OK, you're just chilling out with your car friends and they're talkingabout heel & toe shifting and you ask yourself, "what is heel and toe shifting?". Most are mis-lead into believing that you somehow use the right heel to press the accelerator while using the toe to press the break pedal.
You're confused because the term comes from previous automobile designs, where the gas pedal was on the left of the pedal assembly and you could use your heel and toe in that fashion. Obviously, thats not the case any longer. So, the difficulty of performing heel and toe pedal work is lessened by getting special performance driving shoes which are designed for heel & toe shifting.
Next, you might be wondering what is heel and toe shifting good for? Mostly it is the technique that enables you to downshift smoothly without needing to double clutch or drop power to the rims. It also enables you to quickly put torque and power to the tires for rapid acceleration while keeping the car level. This becomes especially true in a high performance car, like the Shelby Cobra Mustang. as a matter of fact, Carroll Shelby has a line of performance driving shoes designs especially for this type of driving at a2z racer gear. Put the left side of the right driving shoe on your brake pedal's right edge. To BLIP the gas, twist your right ankle and hit the gas with the right edge of your right driving shoe. When using this heel & toe method, performance driving shoes can greatly heighten your ability.
Another use for heel & toe pedal work is downshifting when sliding through a corner. By tapping the gas pedal as you are applying the brakes and feathing the clutch pedal, you are able to downshift while maintaining the car's RPMs up.
A good performance driving shoe will have:
* Breathable Leather Lined Inner sole that shapes to your foot.
* Soft Leather lining with removable insole.
* Soft, padded poly knit sock.
* Round toe to avoid snagging on pedal
* Outside abrasion panel improves pedal-work.
* Rolled heel for easy movement between pedals
* Cow Suede Leather
* Removable Innersole which may be replaced with many styles of orthopedic insoles.
The shelby shoes include:
* Carbon Fiber-Style reflective heel.
* Cobra Logo embossed into side.
* Provides extraordinary comfort driving or walking.
* Performance Tire-like Tread design for the sole.
Warning: Don't drive without wearing shoes. Do Not Drive while wearing sandals. Also, always check that your carpet doesn't move around on the pedal-floor. This can interfere with the pedals which can be very dangerous.
Always think safety first. If you're driving for a long time, stop and stretch your legs, calves, ham strings, etc. to ensure you're comfortable throughout the trip. Also, don't forget to use rest areas.
Correctly Measuring Feet For Shoe Size
If you are shopping online, you will want to figure out your shoe size. This will help you successfully size your feet:
a) 2 pieces of paper
b) An inch ruler
c) A pencil
d) Some tape that is sticky
(Oh, you will need a hard surface, not carpet.)
Next, follow these steps to measure feet:
a. Take one of the pieces of paper and tape it to the floor.
b. Put on the socks that you usually wear, otherwise, the shoes you order may be too tight. (This is important since driving shoes tend to be a snug fit.)
c. place a foot on the paper, and draw around your foot, creating an outline of it.
d. Remove the foot.
e. Use the ruler to draw a rectangle around the edges of the outline.
f. To discover the length of your foot, use the ruler and measure from the bottom line to the top line of the rectangle.
g. To find the width of your foot, measure the box you drew across from side to side.
h. Repeat the whole process to measure the other foot. Use the largest of the two measurements for sizing the shoes.
Once you have completed the above steps you will know your foot size in inches and be able to order a correct, fitting pair of driving shoes.
Now That You Know Your Shoe Size
When you order online you can now check your foot size in inches using the manufacturer's sizing chart, and you can also find similar shoe sizing charts on shoe websites.
When you get your new shoes take your new pair out for a spin; you may be surprised at how comfortable your performance shoes feel.
This article was inspired by a2z racer website. Tony a2z has designed several driving/walking shoes.
