Team-BHP - Driving barefoot / without shoes....

From the past 3 decades, I have been comfortably driving various vehicles like Austin A40, Standard Herald, Fiat 1100D, Ambassador, Hyundai Santro, Maruti Suzuki Omni/Versa, and now Fiat Linea, with my footwear on. I do not see any reason to change to drive bare-foot. Ultimately, it depends on one's level of comfort and confidence. If one is more comfortable and confident to drive bare-foot, just go ahead!

Quote:

clevermax

: The worst part of barefoot drivings is, it is embarrassing!! Imagine a situation where you and your colleagues / friends get into your car and they all have to wait until you remove your shoes and start the car. The same goes with the delay in getting out of the car after putting the shoes/sandals on.

@Clevermax, what makes you think that a person who likes to drive barefoot will drive only if he is not wearing footwear, and will desist from driving if he is wearing shoes ?

While it is a matter of comfort, people who like to drive barefoot also know when to drive with footwear on. It's a matter of convinience too. I like to drive barefoot. So if I am wearing chappals, I do kick off my chappals & drive. But if I am driving to office, it is always with shoes - and I continue to drive with shoes.

after reeding this thread i thought of experimenting in all possible way and trying to know my comfort level.
What my observation was that its comfortable to drive barefoot for short distances may be a one km or two. with heavy sole you barely feel the throttle and the power.
Finally now i have landed up with thin sole shoes which make me fell the throttle and comfort also.
My next target is buying the Ferrari puma shoes, not sure if they are meant for driving but they look YANK

Quote:

Originally Posted by clevermax (Post 1644350)

IMO, barefoot drivers are incomplete drivers!!

The worst part of barefoot drivings is, it is embarrassing!! Imagine a situation where you and your colleagues / friends get into your car and they all have to wait until you remove your shoes and start the car. The same goes with the delay in getting out of the car after putting the shoes/sandals on.

EDIT: The feeling of loss of precision when one drives with shoes IS just a feeling. You can get the same amount of control that you would get while operating the pedals barefoot - if you practice it.

Well thats a very very narrow minded way of looking at the subject i must say. I dont find anything embarrassing abt it and so do my friends.

And even if they do, i would never sacrifice my comfort for that.

Its only a matter of personal preference. At most times on the highway i prefer to drive barefoot as i find it comfortable and safe (more so when i have my chappals on)

We all drive/can drive with shoes/chappals on ALSO.

I too had this problem of driving with footwear, when I began driving 3-4 years ago. Now, I have no problem to drive with shoes; not so comfortable with sandals / slip-ins type. As several members mentioned in this forum, one gets used to, as long as one is interested in trying it out.

Even now, while driving long distance, I prefer wearing slip-in type chappals and often remove them while driving. Since, I don't need to use clutch and accelerator much, it won't strain your legs.

Regards

I think it all in one's mind. My driving instructor taught me to do it bare foot but wouldn't insist on it. I quickly switched to footwear mode.
I feel that one should not restrict to control the machine only with bare foot. After all it is a machine and you are human. You can control it any way you want :)

I am also stuck on bare foot driving. Thanks to the driving instructor. In fact was thinking of continuing the same way in future also. But last night when I waited to pick wifey from the office mosquitoes got in. And the way they were feasting on my bare feet while I was driving back......Mama Mia!!!! Heavy trucks on Hosur road trying to put ballerinas to shame and Schumacher at wheels of volvos with mosquitoes sucking blood.......Almost caused me to crash.

Now I am seriously thinking of switching over to driving with footwear on.

I started off with 'bare-foot driving' (thanks to driving school), and then changed to 'driving with shoes on' some time back. Now I have changed back again to 'bare-foot driving'.

I think it depends on the shoes that we are using. If you are wearing loose shoes, the foot moves inside the shoes while releasing the clutch. Even if this movement is small, it affects precision.

It doesn't matter much if you release the clutch by 'lifting' the entire foot, but if you plant your heels on the carpet while releasing the clutch, even a small movement of foot inside the shoes would affect the precision. (This is what I mean by precision - You could start pressing the accelerator long before the clutch engages and the car starts moving. A 'precise' driver presses the accelerator just at the time the clutch engages.)

Bare foot driving on longer distances/time will strain your foot ligaments to the extreme. I have experienced lots of chronic pain in my foot (especially the right one, on the throttle), & the best possible remedy was a foot-wear (shoes the best) with hard & grippy soles which wouldn't budge on the length of the foot wrt the force applied.

Not just the ergonomics, but is also safer in case you hit your foot against any thing hard (steel) or sharp edged stuff around your feet. It will also give a good protection in case your car catches fire due to some accident/fault.

Even few my friends tell it would be comfortable without any foot wear on, but guys trust me it is a very bad habit to drive without good shoes on!

Seriously guys I tried driving without any footwear on more than one occasion but simply could not do it. I could not feel the clutch, brake or the accelerator but something stock against which I have to apply force:Frustrati. I have seen many of my friends driving without a footwear who could not drive with any footwer on.
The other thing I lack is I absolutely cannot drive with any sports shoes on. The shoes simply feel heavy and I start losing the grip:Shockked:. For the best things are office shoes, floaters or any casual pull ons.

Quote:

Originally Posted by download2live (Post 1841138)

I am also stuck on bare foot driving.
Now I am seriously thinking of switching over to driving with footwear on.

Try driving with shoes which have a thin sole. Canvas shoes, lightweight sports shoes and office shoes would be good.

Avoid floaters, sandals, slippers, slip ons and heavy shoes/boots.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ghodlur (Post 1841592)

The other thing I lack is I absolutely cannot drive with any sports shoes on. The shoes simply feel heavy and I start losing the grip. For the best things are office shoes, floaters or any casual pull ons.

Sports shoes are my most preferred choice for driving. I'm talking about lightweight sports shoes, not the ones with heavy soles.

Office shoes with thin soles are also good.

Rohan

i never went to any driving school, but still during earlier days I used to drive barefoot, the only reason was sense of confidence. With barefoot it was much easier to judge pressure on accelerator, brake and clutch. But after a month or so, I started gaining confidence in driving and tried driving with footwear. Started with footwear with thin soles and after a while it didnt matter what footwear I wear I feel confident. So I guess once confidence levels are up you can start driving with footwear without worries

Quote:

Originally Posted by tantragna (Post 1841320)

Boss in my case I am more comfortable barefoot for long drives and dont feel the pain or so in the feet,in fact I am relaxed.I keep my footwear near passanger seat floor area away from my feet to avoid any distraction.

I prefer any shoes (formal or causal or sports) for driving. If its a local drive, Iam okay with slippers. For long drive, I always prefer shoes. No issues with bare foot driving as well, but that would be my last preference