My vintage pedal I kept backwards, the case of the machine was back under the table and the foot pedal pushed to it.
I haven't developed the proper technique for my Bernina pedal, you would think it is so big and heavy that it wouldn't move but I have wood floors and it does, or maybe I kick it but I don't know how it gets where it does on its own... (hmm... maybe I hit it when I push my chair in under the desk) It has a feature where you can stop with needle up or down by a foot pedal tap and needs to be oriented correctly. I think I'll try some rug mat stuff. Yesterday I went over the floor with my strong magnet and picked up a pound or so of pins, bobbins, safety pins, and more. It didn't look (or feel) so bad, but the truth showed.
Not foot pedal related, but when my vintage foot broke and Bernie was in the shop I was using a very low end Brother machine and I finally resorted to using blue tape and taping it to the table top, over the bed of the machine. The foot pedal was bad, but sewing was like chasing a loose dog the way the machine would move.