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On a steep hill, the time it takes you to go from the brake to the gas is how much time your car rolls back. For people with slow reaction, you see the car drop back a little — maybe as much as a foot.

Now although you know not to tailgate people or follow people too closely, other people do not. Although they would technically be “at fault” for being to close to you, it’s not worth the waste of time swapping insurance and going through the process should something happen.

So now, I’m going to introduce a technique that does not require the emergency brake. The double footed brake switch:

• Step 1: Right foot on the brake. Wait for the green light.
• Step 2: Left foot on the brake (the right foot should still be on the brake.)
• Step 3: Right foot on the gas. (but don’t press on the gas yet)
• Step 4: Slowly add gas while letting off the brake.

You should practice this in a flat space with no traffic and try to get it down before attempting to apply in traffic if you have never done so before.

Alternatively, you can use the emergency brake to keep you still as well. Again, assume you’re stopped at a red light and have your right foot on the brake. Here are the motions:

• Step 1: Pull up the emergency brake enough so that it will keep you from rolling back. (Keep your thumb on the button, this is important.)
• Step 2: Slowly add gas and drop the emergency brake. (This is why you keep your thumb on the button, so that you can drop it easily.)

I prefer the first method (double footed brake switch) because I don’t have to have to use the e-brake to hold up the car. I use the e-brake method for when I’m driving manual.

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