Are you alone in your going barefoot or not?

Hi! In my town I know nobody who'd like walking barefoot in the street or was a real barefooter. And what about you? Do you meet someone else barefooted where you live or maybe your friends go in this way?

 

I almost never see anyone else barefoot in public. I wish I did, but that will never stop me from going barefoot myself. Barefooting in public is very rare in modern society today. In some parts of the world, it is much more common, such as in Fiji or other South Pacific nations.

Don't let not seeing others barefoot keep you from doing it. Be your own man and make decisions based on what makes you happy, not others.

 

Hardly any barefooters in southern Cali? I would think that area would be ideal for barefooting due to the great climate and that fact that so many people live right by the ocean.

Not a lot of barefooters here in southern Arizona either. I've only been here for about three years and each summer I do manage to see around six people barefoot in public. When I lived in the upper midwest I would see another person barefoot in public outside of a park or beach area once every ten years.

I believe the popularity of flip flops and phantom health department laws have killed the barefooting over the years. It's too easy just to slip on your flip flops instead of skipping the shoes for a quick jaunt to the corner supermarket.

When I was a teen back in the 1970's you didn't have all these flip flops that are available today. If you didn't feel like putting your shoes on to go somewhere, you just went barefoot.

It was as simple as that. Times have changed.

 

I lived in Southern Cal for a couple of years and it is a weird place. People are extremely conformist and won't go barefoot in public. I got kicked out of so many places when I was there, and even the Sierra Club made me sign liability waivers before I could hike on their trails.

Here in the small town I live in now you'll see several people going barefoot in public and lots more walking along the sidewalk holding their shoes in their hands.

This summer I went to several outdoor music festivals nearby. At one of them, I'd say almost 30% of everyone was barefoot, and you could tell they were true barefooters because the paths and roads were very rough with gravel and rocks and they just walked carelessly over it. I met one girl who hadn't worn any shoes for years and had been living on the road hitchiking and living on berries and fruits. She was so awesome and her soles were real hard and tough.

 

Exactly! You got that right. Both have contributed to this problem, but I think the flip-flop thing has done barefooting the most damage.

And you're right. California is ideal for barefooting, especially SoCal. But nobody does it anymore. Just me, and a few CA residents in the SBL.

 

Tempe, Arizona, where I live, used to be a barefooter's paradise. At night, after the sidewalks had cooled to the point where they no longer blistered, dozens of students would go shoeless up and down Mill Avenue, the city's main shopping and partying street. When I was a freshman, I used to go barefoot myself almost every night, at least until November, when our autumn finally set in.

Since then, the place has gotten gentrified. As tony new bars and shops have replaced the older, humbler ones, visitors apparently feel the need to dress up more, which includes wearing at least flip-flops. I haven't gone barefoot on Mill in years, but I suspect if I were to try, I'd get some puzzled looks.

 

I often see other barefooters in the local country parks in my area (n.e England), but hardly ever in towns. I have a friend in London i sometimes visit who is a full time barefooter, and i find London is very barefoot friendly. Full time barefooters are very rare here because of the weather, but there are no social pressures against it.

 

I barefoot around in public, but my flip flops are always in my bag, hands or pocket - my mother doesn't allow me to barefoot lol

 

In the summer Im barefoot all the time, during the year when I can be
If I went to school barefoot my feet would freeze off
Its soooo cold!

 

i go barefoot as long as the weather permits it- i get stares, but i just stare back

 

I'm the only barefooter I know of in my area, which is a shame because there are some delightful packed earth trails through a forest here and it's heaven to walk through. The yuppies like to wear their "barefoot technology" trainers on treadmills at the fitness centres instead. I think I'm missing something...?

 

Man, can I relate to the fitness centre comment! I've always marveled at these folks on their stationary bikes as I pedal past reveling in the beauty of a perfect day. Now come barefoot trainers on a treadmill...What's next I wonder? It's all such Koyaanisqatsi...

Ironically enough, although our island is the most tolerant place I've ever experienced in regards to barefooting, few folks here actually go unshod, with flops being the norm. You do see alot more barefooting in the FSM, however...

 

I live in an apartment with my father.

We're both barefoot indoors most of the time. However I'm the only one that does it outside as well.

 

Hey you live in Phoenix, it's often too hot for those shoes and socks! Forget 'em.

I also live in an apartment, but with my wife. We too are both barefoot inside, but I am the only one who will extend the barefooting past the front door. I accept the fact that she only chooses to go shoeless indoors, nothing really wrong with that in my opinion, I personally just hate shoes and socks.

 

I might see 5 to 10 people barefoot in public over the summer. (10 people is pushing it.) I haven't been able to meet any of them, since I'm usually driving somewhere when I see them.

 

I never see any other barefoot people.
Makes me feel alone.

 

Yeah, same here, Le_Femme_Floral. Whenever I go outside without shoes on, my mom will yell at me, so I throw on a pair of flipflops. As soon as I get out of her sight, I take them off. My dad doesn't care if I go barefoot, though. He's more open minded than my mother is.

 

Do you mean in general or for the moment? The summer here in Sweden are definitely turned into fall , so I belive most people find barefooting too cold.
I´m quite alone in my going barefoot. Sometimes I see other barefooters but no one I know. Mostly children go barefoot here, I seldom see other adults.

 

I think the second question could be what to do about it. How to promote the barefoot idea at a local level.

 

I'm the only one I know of around here. We're seriously a minority, even more so than in the 60s and 70s. Really sad. And yes, I have learned the fine art of staring back.