Safety concern over choice of driving shoes

This news article was shown on BBC News this morning in the UK. Apart from this article, the reporter was speaking live from somewhere in the UK (I forgotten where) and additionally mentioned it is not illegal to drive barefoot in the UK (something that we knew about in this forum already). But at least, it lets the masses know about this as well.

As you can guess I always drive barefoot.

The link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11387195

Cheers


Mo

 

Ha, its the only way, bear foot is kinda the same as wearing no shose u forget about it after a while, mondays suck, first day of work first day of shose, always have sore feet at the end of the day, i drive for hours bare foot and its great, comfy i gusess

 

Kia Ora Ni Hao!

Since I have been going barefoot which does include driving, I have found it cumbersome and quite frankly a bother to wear shoes when driving. When I was used to driving in shoes, they didn't bother me. However, I definitely see the difference now if I try to drive in shoes versus driving barefoot.

Cheers!

 

The video clip doesn't explicitly say it's legal to drive without shoes although you are correct that it's legal most everywhere.

I rarely wear shoes when I drive. I find I have a better sense of the pedals with bare feet. I agree with the video that flip-flops are awkward. Whenever I drive with flip-flops I sense they could fold under my foot when I let off the gas or brake. Some of the heels women wear appear not only awkward for driving, but perhaps painful as well. The heels/platforms would put one's ankle in an unnatural position.

 

My mom's late sister used to drive an old school Mini Cooper back in the day. I can remember on several occasions she would arrive at my grandparents house dressed to the nines only to delay exiting the car while she swapped her slippers for a pair of heels. I think she new something back in the seventies that today's women still haven't managed to grasp-safety first.

 

I didn't realise it was illegal to drive barefoot in some places in any case. I doubt it is here.
I've driven with shoes on probably less than what I could count with two hands. I just preferred to drive barefoot because it felt like I had more control.

 

Bingo!! :auto: :groupwave:

 

It's fine in Australia. I have pages showing it's legal in US, Canada, Puerto Rico, Virgin islands: http://tafkac.org/legal/driving.barefoot/driving_barefoot.html
UK http://allaboutthefeet.blogspot.com/2008/01/is-it-illegal-to-drive-barefoot.html and http://www.safermotoring.co.uk/appropriate-footwear-when-driving.html which recommends against it claiming you don't have the same breaking force as in shoes but still makes it clear it's not illegal (and I think they don't take those of us in account who have strong feet from going barefoot habitually, let alone the growing number of barefoot runners... Quite likely a tenderfoot who never puts that bare foot on the ground has weak feet, but I am sure most of us are quite able to brake hard if necessary)
Australia responses from various territories are quoted in this forum thread, about 2/3 of the way down: http://phorums.com.au/archive/index.php/t-146990.html
In Germany it's not forbidden, http://www.barfusspark.info/fussgesund/auto.htm (I can read most of it but not all the details it gives, my German is very spotty)
There's an Italian letter here: http://www.nati-scalzi.org/INFO/guidascalza.pdf (I was told it says it's not illegal, don't read Italian so if it says the opposite don't blame me, LOL)
In Brazil, "CTB Article 252, IV prohibits, "Driving the car...using footwear that does not hold firm to the feet or that compromises the use of the pedals." Popular advice is that driving barefoot is recommended over driving with inappropriate footwear. Article 252 can be found here http://www.pr.gov.br/mtm/legislacao/ctb/cap_xv.htm (translation not mine either!)
I've heard claims it's illegal in Portugal but since I know no Portuguese, I haven't been able to verify this with their government links, haven't had any direct translations provided to me like the Brazil one above. From South Africa I've heard conflicting reports, heard of one source I tend to trust he heard from his traffic department it is not illegal, and yet got an email from another SA traffic officer claiming it is indeed illegal. Interestingly enough the last did NOT quote the law as I had specifically requested, which makes me wonder if it's another case of one of those cops who is taken in by the myth that it's illegal, or that it's such unsafe practice it automatically falls under 'reckless driving'.
Some Kenyans claimed it was illegal on Twitter and I emailed their motor vehicle department, unfortunately no reply received.
No definite info on other countries -if anyone wants to do the research and add their own -provided your country has such a myth and it's even necessary, here in the Netherlands I've never heard anyone make the claim it's not legal so I haven't bothered- then let me know. I like to be able to bust the barefoot-driving myth any time I can