[headbanger]

Barefoot for me. If you are driving multiple cars, barefoot driving helps to shorten the learning curve to align yourself with the car for feel and in particular brake pedal modulation.

A strict no no is the hawai slippers or chappal. This can get stuck in foot mat and can cause accidents.

[BLACNWYTE]

I used to prefer barefoot driving at the initial stages when I was getting used to driving and after I got the new car. Every time. I wore footwear I misjudged the clutch bite point and stalled the engine. As I got familiar with the machine I started wearing my regular footwear according to the occasion. Shoes, sandals even flip flops. For long drives, I still prefer barefoot driving since the air circulation keeps my feet cooler and comfortable. Of late, I have been using my thick sole woodlands as its weight is perfect to maintain the 80kmph speed on highways without exerting any extra force. Poor man's cruise control. The downside is that it takes away all the feel of driving barefoot.

[RavSam]

Wow! Barefoot option is second highest! I didn't expect that. But I understand that it's easy to sometimes miss the correct pedal when driving during the early days of ownership.

I remember driving the Alto barefoot at the driving class and would grip the pedal's attachment part with my toes. Stupid me!

Sorry but please excuse me for slight OT but people really do actually "love to ride" their cars no? Driving it crazy by being "bare" and wanting the feel of the vibrations and the exact bite point (for the Gear spot) Use protection (for your feet) guys! JK

[punto_]

I need to be wearing shoes while driving to be most comfortable. Barefoot is big no for me. I can manage with slippers/sandals within city.

Long drives, it's got to be shoes.

[sunikkat]

Always been driving with regular footwear that I wear for the occasion. Though I found the formal shoes to be slightly difficult due to slippery soles.
While on long drives I prefer to drive wearing a good pair of flip flops with good grip as it’s more comfortable.

[Rahul Bhalgat]

I wear formal leather shoes while driving.

On day long drives, I use canvas shoes but hardly notice any difference between the canvas and the leather. After the late afternoon, I prefer to take off the shoes for a few minutes during the break.

I wish we had ventilated shoes like we have ventilated seats!

[GTO]

Used to be a barefoot-driving guy on long distances, but it is now my no.2 choice (barefoot). No.1 is good Nikes or Adidas' (don't like Reebok's new range). These are my current favourites. I liked them so much that I got 3 of them in different colours! They are simply awesome for driving, walking & running. Also my preferred ones for all Team-BHP test-drives. I feel I can perfectly modulate the ABC pedals with them.

[ghodlur]

Never driven of bare foot and never ever will. It feels so uncomfortable for the bare skin to be in touch with the pedal. For me a comfy floater/sandal or even a slipper would be the best thing while driving. During office runs, the formal shoe would do its job well enough. Somehow not that comfortable with sports shoes/sneakers, the bigger soles dont allow the quick response when needed.

[Kosfactor]

I like to be well dressed even during vacation travel, so whatever shoes that goes with the clothes have to deal with the pedals. Since I drive many different vehicles, it all get auto adjusted in a few minutes. As long as the footwear does not let a heavy clutch (duster/safari) from digging into my feet, I'm happy.

I have vivid memories of Barefoot driving the Hindustan Trekker in driving school, it had a windshield and a canvas top, no doors, nothing. It essentially was an ambassador without the bits that made an ambassador a pain, at just 60kmph it felt like flying

[Shreyas_H]

Originally Posted by GTO

Used to be a barefoot-driving guy on long distances, but it is now my no.2 choice (barefoot). No.1 is good Nikes or Adidas' (don't like Reebok's new range). These are my current favourites. I liked them so much that I got 3 of them in different colours! They are simply awesome for driving, walking & running. Also my preferred ones for all Team-BHP test-drives. I feel I can perfectly modulate the ABC pedals with them.

These look nice, what are they called?

I can't imagine driving barefeet, would be weird for me for sure. Sports shoes any day!

[krishnakumar]

My mantra for driving footwear, applicable for regular commute/road-trips:

1. Snug fit, light and relatively thin/flexible soles - provides great feedback from the pedals and doesn't get stuck or anything

2. Nice light fabric or ventilated (like Crocs) - feet do get really swampy so such a ventilation is crucial

3. Neutral colors so that I can wear with pretty much any jeans

Problem comes when I'm dressed for an occasion and wearing shoes for that. If you're really finnicky about it, keep your driving pair in the car and swap. I have just trained myself to drive with any footwear.

Flip-Flops is a BIG no! They do and WILL get stuck between the pedals and you do not want that.

[Axe77]

Shoes (any kind). It must be shoes unless there are very compelling reasons otherwise. (For instance, going to a wedding function in Indian attire or something. Or going round the corner for a foot massage.)

I am agnostic to what kind of shoes. That would be exclusively guided by where I am going and for what purpose. For longer drives on road trip holidays, its most likely to be a pair of my running sneakers just because I would generally travel everywhere with one pair of running shoes (as part of running gear) plus some slippers / floaters.

I detest driving (and certainly riding) in slippers or even floaters.

I didn’t vote because I don’t specifically choose a particular type of shoe.

[diwakarmuthu]

For long drives I prefer shoes with minimal sole so that I get the required feedback while driving. Also doing it barefoot with the rubber grip on the pedals heats up in my opinion.

For local drives, I prefer any slippers that are comfortable.

Something like this

[arindambasu13]

On any drive, a shoe with a grippy rubber sole is best suited. Of course, sneakers/ running shoes will have this. High quality leather shoes (dress/formal shoes) can be specced with hard wearing rubber soles, which are equally efficient. I use both. Formal shoes on my daily office commute. For road trips, its usually sneakers.

There is an entire class of shoe (driving moccasins) which is specifically meant for driving. They are essentially loafers with rubber soles with small studs to ensure grip on ABC pedals. Quite popular in India as well as European countries, from what I have noticed.

[CapKoura]

In types of footwear where your ankle is exposed (sandals, slippers), I find it very uncomfortable to operate the clutch, especially if the mat is the rubber type with grooves in them. The sole keeps getting stuck in them. I wear such footwear only when driving automatics.

In my opinion, nothing offers as much comfort while driving as sports/walking shoes. More so in the case of long distance driving with the absence of a dead pedal.