Heel-toeing..

aaronjb · December 23, 2003, 16:20

Martin's mention of 'uprated drivers' ( s;)

s;) ) just reminded me of something..

Does anyone else find it really, really hard (to the point of being excrutiatingly painful) to heel-toe in these cars? I can't seem to get my foot to sit at anything like the right angle to hit the brake with my toes, and accellerator with my heel..

Along those lines too - what angle does your accellerator foot sit at?

Mine is usually leaning to the right - heel roughly in line with the brake pedal, toes on the accellerator. Since that seems to lead to a very painful knee joint on long trips, I've been trying to have my foot more 'straight up', in line with the accellerator - but then I tend not to be using my toes on the accellerator, more the whole foot, which is a bit clumsy..

Anyone got any foot-related tips? s:)

s:)

(P.S. It's the size 13's that cause the problems I think! I've only got one pair of shoes that I can really drive in, which are more like the shape of racing boots than shoes, otherwise I get caught up on all the pedals..)

Aaron

Anonymous · December 23, 2003, 16:27

The answer is SMT

aaronjb · December 23, 2003, 16:27

I should have expected that s:D

s:D

Sadly, I've only just bought the manwhel.. And I can't really afford to change it now (given I paid well over the odds it seems..

)..

Anonymous · December 23, 2003, 16:37

Best thing to do is find someone who can do it and show you, giving tips on screen is hard. I'm sure someone at a track day can show you s:)

s:)

mph · December 23, 2003, 16:37

Quote from: "Jonny Turbo"The answer is SMT

Quite s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

I think the '01 SMT has the same offset of brake & accelerator pedals, in which case, I'd concur that they aren't ideally placed for me - if someone with a manual wants to let me borrow it at Anglesey I'll be happy to give a more thorough opinion s:D

s:D

aaronjb · December 23, 2003, 16:43

It has to be said, I'm definitely wishing I'd gone for an SMT now.. But then, I'm also wishing I'd waited and bought brand new (I paid more for my '02 with 26k on the clock than Perry190 did for his brand new '03, although mine has the hardtop and a/c etc)..

Still, hindsight and all that..

Plus I'm ultra-cr@p at striking deals when it comes to cars..

Anonymous · December 23, 2003, 16:46

I'm sure I need to dislocate my knee to heel and toe. As for normal accelerator position, I go for straight up, but still find I get an aching ankle after a long trip.

Anonymous · December 23, 2003, 17:27

When I'm driving long distances in my '2, I found out that my foot sits almost flat on the floor (ie the outside of my ankle rests on the floor)! Haven't had any pain yet though...

On the heel-and-toe issue, I think I'm definately something of an oddity, as I use my heel on the brake and my toes on the accelerator... s:shock: :shock: s:shock: I just cannot do it the other way.

Anonymous · December 23, 2003, 17:29

Quote from: "ekona"On the heel-and-toe issue, I think I'm definately something of an oddity, as I use my heel on the brake and my toes on the accelerator... s:shock: :shock: s:shock: I just cannot do it the other way.

Actually trying both ways, your way seems more possible... I can get my toes round more that way.

Anonymous · December 23, 2003, 17:31

I always just presumed that my way was the right way, but thinking about it, the other way would give you more control over the brake...

markiii · December 23, 2003, 17:49

I always thought heel, toeing was a bit of a misnomer, as anyone who's ever decribed how to do it, ha refered to rolling the outside fo your foot onto teh accelerater pedal.

thats how I attemp to do it and I have far more success than when I've tried literally heel and toe.

Anonymous · December 23, 2003, 18:15

I watched a vid posted here of the 5 jap drivers thrashing different cars around a track and they actually used their heal to hit the accelerator... i thought thats what it was all about...? s:? :? s:?

Anonymous · December 23, 2003, 18:44

Quote from: "markiii"I always thought heel, toeing was a bit of a misnomer, as anyone who's ever decribed how to do it, ha refered to rolling the outside fo your foot onto teh accelerater pedal.

thats how I attemp to do it and I have far more success than when I've tried literally heel and toe.

That's ok if you've got big enough feet.

Liz · December 23, 2003, 19:22

You should try driving in heels, even more difficult, and I can't get my head around hitting the pedals with your heel, am I being stoopid or would your foot have to be on its side at 90 degrees to your leg........stupid woman post and waiting to be s:flame: :flame: s:flame: 'd

dreambackup · December 23, 2003, 19:28

Is there really a "way of doing it"?

I guess the best way is to do it the way you feel confortable doing it!

It may depend on the car you're driving too... s:? :? s:?

I used to do it the foot on the brakes and putting the edge of the foot on the accelerator... that was with my Honda. s:D

s:D

Now, with the barchetta, I changed and I'm using the heel on the brakes, the toes on the other... s8)

s8)

My MR-S being a SMT... s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

Tem · December 23, 2003, 19:36

Quote from: "aaronjb"Does anyone else find it really, really hard (to the point of being excrutiatingly painful) to heel-toe in these cars?

Personally, I found MR2 to be dman easy to heel&toe...tried to learn it with my prev Mk1 MR2, but never really got it. I'm not saying I master it with Roadster either, but it sure is easier s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

Maybe this vid would help?
(it's not me, but someone from SC...forgot who)
m http://koti.mbnet.fi/temmeke/MR-S/heel2.mpg m

aaronjb · December 23, 2003, 19:37

Quote from: "Liz"You should try driving in heels, even more difficult, and I can't get my head around hitting the pedals with your heel, am I being stoopid or would your foot have to be on its side at 90 degrees to your leg........stupid woman post and waiting to be s:flame: :flame: s:flame: 'd

Nah - only about 45deg - but it still hurts like heck s;)

s;)

I can just about do it by putting my foot at an angle (toes to the left, heel to the right), and rolling my foot over a bit rather than literally putting my heel on the pedal.. But that doesn't give me much travel on the throttle..

I don't think it's really possible to do it using your heel on the brakes (as ekona suggested), at least not accurately.. It'd be very difficult to get any kind of accurate brake modulation using your entire leg vs just using your toes (if you see what I mean).

Think I need to find a deserted runway somewhere to practice it, so I don't drive around looking like a complete <small bird> s:)

s:)

I think maybe like Phil, my joints just aren't flexible enough to bend in the right directions, and an SMT would be the only real answer s:(

s:(

I'm just loathed to lose £3k in depreciation only a couple of months after buying the car, just so I could be faster on track s:)

s:) (I drive like a granny on the road, afterall.. lol)

[edit]
Excellent vid Tem - if I can manage to heel-toe like that (afterall, I have huge feet, so rolling my foot like that ought to work) I'd be very happy.. That's pretty much where my right foot sits too (at an angle onto the throttle, so that onto the brake I just rotate my foot till it's upright)..

Hmm - I think I need to find that airfield so I can practice s:)

s:)
[/edit]

Aaron

Anonymous · December 24, 2003, 09:14

This was posted by Lauren to IMOC some time ago now, and I think the same article subsequently appeared in both the Mk1 Club and MR2DC mags;

QuoteI've been busy typing away writing articles again for the club mag. I
am planning a series on driving tips.

Here's the introduction and first one: How to Heel and Toe.

Comments welcome!

m http://www.mr2mk1club.com/drivingtips.html m

Cheers,

Lauren
Trackday Queen

GSB · December 24, 2003, 09:42

I know its odd, but I'm not realy sure how I do it! (Well, if you're barrelling into a corner at the sort of pace where the delicacy of heel & toe changes is actually needed, you're hardly likely to be looking at the pedals are you!)

As far as I can recall I just hit the brake as normal with the ball of my foot, no funny joint threatening knee angles required, but biased to the right so that only the left side of my foot comes into contact, I can then sort of roll my foot so that some other part of my shoe hits the throttle for the required 'blip', whilst still (hopefully) modulating the brake pressure in order to keep myself on the tarmac.

Slacey · December 24, 2003, 09:50

This is one of those things that I've had fluffed attempts at (I could never really get it right on my bike, either, and that is loads easier than a car), but really want to get right.

A new years resolution is forming!

aaronjb · December 24, 2003, 10:42

Quote from: "Slacey"This is one of those things that I've had fluffed attempts at (I could never really get it right on my bike, either, and that is loads easier than a car), but really want to get right.

A new years resolution is forming!

Clutch & throttle are on the same side on a bike, aren't they? That's gotta make it hard to do.. Although there's a lot more dexterity in my hands than my feet, that's for sure s:)

s:)

I've already got my new years resolutions (be more active, keep the house cleaner, lose weight and if I still have the 300ZX - fix it!).. Might add learning to heel-toe to the list, though s:)

s:)

Slacey · December 24, 2003, 11:01

Quote from: "aaronjb"Clutch & throttle are on the same side on a bike, aren't they? That's gotta make it hard to do..

Nope, clutch is left hand, gears left foot and throttle right hand, front brake right hand, back brake right foot - the problem I have is braking / using the throttle without cruching my fingers! (two fingers on the brake lever, rest on the throttle).

Anonymous · December 24, 2003, 12:47

I find it possible if braking hard but not especially easy. Biggest problem is the initial slack in the throttle cable, it's been changed once but is no different. If the pedal was firm from the outset it would be easier.