Learning to drive late in life. I’m good with awareness, changing gears, interactions, roundabouts, spatial awareness, yadda yadda - a lifetime of cyclist awareness.
I just can’t brake softly to save my life. It feels like I put the pedal half down, and nothing happens to the speed and then I do an inch more and suddenly the whole car locks up.
Is this normal? I just have to get used to finding a gentle breaking point somehow?
blackn1ght ( @blackn1ght@feddit.uk ) English15•7 days agoYou just get used to the feel of the brake pedal, it’ll come with practice. It’s just the same as finding the bite point on the clutch, you eventually do it without even thinking about it.
Diddlydee ( @Diddlydee@feddit.uk ) English7•6 days agoYour foot and leg need to learn muscle memory which only comes with time, unfortunately. Alternatively, the brakes on the car you’re using are goosed.
Berstrrs ( @Berstrrs@lemmy.dbzer0.com ) English4•6 days agoYou need to note where is the spot when brakes start catching.
So later what you do js quickly press pedal to this point, then gently a bit more to actually engage the brake slowly.
Every vehicle is different, so I found that driving as many as you can will teach you much faster.
Also you can learn limo driver stop, which is gently releasing brakes a bit, just before vehicle stops.
Scary le Poo ( @Scary_le_Poo@beehaw.org ) English3•6 days agoPlant your heel on the floor board. Use your ankle to regulate brake pressure.
HumanPenguin ( @HumanPenguin@feddit.uk ) English3•6 days agoAim at a large crowd.
Less sarcastically as others have said. With lots of practice you get a feel for the breaking g system. Its more muscle memory then mathematical theory.
Many decades ago. When I learned to drive. It was common for the instructor to find an empty carpark and let you drive around slowly getting a feel for the car. As you avoided the resident dinosaurs.
𝕮𝕬𝕭𝕭𝕬𝕲𝕰 ( @ALiteralCabbage@feddit.uk ) English3•6 days agoMy Dad took me to an empty car park at his work of a weekend. Many a happy afternoon slamming the brakes on in a pre-power steering MK2 ford fiesta
Psythik ( @Psythik@lemm.ee ) English2•6 days agoStart by getting into the habit of braking earlier. The rest will come naturally
Turturtley ( @Turturtley@aussie.zone ) English2•6 days agoHmm… the way i’ve taught it is biomechanical in nature.
I assume you are pressing the brakes using your toes. You’ll want to switch to using the middle of your foot. Specifically, plant your ankle up as close as possible to the brake pedal, and keep it planted there. To brake, you pivot on the ankle. This should give you more control to apply gradual pressure on the pedal.
fakeman_pretendname ( @fakeman_pretendname@feddit.uk ) English2•6 days agoAre you wearing big boots (or steel toecaps) by any chance? A lighter shoe with a thinner sole might help to feel the pedals a bit better.
P.s. I don’t drive yet either, so my opinion may be useless, but I did a few lessons and this made quite a difference to pedal control.
So I wore flatter shoes today and did see a mild improvement, gotta say