How do you feel about barefoot driving.

[VX KAT]

I think we should focus on the important point here is...she's a college age person, and likely, has far less driving experience than most here.

I totally agree with Eb, but even so, I think a younger, less experienced driver should utilize the safest practices when driving. Of course they think they're invincible and better than us mere mortals, but we know differently. Of course she thinks we're totally ancient and don't know what we're talking about.

Eb, take her out to a big parking lot and make her slam on the brakes both barefoot and in sandals, at YOUR voice command. (So she doesn't know when it's coming).

After several yrs of driving, we all are better drivers...just through actual experience. She can make her own decisions at that point.


And Dave & I think Keen's are God's sandals! (plus they're enclosed toes with very sturdy soles).

[Ebenezr]

I think we should focus on the important point here is...she's a college age person, and likely, has far less driving experience than most here.

I totally agree with Eb, but even so, I think a younger, less experienced driver should utilize the safest practices when driving. Of course they think they're invincible and better than us mere mortals, but we know differently. Of course she thinks we're totally ancient and don't know what we're talking about.

Eb, take her out to a big parking lot and make her slam on the brakes both barefoot and in sandals, at YOUR voice command. (So she doesn't know when it's coming).

After several yrs of driving, we all are better drivers...just through actual experience. She can make her own decisions at that point.


And Dave & I think Keen's are God's sandals! (plus they're enclosed toes with very sturdy soles).

I thought about making her slam the brakes a few times as quick as possible and hard as possible...a little late. thought of it this morning. but she is 20 now. I can't paddle her anymore.

[MSHardeman]

I've always driven with closed toe shoes. I seem to remember hearing somewhere that it was actually illeagal to drive barefoot. Of course that may have just been hear-say way back in the day down in Louisiana so don't quote me on that. (whoops, guess it isn't illegal: http://web.archive.org/web/200306181..._barefoot.html ) I know I feel strange when I do move the car around the driveway barefoot; I just don't feel like I have as much control.

Ebenezer, you might not be able to paddle her anymore, but you sure don't have to give her the keys to your VX either. If she's such a big girl tell her to get her own car and that the VX is only for people who drive with their shoes on. My car, my rules....of course NO ONE drives my VX but me.

[Osteomata]

I dunno Eb, I think you are the product/victim of your own biases and perhaps some mythology told to you during your own driving development. I don't think there is anything at all wrong with driving barefoot. Unless your foot is the tender equivalent of the Princess from the Pea fable, or you have lined your pedals with thorn branches, then I doubt there is the slightest risk. People that have to slam their brakes are doing so instinctively, and I don' t think they run through a "Oh my I should brake but don't wish to hurt my foot" algorhythm, but rather a "ZOMFG I HAVE TO STOP NOW SLAM SLAM SLAM" process.

Further, I suspect that driving barefoot is safer than driving with high heels, though I admit my experience in the latter is limited.

I see you have a sense of humor about it, which is good because I just can't validate your view. I think you should pick more important battles. Does she signal? Does she adjust the mirrors and radio BEFORE she drives? Does she check the blind spot before lane change? Does she talk on the phone while driving? There are hundreds of avenues for you to exercise your mandatory parental nagging quota that will result in actual improved safety, your barefoot issue just isnt one of them.

[Triathlete]

Nothing wrong with bare foot driving...have you ever looked at the shoes racecar drivers wear? Not much sole between the foot and the pedal.

[Ebenezr]

Osteomata you are giving me an ulcer.................................but aside from that you bring up good points about other important things. You are momentarily ulcerogenic because she is driving my VX right now and she has smashed everyones car but mine so far. She backed into her brothers 02 mustang and squashed the drivers side door in 2 years ago.. Then He let her use his Mustang to drive across town one night and left the emergnecy brake on the entire time. 30 plus miles. He had to replace the brakes. She backed a Land Rover into her mom's 05 z71 suburban and took the rear quarter panel out.... I have driven it into her brain NOT to do rolling stops but she's the queen of them. Dear Lord please be near her now as she drives, set your angels around her, Amen.

[Hiredgoon]

According to Wikipedia, which we all know is true and unbiased...

"Another common myth is that it is illegal to operate a motor vehicle while barefoot. Some people speculate that, because you use your feet while driving, there's more room for error and your feet could slip off of the pedals, resulting in an accident. In fact, in all 50 states and territories in the United States, as well as in Canada, and in the United Kingdom, it is perfectly legal to drive barefoot. However, in some jurisdictions, police officers may ticket you for other things if the fact that you were driving barefoot or in flip flops/high heeled shoes hindered your driving and/or resulted in an accident."

Personally I've never been comfortable driving barefoot, but more than that, the practicality of not having shoes on in case of some sort of an accident or emergency seems foolish to me. My favourite is seeing the rocket scientists riding motorcycles in flip-flops.

I think at the end of the day, it's about having respect for the fact that the machine you are driving in coudn't care less if it kills you, and taking basic precautions when operating anything like that is just logical.

[Ebenezr]

I've always driven with closed toe shoes. I seem to remember hearing somewhere that it was actually illeagal to drive barefoot. Of course that may have just been hear-say way back in the day down in Louisiana so don't quote me on that. (whoops, guess it isn't illegal: http://web.archive.org/web/200306181..._barefoot.html ) I know I feel strange when I do move the car around the driveway barefoot; I just don't feel like I have as much control.

Ebenezer, you might not be able to paddle her anymore, but you sure don't have to give her the keys to your VX either. If she's such a big girl tell her to get her own car and that the VX is only for people who drive with their shoes on. My car, my rules....of course NO ONE drives my VX but me.

True...I will give her my wife's keys.

[Osteomata]

Eb I just don't think her past driving errors are at all unusual. That is what young drivers do. I took my dad's pick up through a barbed wire fence at 17, backed into my friends I-Mark at 18, backed into a parking garage concrete post at 20, slid into a parked car in an icey lot at 21. That's four fender benders all with stationary objects in my first half decade. Since then, like most drivers, I got better and more careful, having caused one wreck but once in more than a decade since then. I suspect your girl gets a bit safer each year as well.

[Kona-Vs]

Bare feet is definitely the way to go you can feel the pedal grip it with your toes or give it full foot when you need it I have a hard time driving with shoes

[stangri]

I lived in a very hot climate for about 3 years and would occasionally drive barefoot.

[Ebenezr]

OK this threads done. So how's the weather? What's the price of apples today in Arkansas?

[circmand]

Osteomata you are giving me an ulcer.................................but aside from that you bring up good points about other important things. You are momentarily ulcerogenic because she is driving my VX right now and she has smashed everyones car but mine so far. She backed into her brothers 02 mustang and squashed the drivers side door in 2 years ago.. Then He let her use his Mustang to drive across town one night and left the emergnecy brake on the entire time. 30 plus miles. He had to replace the brakes. She backed a Land Rover into her mom's 05 z71 suburban and took the rear quarter panel out.... I have driven it into her brain NOT to do rolling stops but she's the queen of them. Dear Lord please be near her now as she drives, set your angels around her, Amen.

You dont need to stop her driving barefoot you need to stop her driving PERIOD. Anyone who is 22 with this record either doesnt know how to drive, doesnt pay attention when the drive or has such a total disregard of other peoples property that she shouldnt drive. Tell her she can go barefoot and walk wherever the heck she wants

[Triathlete]

I drive in shoes, boots, flip flops (a lot), and occasionally barefoot. In my 30+ years of driving I have 1 accident. Obviously, some people just suck as drivers more than others...no matter what is covering your little tootsies.

[Osteomata]

You dont need to stop her driving barefoot you need to stop her driving PERIOD. Anyone who is 22 with this record either doesnt know how to drive, doesnt pay attention when the drive or has such a total disregard of other peoples property that she shouldnt drive. Tell her she can go barefoot and walk wherever the heck she wants

Utter and complete over-reactive nonsense. She had two bumps against non-moving vehicles during the early period of driving, and a mechanical brain fart.