Please Settle A Bet!

First of all, this is a legit post and a real major bet. My roomate Brandon goes barefoot everywhere! That is his choice, no doubt. But, he goes into stores, malls, resteraunts, etc. that clearly have signs that state "No Barefeet In Accordance To Health Department Regulation." So, he is in a way, breaking the law. Worse to me, is that he could get a store or resteraunt a Helth Code Violation.

He did this as recently as yesterday, as we went to the store. We got in a big arguement, which has led to this bet. I need to teach him a lesson. Though most of you will side with him, after it is confirmed by some barefoot enthusiasts that I'm right, I will win this bet and this will stop anytime he is with me. I told Brandon that I wanted to post this, though I'm sure he will get on here after work and talk some smack to me.

I'm telling Brandon that it is against Health Code Laws in the state we live in- Virginia, for him to go barefoot in public establishments. He claims it is not, but has no proof to show me. He agrees that if at least one poster on here confirms that I'm right, then I win. For me to say that he is right, I need to see some real proof from the Virginia Health Department. Brandon can't produce this- yet-he says. He really thinks it is not a violation!! I need to see unbiased, factual proof, not opinions from a "barefoot site" to be proved wrong. I'm telling him it is common sense- why are there signs up if it isn't a violation? Duh!! We have argued this for months, but he has yet to prove that it is not a violation in Virginia!! Can anyone show a website that shows a legal document saying that barefeet are not a code violation in Virginia- no!! I told him it may not be in some states, but it is in Virginia- the signs are the proof!

If I win, I will, Brandon will have to clean the house and mow the lawn for all of 2006. And, yes, he WILL have to wear shoes whenever he goes anywhere with me. Brandon and some of his "friends" came up with this for me. If I'm wrong, I have to dress in full drag as a diva as voted on by the posters on this site. I will have to go in drag as that diva and go barefoot in drag. And, he wants the pics posted on here. I agree!! I need to prove a point to him and show him that is fair for him to risk getting a public establishment a code violation. I know you guys will side with him, but please just confirm that I'm right.

Thanks,
Jay

PS Brandon- get the mop ready and buy some shoes!!

 

WOW! very interesting....
I just moved from VA and I do remember it being such a big deal that you have to wear shoes in almost all establishments, as the law makes them post those signs. But I will do some research on VA and see what I can find!
Good luck!

 

It definately IS a violation in Virginia. The signs are the proof. Brandon, I guess just needs to hear it on a board like this and from, what he calls a "fellow barefooter."


I would NEVER have made a bet like this on a public forum, if I knew I was wrong!

Read the signs Brandon!!

 

I also want to add that I know it probably varies state to state. But, if the signs say it is a Health Code Violation, then it is! And, in Virginia that what the signs say.


I'll be a barefoot diva for a day Brandon, if I'm wrong, but I'm not!

 

JayD, I wouldn't be so sure yet until the VA health codes are verified. You may soon be a barefoot diva after all. Here in California there are some restaurants, such as McD's, that have signs stating "No Bare Feet by order of the health department" but California has NO such state health code.

 

Hey Sweet,

with all due respect there is no way they can put on the signs "In Accordance To Health Departments Regulations" if it is not true!!

I'm just waiting for some verification from someone who goes barefoot and posts on here.

So, Sweet, I think you and Brandon are in denial!

I'm so sure that if I'm wrong, I will even let you pick the date and site of where I have to be a barefoot diva. Boy, that would be costly and humilaiting!! Never have been in drag and never will be Sweet!

But, I'm going to pick some expensive Nikes for Brandon and I will posts his pics with them on!

 

I am a member of The Society for Barefoot Living, and this subkect is a very common myth.
Members have researched this and here is a link to a letter from
COMMONWEALTH of VIRGINIA

Department of Health
P O BOX 2448
RICHMOND, VA 23218

http://www.barefooters.org/health-dept/VA2002.html



Dear Mr. DiFonzo:

The Virginia Department of Health does not have any law or regulation requiring shoes or other footwear to be worn by the public or staff in restaurants.

If I can be of further assistance to you, please do not hesitate to contact me.

signed)
Sincerely,

Gary L. Hagy, Director
Food and Environmental Health Services




It is also not illegal to drive Barefoot in any State in the USA or here in the UK.

Regards,

Barefootandy

 

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO....OK, lets see the dress JayD!!!!!!!!!!

 

HAHAHA yea common JAYD


I know over here in the uk a lot of stores will write that up as a just in case.
For example if someone came in barefoot and hurt their foot they couldnt sue the store because there is a sign up warning them that its not COMPANY policy to let people barefoot.

Thats all they are really stating, the companys policy.

 

You all don't gloat and laugh yet. I will confirm this with the VA Health Department. And his "proof" is from 2002, so I will make sure it still stands. So we will see. I'm sure Brandon will on here after work gloating. I have to confirm this. I will be calling there tomorrow. So we will see who laughs last!

 

Well I think Brandon and us will have the last laugh hope he posts plenty of pics.

 

The best thing for anyone to do when there is question about this, is simply look up the board of health, and write a letter. I live in WA state, and I have sent e-mails to the washington state department of transportations, and the washington state health board a few months ago, I got replies from both of them stating that there are no laws or regulations. It is simply up to the owner of an establishment weather or not they want to allow barefeet. OSHA doesn't care about customers being barefoot, but they do require employees of most businesses to be shod.

So whether ot's the law or not, if someone has a sign that says you need shoes, it's pretty disrespectful to not obey it. I agree, it sucks, and it's unfair to us barefooters, but you can't win em all.

 

No, actually it doesn't. Barefooting in stores and restaurants is not a health code violation in any state.

Surely you are not serious. It's amazing how they can get away with posting those lies, but apparently they do.

Anyway, here is a picture of the actual letter from Virginia (reduced in size a little.)

 

Don't worry Kid! I will call them. I don't want to give Brandon or you barefooters the satisfaction of seeing me in drag and barefeet. So, you best believe, I will confirm this and also see if it holds true in 05/06.

 

I don't agree with you on that. Signs which refer to a customer's attire and requirements thereof before someone is deemed worthy to enter are disrespectful of the customer, and quite often just plain rude in the way they are worded. But what's worse, are signs that not only presume to tell grown men and women what they may or may not wear, they flat-out lie about the reasons, such as has been mentioned before:
"No Barefeet In Accordance To Health Department Regulation."
or
"No Bare Feet by order of the health department."

Signs that refer to some phantom law as a justification may as well be ignored since they are based on a false premise and are completely invalid. How they continue to get away with it, I don't know. Maybe because there just has never been any outcry from the public. Therefore, gullible people like JayD continue to believe this crap, and the myth that bare feet are somehow unhealthy continues to be perpetuated.

If a store or restaurant felt they simply must tell customers how they should dress, they would merely need to post something honest like: "No bare feet, store policy." Or just "Footwear required."

 

Kid,


I just spoke with a grocery store manager who is "pretty sure" it is now a code violation in Virginia. So, things look up for. When I get it in writting next week, lets say you have to go in drag, since you are so confident a letter from 2002 is correct.

I bet we will be seeing YOU in drag and Brandon with some Nikes on. As, this manager thinks I'm right.

I will post the letter that I'm confident I can get by next week. I want YOUR pics in drag posted. I'll pick the date and diva- haha! Remember all, it is almost 2006, not 2002!

 

Just think about it logically, Jay. Why would any health department even concern itself with what customers wear on their feet?

Bare feet don't touch anything that shoes don't touch. People would be appalled if someone put his or her shoes on the table at a restaurant. Bare feet are no different from shoes in that respect. They touch the ground or the floor when walking, just like shoes, and they stay on the floor at a restaurant or other establishment, just like shoes. No one is going to put his or her bare foot on a table or near food just as no one would put his or her shod foot on a table or near food. So how could bare feet be any kind of a health issue in a restaurant or store? It really doesn't make sense and defies logic and medical science to think bare feet could be a problem.

And any thought that some type of bacteria could magically jump up from a bare foot on the floor to the food or utensils on a restaurant table or to products or even other people in a restaurant or store is just patently ridiculous. If that were possible, then flip-flops, sandals and open-toed shoes would have to be universally banned by health departments as well, for "sanitary" reasons.

No, health departments, with their expertise in medical and scientific knowledge, are concerned with real health hazards, not some customer who may be barefoot.

 

this is a phantom law, same as being illegal to drive barefoot.. IT ISN'T ILLEGAL TO DRIVE BAREFOOT

nor

is there ANY health department LAW requiring shoes by patrons and as for employees it is probably more OHSA than department of health.

Think of it logically, why would barefeet on the floor be a health violation ?
how is going barefoot in a hardware store a health violation ?
at a restaurant, what do people do, eat off the floor ?
what difference is there in barefeet and dirty/muddy shoes ?

oh and the diva dress .. I think the one like Britney Spears wore in 'Baby one More Time' will suffice, of course in barefeet.

 

Brittany Spears- ha ha! I have been working on a letter which I will hand deliver Tuesday. Brandon called me gloating, of course. I told him to give until next Friday. I will have a letter to prove you guys wrong and him by next Friday. This store manager is pretty sure it is now a code violation! So, sorry all you barefooters, you very well may not see me in any dress!

 

And, Kid you will see who gets the last laugh. I should have known I would have to get my own proof. Just wait Kid! If I don't have proof for all you by next week, I will even paint my toe nails red if I have to go in drag.


I will post some pics of Brandon in his Nikes for you walking in the store down the street here- now, that will be funny!