First hassle for years

Having gone for years with absolutely no hassle from anyone about my barefootedness (is that such a word?) I got stopped twice in one week recently, both times in supermarkets.

Firstly Asda and then Tesco a week later, each time by managerial type woman (you know the type - they've always got a bunch of keys dangling from their belt and they stomp about the place like they own the joint..). I was told on both occasions to "please wear shoes next time you come shopping", followed by "We don't want you to cut your feet on any glass, sir"....yeah right.....thanks for your concern.....

Did I explain to them that I run 15 miles a week barefoot? Did I tell them that I've not worn shoes hardly over the last 8-9 years? Did I say that, actually I have 2 eyes in my head and that I LOOK where I put my feet, and that my feet are so tough they are impervious to most substances known to man?..........nah - I just smiled and agreed....and went about my own business in my own quiet way.

 

Oh no. Don't tell me Asda, who I've never had trouble with, are adopting the Tesco line! Not sure whether you are saying your reaction was the correct one, or whether you're annoyed with yourself for not putting forward all those arguments? I know my reaction in reality would have been the same as yours, ie politely acknowledge then quietly carry on, but I'd then feel annoyed with myself for not putting up more of a "defence".

 

You understand why they want you to wear footwear, it is to cover their own backsides in the case of an accident and you suing them. To be honest I don't think there is anything wrong with that. I'm all for going barefoot but being annoyed at an establishment for trying to avoid trouble is a waste of time.

 

Yep you're probably right. I no longer go bf in there as it's not worth the hassle. I'm not that obsessed by the whole thing! (Do feel like they've "won", but what you say makes sense I guess)

 

There is always a first time for everything. I have never been stopped in Asda or Tesco yet. Asda is part of Walmart. I have been stopped in Costco.

 

ill give you your third hassle. i don't get this movement.. you really think your feet are callused enough to not get cut by glass? are you gunna sue the grocery store when you DO step on a piece of glass when youre looking at the shelves and not the floor? is it some kind of phobia? it freaks you out to wear shoes? ive asked these questions before and was basically called out for being a hater.. not to say that im not..

 

You're a hater....shut up...don't like us, leave

 

no, YOU shut up, sir!

 

You're kinda right some 'barefooters' are a bit self-righteous, and sure things will cut your feet if you don't have your mind on where your going. However as someone who does go barefoot I honestly admit I have rarely had anything cut or go in my foot for years. Maybe it's luck, maybe it's tough feet or maybe I'm more careful, possible the risks are over-exaggerated, I don't know but it's a choice and a decision to go the natural way. If you wear shoes all the time cool, it's up to you; and if I don't it's my choice. You should'nt be abused for asking a few questions and we should'nt be victimized for going native.
This kind of 'drawing lines in the sand' just gives bad vibes, let's all talk and share a bit of love for difference

 

Durrrty hippies,,,

feets don't fail me now

 

i guess i get the choice, but do you live in the wild, not drive a car and grow your own food? I mean taking off your shoes is about the last thing i think of when someone says the phrase "going natural". I'm not saying it doesn't take dedication, i'm sure it does. I'm simply wondering what drives a person to do this. Phobia? For a greener earth? For tougher feet? I appreciate your serious response. But if you were to mangle your foot in an establishment that says something along the lines of "you must wear shoes in this establishment", the store have no responsibility for your hospital bills. I doubt your insurance would even cover you. What about for everyone else's benefit? don't you think you can track pathogens into say a grocery store and they could get in someones food because of it maybe?

Once again.. not trying to hate on the barefoot movement. Just asking you fellow forum goers to shed some light on this subject that no one ever seems to talk about.

 

i think the dirty argument doesn't really make sense because anything you can track in on your feet could be brought in by shoes too. but otherwise, i agree with you that doing it to be more 'natural' seems weird. when i think natural i don't often think of walking barefoot on a marmoleum floor, buying packaged food that i pay for with a card. also not judging, but i honestly don't understand it.

 

i was coming back in here to change that just now. that argument doesn't really make alot of sense.

 

Yeah I do grow my own and live off the grid and rarely visit the large food chains etc. I suppose I'm not very qualified to comment on these things from the typical point of view, but I tried...maybe someone else can join the discussion? Best wishes on your quest for answers,

Madesh

 

Oh the joy of when one of these threads in the BF forums pops up on the front page.

For me, I just love being able to feel the surface I'm treading on, unless of course the surface truly is hazardous. Sure my feet get dirty, but I wash them at least twice a day. When was the last time you washed your shoes, and I mean truly scrubbed them with soap and water? If not every day then my feet are cleaner than your shoes at most any given point in time. Dirt on feet is also much easier to clean than dirt/mud in shoe treads.

And of course when my feet are not encapsulated in shoes, they don't get sweaty nearly as much, which means they don't stink. What little sweat does occur is just about the same as when your hands sweat. If you think pathogens are an issue, just think of how much bacteria and pathogens live inside your dark, musty shoes.

If I go barefoot into an establishment, it's a chance that I'm taking that I don't get injured. There was no negligence on the store's part if I get hurt except in the most unlikely of circumstances, and it would be very difficult if not impossible to win a lawsuit in this case. Plus I'm not want to cry "SUE!!!" if what happened really was my fault.

 

if you actually read the thread, he stated a couple posts later that the pathogen thing didn't make sense.

and do you really think a business is going to just trust you that you won't sue them? just because you're not an asshole doesn't mean that there are lots of them out there.

personally, i don't really care if someone goes barefoot, but if you came into my store i'd probably at least consider asking you to put something on your feet.

 

Everyone is different in there reasons to go barefoot. So I can only speak for myself. ganjabomber, is asking good, valid questions to a community who share similar likeness. Most of these questions have been answered on this forum, but berried in old threads.

Let me start out first by saying I live ON the gird, I drive petroleum powered vehicle, I buy stuff based on it cost vs quality rather than whats better for the environment. I am a member so several community based groups and work a regular job like most people. I go Barefoot as much and as often as I can. WHY? BECAUSE I LIKE TOO!

Shoes to me are more trouble than the are worth. There are times when shoes are required, ie; walking about the office at work, at community based groups. I don't wear shoes when I don't have too. This includes at my desk at work, shopping, vising friends/family, going out, etc. My feet have build up resistance to the dangers of the common thing found on the ground, the toughing of my feet is a direct result of doing something I like to do.

I live in the south, it get hot here, and most don't want to wear more clothes than required. Flip flops are found most common footwear. I see no difference between sandals/flip flops and barefeet when it comes to foot hygiene. I have actually hurt my foot worst because of flip flops than just going barefoot. I hate the smell of feet rotting away in shoes, and by going barefoot the only thing the smell like is dirt from the ground.

I live in a great state (usa) I am proud of, and there are no law against barefeet of any kind. It is correct that a privet establishment can object to who welcome onto there property for what ever there reason is. Most don't care about footwear I have found out. For the few that do I have two options most of the time, either put shoes on or leave. I have done both in the past and will continue. On to the public establishments and events, never had a problem, and because this could actually be considered discrimination. The way I would see it is if they allow people in flip flops to enter, there is no legitimate safety concerns about footwear. If there was, like a construction site, then rubber soled boot would be required.

There has always been a concern over who would the bill of a injured foot of a barefooter. I believe the word is negligence, this would put you at a lawyers mercy. A person/organization can not create a hazardous situation where a person can get hurt. Broken glass on the supermarket floor is a NOT situation they created out of negligence, unless the owner put it there just so a barefoot person would step on it. I have signed waivers to take on sporting events, even race go carts, and the hope is that if someone get hurt they will think they can't sue because they singed a waiver. Wrong. The responsibly of negligence act is not dismissed regardless of the waiver. If I was to hurt my foot and sue have to sue to cover medical expenses, most likely shoes would have not prevented the injury, ie; unmarked hole in the building floor.

Food safety is always talked about when dealing with the barefoot subject. I am more worried about food tampering or the use of expired food than I am about someone being barefoot, even if it was the employee. I worry more about the residual splash from my toilet getting onto my tooth brush than about my feet tracking in bad germs that will make me sick. I realize there is a are certain etiquette's while being barefoot just like anything else in public view. When I am at a restaurant for example I keep my feet on the ground, I do not put my foot on my knee so my sole is exposed, nor to I put my feet up onto the table. I keep my toe nails clip to prevent them from getting torn off, and when I notice my feet becoming dirty I wash or wipe them with a paper towel.

Keep i'm mind however I go barefoot because I like too. The feeling is great, the textures of the earth is a sensation only my feet will experiences. I can spread them out and they don't hurt from shoes, nor do the smell. They don't ruin because the get wet, and they provide great slip resistance. Did I mention how much they cost... FREE.

Thanks for reading, going barefoot is what I do. I will not recommend it for anyone, I only give support to those that do by sharing my own insight. If you are not a barefooter, hate the sight of feet, or feel liable for the damage my feet cause, keep your shoes on, and keep a sock stuffed in your mouth.

 

For most of us, it's very simple. It's more comfortable. It's bucking the trend. It's being different. It's being yourself. And for me, it's a slight feel of eroticism having dirty feet. And incredibly sexy

 

igobarefoot, I live just up the road from you and agree with what you said

peace out

 

You have not gotten answers because these questions are stupid, but I'll still answer them:

I don't want to wear shoes, it's not a "movement" for me...... I don't know ANYONE else who doesn't wear shoes, and I don't care. Your "question" about it being a phobia is obviously meant to be frustrating and insulting, but I'll still answer it, it might be for a few people, but I don't wear shoes because it is much faster and more convenient in the morning, I have less laundry, my feet are more healthy and stronger, and I have noticeably better circulation, which is important, especially for me, because I'm diabetic, and poor circulation or pressure on body parts can lead to neuropathy. So, I'm all around more healthy, happy, and comfortable.

My feet can take some glass, but obviously, I try not to step in it-to me, this seems like common sense. I'm not blind, and I'm not a retard, so stepping in glass is not a problem for me.

Of course nobody's suing the store, they obviously are not responsible for ME stepping somewhere, while I choose to not wear shoes, especially if they're the kind of place that tells me to wear shoes, which clearly shows they did what they could. Again, I have the ability to handle where I step, just like I did before I stopped wearing shoes, don't presume that I don't have the ability to find my food without losing awareness of my surroundings.

You find barefoot people are defensive because your line of questioning is inherently offensive.


In my year or so barefoot, I've had one glass cut-I knew there was glass, but it was pitch black dark. It healed fast and was fine. I've stepped on many spiky plant parts (a few today), you pull them out and they're fine. When I first started I had some that got deep and caused problems because I had no calluses, but that's because I was wandering through the desert with no shoes or calluses. You quickly learn to take note of where hazards are and how to be aware of your surroundings.