex, with the clutch on the left, brake in the middle, and accelerator on the right. Remember two things when you get in the car: keep your right heel planted and pivot your toes left and right to press the accelerator or brake; also, the brake pedal is usually wider and firmer than the accelerator, so in an emergency you don't need to look down—just stomp left and down by muscle memory. Actually, some vintage cars abroad still have the handbrake in the middle, but now 99% of cars follow the standard three-pedal design.