MVA - Sneakers etc are useless, wont save a crush injury etc...
And emergency evac... Mate, I could run over a bed of thorns in that event if needed in bare feet...
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If it's a stinking hot day i like to wear bare feet in the car and have the air-con on them ..... mmmmmm feel the cool :D . But 95% have shoes on ;)
I was always told it was a safety issue incase the windscreen gets smashed. Barefoot person won't want to use the peddles.
I have done it but not for a long time.
I know a guy in Canada that always drives in bare feet, and also steers with his feet as he has no arms. His liscense plate is "TOES".
And I am not kidding here, he can play the drums, and the trumpet better than most, and can throw a frisbee just asfar as anyone i know. The most interesting thing to watch him do is smoke and eat.
We had him as a guest speaker at our highschool graduation and he was a fantastic speaker.
I was under the impression it was illegal to do so.
I sometimes drive in bare feet, although rarely, because of the bad burrs near the gates into my place. But I see no issues with it. Certainly better than unsuitable footwear such as thongs or high heels.
In an accident ordinary shoes would provide little if any protection, and as for using pedals/emergency evacuation etc, in an emergency, with the adrenalin this provides, you would hardly notice the damage to your feet - good example is the daughter of a friend, just before Christmas she was attacked and exited her house through a window and ran (literally) across broken glass and down the street in bare feet. Had difficulty walking half an hour later, but no serious injuries once the broken glass was removed.
To some extent it depends on how tough your feet are (I routinely walk barefoot, so have fairly tough feet), but even with very soft feet I would assess the advantage would be to bare feet over most shoes, although the difference is pretty negligible.
John
Yes sometimes will drive on long highway hauls with bear's feet but not in the bush.... When I'm in an airplane I often will slip off my shoes or sandals but am always worried about that occasion when I might need to run out on the wing or slide down the slide in an evacuation...... Thankfully not yet.
No never with BEAR feet I find the claws get in the way.:p
I got back from Darwin yesterday and I drove without shoes the entire way. Usually I would have shoes on, but I just couldn't be bothered finding socks :p.
I do have thongs on the floor and I rest one under my right heel, otherwise the combination of ridged rubber floor mats and excessive heat gets a bit much for my soft feet!
i like to always drive with closed shoes.....sneakers really......
if im wearing thongs when i go for a drive......i take them off and throw them in the back.......
they are dangerous......they get caught on the pedals.....or under them......
and then i have a bad habit of gripping the tops of the pedals by curling my toes over them.....
and i actually pull up on the pedals when when driving.......the more i do this the more i hate it....
but i cant help it....
you also have more strength to push on the pedals if you are wearing shoes.......as you will have more of your foot on the pedal......
how many of you bare foot drivers accelerate with just one toe......?
or brake the same.......?
i know i do......and it frustrates me.....but its just habit......so i make sure im wearing closed shoes when driving.....
the beach is an exception.......i can stand having sand in my shoes......