What is it about the leg?

[ClutchFork]

You know, driving a manual transmission and working the clutch with the left leg. How much of the joy is from working that clutch pedal, particularly the launch vs from shifting gears. And then if you ever drove a motorcycle, did you notice the joy is just as great working the clutch with the left hand as it is with the left leg?

Take away the leg action (left hand action for MCs) and it would hardly be much fun. It would be not much better than a paddle shifted automatic. I bet you could have an automatically shifted car that requires a clutch launch (no such animal of course; thankfully) and it would be more fun to drive than an automatic with paddle shifter.

[tankinbeans]

Perhaps it's ingrained in the psyche, harkening back to when a person would have to spur the horse on with the leg?

This is probably a bunch of twaddle and hogwash, but it's an interesting idea.

[theholycow]

I think it could be done with another limb, as long as it's the same thing (operating the clutch) being done...though using that otherwise-ignored leg is certainly the most fun way to do it, as well as quite practical (assuming that we must operate a clutch).

I think I get as much joy from feeling the synchros and rev-matching as I get from operating the clutch pedal alone. There are other things, less ergonomic in nature, that I also enjoy about it, but I guess those things would apply if there was a random-access shift gate for slushboxen, especially if it's a shifter with an H-pattern.

[mtheis]

And then if you ever drove a motorcycle, did you notice the joy is just as great working the clutch with the left hand as it is with the left leg?

Yes.

[Shadow]

Honestly, I don't think it has much to do with the leg. Put a hand-operated clutch lever on a car (similar to a motorcycle) and I'd probably enjoy it as much as a clutch pedal. Although I don't own a motorcycle, I have plenty of seat time and I have to say that it is enjoyable to run through the gears much in the same way as a car.

[tankinbeans]

I have balance issues and would never ride a motorcycle. I couldn't comment on the differences between the two.

I just like having something to do aside from stopping and going. The idea that there is always seething that could be done better keeps me engaged.

[potownrob]

You know, driving a manual transmission and working the clutch with the left leg. How much of the joy is from working that clutch pedal, particularly the launch vs from shifting gears.

[ClutchFork]

Here is where it really gets to be fun with the left leg. You have to have the right car though and it is hard on the equipment"

Superstock Dodge is winding out in low
But my fuel injected Stingray's really startin' to go
To get the traction I'm ridin' the clutch
My pressure plate's burnin' that machine's too much

--Beach Boys, Shut Down

[Rope-Pusher]

http://benmlee.com/4Runner/Pressing_Clutch.htm
Correct Technique to Press the Clutch Pedal

When driving in stop and go traffic, using the correct technique for pressing the clutch pedal is the difference between leg being tired or even worst having knee pain and easy driving.

[tankinbeans]

Operating the clutch with the right foot seems dangerous.

[Rope-Pusher]

Operating the clutch with the right foot seems dangerous.

Why do you say that? For both, there is a brief period of carefully-modulated operation and the rest of the time you treat them each like on/off controls.

[tankinbeans]

Operating the clutch with the right foot seems dangerous.

Why do you say that? For both, there is a brief period of carefully-modulated operation and the rest of the time you treat them each like on/off controls.

Which would you use for the gas?

[Rope-Pusher]

Operating the clutch with the right foot seems dangerous.

Why do you say that? For both, there is a brief period of carefully-modulated operation and the rest of the time you treat them each like on/off controls.

Which would you use for the gas?

[tankinbeans]

o_0

[Rope-Pusher]

Speakin F con trolls, day din use tubey S standard eyesed S day R tudae:

"To make a Model T accelerate, move two levers near the steering wheel. The lever on the right was the throttle (or engine speed), and the lever on the left adjusted the time that the spark plugs fired. These levers needed to be set properly before the engine could be started.
The three pedals on the floor of the Model T were for the brake on the right, reverse in the middle to make the Model T go backwards, and a pedal on the left to shift the gears from low to high speed. A lever on the floor worked the brakes as well as the clutch. Pulling the lever toward the driver would set the parking brake and help keep the car from moving while parked. When the lever was placed in the middle, the transmission would be in neutral.
Once the engine is running, the driver now has to make the Model T move on its own. Step on the pedal all the way to the left, move the throttle lever to "give it the gas" and gently move the floor lever forward. This is low gear, the powerful gear used to get the Model T moving. Once it's moving, move the right lever up, let the left pedal come all the way up, and give it more gas to shift into high. To make the car go faster still, move the throttle lever as well as the spark advance lever. Stepping on the left pedal only halfway puts the car in neutral, the same as the lever. This helps the Model T come to a stop without causing the engine to stop as well."