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Which One Is the Brake? Your Pedal Questions Answered!

  • Cars Explained
  • Silas Smith
  • 4 minutes

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Driving a car is often an easy affair for folks who’ve managed to master it through rigorous practice. But it can be hard for new drivers to get used to how a car works, particularly in the case of pedals. They often come up with doubts like which one is the brake and which is the gas.     

Newbie drivers often confuse themselves with complicated car parts, and it is perfectly normal. Here we’ll look at the different pedals of a car and how to tell them apart.    

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Which one is the brake pedal?    

Just below the steering wheel, you’ll generally find two pedals. The brake pedal is on the left side regardless of whether it is a left or right-hand drive car. You have to depress the brake to slow down or bring your car to a halt.    

If you use a manual car, you’ll find three pedals. In that case, the pedal to your extreme left is the clutch pedal, which you’ll have to depress each time while shifting gears. The brake pedal is the one that comes in the center, and the pedal on the right is the gas pedal, also called the accelerator. The gas pedal helps you move your car forward.    

Which one is the gas pedal?    

Gas pedals are the skinny and elongated pedals you’ll find towards the extreme right, which will help you speed your car. In contrast, brake pedals are usually square-shaped and much smaller than gas pedals. Brake pedals are usually heavier and harder. They also look significantly wider, so you don’t miss the pedal in an emergency.    

When do you use a brake in an automatic transmission car?   

transmissionBefore starting your automatic car, you must move the gear lever to park mode or P. In addition, you have to press the brake before starting your automatic car just to ensure that your car doesn’t move forward if the gear selector is already in drive mode. Some new cars have this as a safety feature, where your car will not start unless you depress the brake pedal.

What does a brake pedal do?    

When the driver engages the brakes, the brake caliper presses the brake pad against the disc on the wheel by moving hydraulic fluid through the calipers. As a result, friction occurs when the brake pad rubs against the disc, which ultimately stops the car. Always ensure that you depress the pedals gently so that your car does not end up at an abrupt halt.  

What foot do I use to press the pedals?    

You only use your right foot to press both pedals as there is never a time when you need to step on both pedals at once. However, experienced drivers may use both feet in slow-moving traffic, where you can have better control over the car.  

How do I reverse my car?    

To reverse your car, you have to press the brake and shift the gear selector to reverse or R. Once you’ve done that, you have to release the brake slowly, and the car will start crawling backward. You can press the gas pedal if you want more speed moving backward.     

What cars have three pedals?  

Brake pedal

Usually, cars equipped with a manual transmission have three pedals. Some automatic cars do have a third pedal called a dead pedal, just to add to the comfort of the driver by resting his foot. 

How do I tell the gas pedal from the brake?    

One of the biggest differences between the gas and brake pedals is that the gas pedal will go all the way to the floor. While the brake pedal, unless they wear out, will stop somewhat in the middle.  

Quick Recap    

We hope you no longer have any queries about pedals. Just to sum up, the brake is on the left, and the gas is on the right. You can keep the C-B-G code in mind for manual cars, which translates to Clutch-Brake-Gas. Just leave out the C part for automatics, and you are ready to roll!     

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