I enjoy bare footing around town in NYC despite any stares that I might attract. :yikes: Contrary to most peoples fears I have never been injured by walking barefoot in NYC. I am always aware of where I am walking - even when I wear shoes - so going barefoot never causes a problem. It feels great to feel the different textures of pavement or soil, sometimes warm or cool as well. As far as getting dirty feet, there is always plenty of soap and water when you get home! I am looking for others who might be wondering about going barefoot in NYC, but could not get up the nerve to go it alone. Strength in numbers as the saying goes. If you are interested in walking around the city barefoot - male or female - contact me and lets arrange a time and place to explore your dream. :rockon:
Ewwww!!!! So much filth soaked into New York sidewalks and oh, the steps you take to get to/from the train and the platforms are especially gross. Oh yeah, don't forget about Starbucks bathrooms, they can be downright dangerous to the point of being a true bio-hazard even with shoes on.
I can think of things more scary than just walking barefoot in NYC. What about all the filth and germs you can get from holding the hand rails in subway cars or buses or on the stairs, grabbing public door handles, the change you handle when buying something, that friendly handshake to a co-worker or friend. These germs are present all the time, but your hands don't 'look' dirty so you don't think about it. These are the same hands you use to rub and itchy nose or eye, or pop that peice of candy or chewing gum into your mouth. Can you actually say you always have time to wash before you touch your face?
i've never been to NYC myself, but my impression of the city is that a guy not wearing shoes would probably be about the 12325th most unusual thing anybody would see on any given day.
I go barefoot downtown here, but I live in a very clean city. Last time I was in new York I didn't think the streets were particularly gross though. I'd probably go barefoot there. I already go into public washrooms and the dirty outhouse at work barefoot. I just clean my feet off after. I stepped in dog shit the other day barefoot and wasn't that grossed out either. Walking through grass and a hose off before going inside was good. I mean I still washed them after too.
I've never been to NYC but I can't imagine it's any worse than London, where I've gone bf many times and lived to tell the tale. I always just look where I'm going but other than that don't think about it. Yes, a few minutes on wet grass always restores the feet to pristine anyway.
True, I'm sure you've probably grabbed a pole on the train before and maybe more than once felt something sticky or gross actually transfer to your hand, pizza grease (not actually harmful AFAIK) or maybe something worse ... and maybe wonder what the fuck that really was If you're not wearing gloves, its a good idea to carry hand sanitizer. Who knows how many times those poles have been touched, and by how many people and what they touched before that. Luckily usually the worst thing you'd likely catch is the common cold, and even if you avoid touching anything you just can't avoid being exposed if someone is sick next to you when you're on a train so full that 50 people have to get off at each stop so the people that need out can actually move enough to get out. Just try not to touch anything in New York, and if you do, try not to use your fingers, especially the tips of them. But on another note, someone else above mentioned that in New York, someone barefoot would be like the 13000th weirdest thing they'd seen that day. Nobody cares, obviously I don't live in New York, but IME you see a lot stranger things on a daily basis than someone barefoot which isn't something that should be a concern to most. How many people do you walk past a day, and how many of them do you actually notice?
I spent a week in New York, albeit twenty years ago, No problems encountered even on the railway out to Long Island, where I was staying, though I travelled in to Manhattan every day. Despite its being August and hot and humid I didn't see a single other barefooter!
When I lived in NYC it was not uncommon to see at least half dozen barefoot women around Greenwich Village. I met two ex-girlfriends on the street while both of us were barefoot. I fondly remember saying to Suzy "I see we like the same style and color shoes!" as both of us had filthy black feet. Her mom used to go barefoot (and had the callouses to prove it) but she didn't in the City. Today if someone is barefoot in the city it's because they kicked off their sandals on the grass or some such. I never had an problems going barefoot on the streets, subway, etc. Your feet get very dirty very quickly. I haven't been there in quite a while but I doubt you will find as many barefooters as was common 20 or more years ago. This is true just about everywhere :-(
Sadly it is, BG. I used to think of the start of summer as being when I spotted my first barefoot person. This would usually be in May. By the end of summer I would have spotted at least twenty. For several years now I've not seen any except on the beach, apart from one young girl a few weeks ago. Even at a family party recently I was the only bf person. It would be nice to think the OP gets taken up on his invitation, but I'm not holding my breath.
If I were in the NYC area, I'd have no problem going barefoot there; but I'm in San Francisco. That said, I will be in the NYC area in early October; but I probably won't have time to get into the city.
It is okay if you want to but I'd rather keep my sandals on than walking barefoot. Your plan isn't that weird, but gross nonetheless.
Of course you're entitled to your opinion, Alan, but why is that gross? And wtf are you doing on this board anyway??
Gross because you never know what will stick to your feet. And second (personal preference) I don't really like looking at people's feet. And I think it is a general notion that you must have your feet covered when you go out.
I can understand barefoot in nice welcoming environments, but not a toilet like NYC. Sure, I've never been. But I've seen enough on TV to wholeheartedly say, fuck that shit.
