PEDAL LETS YOU STEER CAR BY FOOT (Jul, 1931)
Source: Popular Science ( More articles from this issue )
Issue: Jul, 1931
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This doesn’t seem like such a good idea.
PEDAL LETS YOU STEER CAR BY FOOT
A device recently placed on the market by a Los Angeles, Calif., manufacturing firm enables auto drivers to steer by foot pressure for short distances. Pressing a foot pedal causes an arm to spring up and engage a spoke of the steering wheel. Then the car can be guided by a side-to-side movement of the pedal.
This novel method of steering cannot be used where there are sharp curves to round. It is designed for open roads, when the driver wishes to light a cigarette, for example. A car can be steered only for a limited distance from one side to the other by it—enough to keep it going in a straight line or on a gently-curving road. The foot pedal extends out from the steering column, between the clutch and brake.
Now you can smoke and talk on your cellphone at the same time
Comment by Bob — July 18, 2008 @ 6:04 am
PEDAL LETS YOU STEER CAR BY FOOT
Frees-up your hands so you can use that cork-screw on that bottle of Merlot.
Comment by Michael Patrick — July 18, 2008 @ 6:41 am
Still no place for the coffee cup, back to the drawing board
Comment by Neil Russell — July 18, 2008 @ 8:30 pm
Yep. What could possibly go wrong? I can’t understand why this didn’t take off
Comment by Joey O'Neill — July 19, 2008 @ 12:09 am
They should have made it like rudder pedals in an airplane (at least to steer the rear wheels, while the steering wheel steers the front wheels.)
Comment by Tracy B. — July 22, 2008 @ 12:43 pm
Probably as effective as steering with the knee, like I see all the time on the roads here.
Comment by Roger — August 26, 2008 @ 4:00 pm