Hey guys... who else out there is excited that Spring is here, so you can slip off your flipflops and motor about barefoot!

I think rolling down the windows, opening the sunroof, turning up the music and joyriding barefoot (especially at night) is the best thing ever! Who's with me?

 

 

Ugh, I know I've read some posts on here somewhere about this in the past couple years. Man, where's the love?

 

I just think it's a bad idea to drive barefoot or with flip-flops. Kinda like driving and texting, or drinking a slurpee/coffee. To much of a chance to get it wrong when you need to react to something.

 

Ok do explain the barefoot part the flipflops are obvious. And I would drive barefoot if I didn't have the sport pedals. They hurt my feet to much but I feel like I got better control driving barefoot then with shoes.

 

So driving barefoot is also the same as driving drunk.

Not everyone has very small feet

 

It's actually illegal to drive barefoot in SC, hehe.

 

i used to love driving barefoot when i had an automatic... maybe if i was on a road trip in 6th gear i could do it, but clutching starts to hurt my foot cruising around town... trying to drive with flip flops or heels is even worse. i support the barefoot driving, i dont think its unsafe, its just hard with a manual.

 

Who said anything about being drunk.........unless your latte is loaded.....

My concern is with the soul of the foot not being protected and needing to hit the brakes with you trying to apply max force on the pedal and having it hurt. Your reaction is going to be to let off of the pedal cause it hurts.

 

Whoop for barefoot driving! I have an Auto so it isnt bad at all. Its much safer than driving with flipflops. I really feel the pedals and the little things that my car does. Its like my car is an extention of my feet! But maybe I am alone in that. I think its illegal in Texas too. But so is speeding....

 

I exclusively wear flip flops in the summer. I have not noticed that they are unsafe-- but my flip flops are leather and they fit me very well. Barefoot seems nutty to me! The pedals feel sooooo weird with barefeet. It seems difficult to apply pressure to them correctly with bare feet as well! If you can do it that is great! I wish I could... I am barefoot right now in my classroom.

 

it doesnt require much pressure from your foot to fully hit the brakes. the clutch pedal on the other hand...

 

I wear flip flops year round (great weather in South Africa) but I cant drive with them on, so I take them off. I spend most of my time driving bare foot because of this. I find I feel more connected to the car because I can feel it in my feet. It did take a while to get used to those rubber ridges though. It doesnt hurt my feet. I guess some people have more sensitive feet than others.

 

I'm a barefoot driver when possible. It's more comfortable, and I feel much more connected and definitely safer with the car. But everyone's different. What works for some doesn't work for others.

Honestly, I'd have to be shown something saying this is actually illegal before I believe it. It's like the health department warning at places like McDonald's. A lot of people believe it, but I remember someone doing research (at least in his area) and there was no such requirement by any health department. Calling it a dress code is one thing, but raising the spectre of government mandate is disingenuous.

So don't fret, Monk Edsel and fellow bf motorers. You're not alone.

 

Flip flop/sandal(not secured) driving is dangerous, I've heard of many instances of them falling off causing and accident, just not a good idea.

 

@JudgeS: Although it's never been a problem for me, I tend to avoid driving with flipflops for that reason and because of the slight chance they'd get caught on the pedals. If there's a chance for me to lose control, then I'm not really in control.

For those concerned about legality, I found this helpful site after a quick search:
www.findlaw.com

Through that site, I found the following article:
http://web.archive.org/web/200306181..._barefoot.html

That guy devoted far more time to the subject than I'd really consider, but it's quite informative and an interesting instance of someone being an active citizen.

Bottom line for me: we all have bad days, we all have biases/opinions, and it's far simpler to slip something on after being pulled over than give a police officer a reason to think you're being reckless or negligent (mentioned early in the article).

Happy motoring!

 

I often wear flip flops in the summer, which I agree are unsafe for driving. In which case I take them off. Gotta love the heightened connection with the car, although I don't know how much the car likes it.

 

funny. peek at the feet of any random ten hawaii drivers and you'll see rubbah slippahs at least half the time.

of course, we wear slippers (we don't call em flip flops or thongs) all the time outside of work. perhaps those who habitually wear enclosed footwear simply lack the fine physical foot coordination required to drive in slippers without mishap.

 

I've driven barefoot before but don't like to do it nowadays just because I work as a machinist, and it's not fun to pick out slivers of stainless steel from your skin. Hurts like the dickens, and I can only find them using a microscope. Manageable with the hands, but no way I can contort my foot under a microscope while looking for them. I've also done sandals which are okay if they are the strapped on type. Slippers/flip flops I've also tried but didn't much care for them just because I felt like the heel would catch occasionally to the floor and loosen up. I did like the thin sole though which comes close to having a barefoot feel but with protection. That's the reason I use Converse All stars shoes. Light, airy, thin sole and can be laced up. Good driving feel for me, imo.

 

I live in flip-flops, but can't drive in them, so I keep my deck shoes in the car to slip on when I drive. Yeah it's a little inconvenient, but safer.