Driving barefoot.

June 23, 2013 12:40 PM

Is it a bad idea to drive barefoot?

A few friends of mine have commented to me that driving barefoot is illegal. That was news to me, as it is something I have done when I was wearing flip flops or heels, which is not very often. Still, I can't find any evidence that this is illegal anywhere. It seems to me that optimal driving conditions would have the driver wearing shoes and numerous people have suggested to me that your foot doesn't have the same ability to hit the brakes. But I love to be barefoot and driving without shoes feels just fine to me. I have already combed Google so now I'm asking the Green, is it a bad idea to drive barefoot?

posted by futureisunwritten to Travel & Transportation (34 answers total)

Shoes give you a larger, flatter, and stiffer contact surface. It's easier to have control over the pressure you put without having to place your foot precisely. Plus, shoes don't sweat.

Whether those are significant safety factors, I have no idea, but they are factors. I've done some barefoot driving in my day, and especially on cars with narrow brake pedals it's not quite as simple.
posted by restless_nomad at 12:49 PM on June 23, 2013 [1 favorite]

Just don't let your shoe get trapped under the brake.
posted by bleep at 12:53 PM on June 23, 2013 [2 favorites]

Your friends are wrong, there's no law against driving (a car) barefoot.

What would be a terrible idea would be to kick off your shoes into the well in front of you (the driver,) as they could roll under a pedal. But I kick mine off into the passenger side well and it's just fine.

I think it would be a very bad idea to drive in flip flops, or anything else that could slide off your foot. But as long as your bare foot isn't sweaty to the point of slipperiness, I can't think why it'd be a problem.
posted by fingersandtoes at 12:54 PM on June 23, 2013

Driving barefoot is safer than driving in flip-flops or high heels, since both can fall off/get stuck fairly easily down in the pedals.
posted by aintthattheway at 12:54 PM on June 23, 2013 [1 favorite]

Barefoot compared to what? I've started driving wearing flip-flops but stopped to take them off to drive barefoot since I felt that offered better control, with the footwear feeling like it would fall loose and get in the way, caught under a pedal, etc. And if I wore high heels I might take them off to drive. But for the reasons restless_nomad provides, other types of footwear feel more secure when driving compared to bare feet.
posted by exogenous at 12:54 PM on June 23, 2013

My experience is in line with restless_nomad's: I feel I have better control with the flatter, stiffer surface that wearing shoes gives me. However, I am more alert and less likely to doze off on long drive if I drive shoeless. On balance, I find a net increase in safety by driving without shoes. For some people with substantially stiffer pedals and substnially less leg strength, maybe the tradeoff is different.
posted by deanc at 12:58 PM on June 23, 2013

Wow I can see this one becoming contentious.

I think it depends on the car. My car is from 1966 and has single circuit unassisted non-power brakes(which is to say, one hydraulic cylinder for all four wheels. They quit this in 67' because if it fails...) and a very heavy throttle. My parents have a late 90s Subaru, and my partner has an early 2000s Nissan.

My car requires you to almost stand on the brakes sometimes, which is just how it works. This is obviously a bit shitty without shoes on. The Subaru is somewhere in the middle being firm, but obviously power assisted and very linear. The Nissan feels like an arcade game with no force feedback in comparison. Recently i had to make an emergency stop when someone made an illegal turn in front of me and the brakes were applied to the max before I had even really given it much grunt. I've driven it barefoot and you can fully apply the brakes with one toe.

So yea, I think it really depends on the car.

It's also worth noting that some shoes are very thin, like chucks, tigers, some old running shoes and others. Some shoes made for driving like those Ferrari Adidas are as well. These almost feel like driving barefoot. I've owned those dorky toe shoes(don't make fun of me :( ) and they actually felt more solid than some of the thin shoes for this.

Barefoot is also better than ANY kind of sandles IMO. Fuck that getting caught on the edge of the pedal between your toes and the sole thing. Just throw your shoes in the passenger area/back seat so they can't get caught up in anything. If your car is suited to it.
posted by emptythought at 1:01 PM on June 23, 2013

Nthing as long as your shoes don't end up under the pedal, it's fine. I do it often, particularly on hot days (when my shoes are likely to keep my feet hot) or when wearing sandals.
posted by wrok at 1:11 PM on June 23, 2013

I live in Arizona. I almost always kick my shoes under the seat when I'm driving. It never occurred to me that there might be a problem with it.
posted by celtalitha at 1:13 PM on June 23, 2013

From Wikipedia: "It is legal throughout the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom to drive barefoot." More from barefooters.org, which is, as you might guess, an organisation of people who like to go barefoot.

I drive barefoot all the time. In my opinion, unless you have a card with really hard brakes, the difference between driving in, say, sneakers and going shoeless is pretty minimal. I personally feel that it's much safer to drive barefoot than in high heels, most sandals, clogs, platform-styled anything, etc.
posted by MeghanC at 1:18 PM on June 23, 2013 [1 favorite]

I remember finding it easier to learn to drive stick barefoot or in thin shoes; something about being able to feel the vibrations of the engine easier. Now it doesn't really matter, at least in my car (mid-90s Nissan).
posted by supercres at 1:18 PM on June 23, 2013 [2 favorites]

Here's a FindLaw article on the subject. Long story short, it's not illegal but it's probably not the safest thing to do. If you're going to drive barefoot, ensure that your shoes are placed safely out of the way.
posted by PorcineWithMe at 1:21 PM on June 23, 2013

This is a topic of discussion between by German Gf and I. She thinks driving barefoot is risky and illegal in Germany. I often drive barefoot in summer, taking off my flip flops to remove any risk of them getting stuck, jamming etc. I'm pretty confident that I can put just as much pressure on a brake pedal barefoot as I can shod. I guess the only possible exception would be if its so hot that the soles of your feet are sweating - which might cause you to slip - but that seems pretty unlikely to me...
posted by prentiz at 1:28 PM on June 23, 2013

You know, the real issue with driving barefoot isn't that you're driving barefoot.

It's that you're not driving barefoot often enough. Not enough to get as skilled and comfortable doing it as you drive the "normal" way.

Think about it. Let's say you drive barefoot 1 out of 20 trips. That means 95 percent of the time, you're touching the three most important control surfaces one way, and then 5 percent of the time, you're throwing yourself a curveball by making two of them -- the accelerator and brake -- feel totally different.

How would you feel if, 1 out of 20 trips, I randomly took away your rearview mirror? Sure, you could turn your head. But how comfortable would you be?

Practice good driving hygiene. It will save your life. People forget that, unless you're a soldier going to war, driving is LITERALLY THE SINGLE MOST DANGEROUS THING YOU'LL DO IN YOUR ENTIRE LIFE.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 1:50 PM on June 23, 2013 [7 favorites]

It might be illegal, but hot feet on road trips are the worst, and might lead to road rage. Put your shoes in the back seat and you'll be ok.
posted by oceanjesse at 2:00 PM on June 23, 2013

At least make sure your shoes are in the car. I left the house barefoot once and got into a car accident. Walking around barefoot on hot asphalt pavement was not the most fun experience of my life.
posted by hwyengr at 2:05 PM on June 23, 2013 [2 favorites]

I drive barefoot if I'm wearing flip flops or heels that day as I feel that gives me better control. Otherwise, I leave my shoes on.
posted by RainyJay at 2:13 PM on June 23, 2013

When I was learning to drive, I felt like I had much more sensitivity and control driving barefoot or in socks....much more nuance. It was a long time before I felt comfortable driving in normal thick soled shoes. I still often drive shoeless unless its really hot or cold. I also agree about heels and flip flops and any other shoe that isn't flat on the bottom and secure on your foot.

I took my drivers test in socks only and passed, so its definitely not illegal in California!
posted by jrobin276 at 2:30 PM on June 23, 2013 [2 favorites]

When I was a teenager I was pulled over for speeding. I was barefoot and the police gave me a hard time about it, saying it was illegal, but didn't write a ticket for it. I now realize it actually isn't illegal, but it gives something for the police to hassle you about. So keep a pair of easy to slip on sandals handy in case you get pulled over (or have to walk in a hurry!)
posted by zsazsa at 3:17 PM on June 23, 2013 [1 favorite]

I kick off my shoes and drive barefoot if I'm wearing anything other than driving mocs or perfectly-fitting loafers. Like supercres said, there is something about feeling the vibration on my soles when driving stick that makes me feel more in tune with shifting. I drive for pleasure (including my errands and commute), and barefooting adds to my enjoyment.
posted by nacho fries at 3:52 PM on June 23, 2013

Cool Papa Bell makes the good point -- getting some experience is a good idea. I drive barefoot whenever it's hot and I'll be behind the wheel for more than a half-hour. Those saying sweaty feet could be slippery, well, so could wet shoes. And regarding the legality, the question was asked of the instructor at Traffic School and he said there's nothing in the California Vehicle Code about clothing requirements for motor vehicle operators -- like steering with your knees, it's okay as long as you don't lose control of your vehicle. The laws in your jurisdiction could be different, however.
posted by Rash at 4:25 PM on June 23, 2013

Left foot braking vs right foot braking, same thing applies: whatever you're used to is what you should keep on doing. Driving carries risks that are too large to artificially handicap yourself by switching things up.
posted by davejay at 4:34 PM on June 23, 2013

I have probably driven a car less than one hundred times, but my experience has been in accord with what jrobin276 said. I really prefer not to wear shoes when I drive, but I feel like there are only three stages on the pedal: foot off pedal, foot on pedal midway down, and foot on pedal all the way down. With socks or barefoot, I get a lot more finesse on what speed I get to drive at, and can feel a lot more resistance on the pedal this way.

I'm in Texas, and it was mentioned to me that it might be illegal to drive barefoot, but a simple search online doesn't indicate that there is any law that states you cannot drive barefoot.
posted by SollosQ at 5:18 PM on June 23, 2013

If I'm wearing flip flops or sometimes big uncomfortable winter boots I usually end up taking them off and shoving them out of the way while driving. I've often wondered if this was legal, but never enough to bother looking it up. I think being barefoot has no negative effect on my driving ability and it's definitely safer than flip flops. I wonder if the real danger is if you have to get out of the car in a hurry because of some sort of accident or something. Then being barefoot might put you at a disadvantage.
posted by wabbittwax at 5:54 PM on June 23, 2013

I started driving during a summer when I was wearing flip flops all the time, and so I started driving barefoot and have kept it up since then. I just don't feel like I can feel the pedals as well when I'm wearing shoes- it's like trying to open a door with gloves on or something, it just feels muffled and strange. For me, driving with shoes on would be more dangerous because I would have to completely relearn how the pedals feel.
posted by MadamM at 6:16 PM on June 23, 2013

I've always found it hard to accurately drive a manual in flip flops. The heel gets caught as I'm coming off the clutch, so I like to kick them off and drive barefoot. I usually leave any footwear, flip flops included, on if I'm driving an automatic.
posted by thack3r at 7:04 PM on June 23, 2013 [1 favorite]

There are times I drive barefoot, and I actually feel I have better control on the gas. I've had both sandals and heavy boots interfere with the gas/brake, and it's not fun. (Cute summer sandals, gas pedal, corner of garage. Been there, done that. The insurance agent said he'd heard it a million times, but it didn't alleviate the feeling stupid.)

I wonder if the real danger is if you have to get out of the car in a hurry because of some sort of accident or something. Then being barefoot might put you at a disadvantage.

This. At least keep foot gear close, and make sure it's easy to slip into. Getting out on a very hot pavement with goathead thorns on the road berm was NOT fun. I imagine winter wouldn't be a picnic either.
posted by BlueHorse at 7:38 PM on June 23, 2013

I hope everyone here puts their shoes OUTSIDE of the driver's seat area!!

I drove a vintage VW manual barefoot ages ago with ease. Now that I live in LA, I have had my flip flops get caught under the pedals... SCARY.

Yes, BE CAREFUL, but it IS more comfortable:))
posted by jbenben at 8:00 PM on June 23, 2013

Response by poster: Yes, I forgot to add that I always put my shoes/flip flops on the passenger side. That would seem like a given to me.
posted by futureisunwritten at 4:52 AM on June 24, 2013

Of course it's a given, because you are not stupid! I have almost prehensile toes and I don't know whether that gives me an advantage or not. Maybe if there was a spare bit of rubbish rolling around, I could remove it quickly without having to lean forwards.

I prefer to drive with shoes on but if it's a choice of driving in heels or barefoot, it's barefoot every time. A solid sole aids in firm movements, such as quick braking and continuous usage of the clutch. Your foot can get tired more easily if it's not contained within a supporting shell.

I think it depends on the length of the journey as to whether there's a significant difference in safety between shod or unshod driving.
posted by h00py at 5:38 AM on June 24, 2013

Wearing shoes while driving feels clumsy to me and makes it harder to make small changes to the gas/brake pedals. It's also a lot faster for me to switch from gas to brake without shoes, just need to twist the heel slightly, whereas with shoes I need to move the whole foot.

I take off my right shoe 100% of the time, stick in the back seat or the passenger seat so it can't get caught up under anything. I will do this even with others. I almost always keep my left shoe on, and my right foot basically stays in a sock. For long trips by myself or with family I will take all shoes and socks off if it's summer.

I can't drive with a shoe on, even just to move the car in a parking lot or driveway, I feel like I'm going to have an accident. I've been driving like this for ~10 years. It gets a little annoying to take shoes off and on (if you need to make a couple of stops), but I think I am a much more responsive driver as a result and will never switch to wearing shoes while driving. With that in mind, glad to hear it's not illegal.
posted by friendofstone at 6:35 AM on June 24, 2013

Here is an interesting take on the question, and it makes an interesting point about what you're doing with your left foot when you drive (if not left-foot braking.)
posted by davejay at 11:43 AM on June 24, 2013

I have driven tens of thousands of miles in various automatic cars with a flipflop on my left foot, my right foot bare, and my right flipflop on the flood next to the seat. I like the fact that I can feel the actual shape of the pedals with my toes, and I think I can actually apply more precise pressure to the gas and brake pedals without shoes.

I can't drive stick though, so I don't know how that factors in to your question.
posted by Aizkolari at 2:35 PM on June 24, 2013

I once caused an accident when my sandal slipped sideways as I slammed on the brake, jamming itself beneath the brake and rendering it very hard for me to simply try again to hit it (I first had to unjam the shoe from under the pedal, and by then BAM!).

I ALWAYS take sandals off when driving now.
posted by IAmBroom at 11:25 PM on June 24, 2013