[rajushank84]

I used to do barefoot driving until I went on my first longish (>100 km) drive. Then I learnt to drive with footwear on.

For long driving I prefer this: Drive with some good comfortable shoes on. The shoe weight helps keep the accelerator pedal down. If some change is needed, take off the shoes and drive with the socks on. Barefoot long drive = foot pain from keeping the foot on the accelerator pedal for a long time.

[Pri2]

I learnt driving barefoot. And used to drive barefoot for almost a year back then. But now I can't drive barefoot at all. Recently I had bought a pair of sandals that only fasten from the front, which has no buckle in the back to support your heel. It was a pain driving with them on, as they would slip. I had to take them off and drive for almost 150 kms barefoot..!! It was plain torture !! I am never going to wear those sandals again!!

[Klub Class]

I've one interesting experience to share.

I used to sit in the back seat of the car when my mother and her friend used to learn driving. The driving instructor wanted his disciples to drive barefoot and he ensured that the disciples obeyed him. Since my dad and his friends never drive barefoot, my mom found it very weird.

Mom : Well. The driving instructor made me drive the car barefoot.
Dad : Why?
Mom : He says that one would not be able to control the pedals unless he/she is barefoot.
Dad : hmmm. If that's the case, try wearing shoes the next day and see whether it works or not.
Mom : I'll let you know.

You know, it really worked as the driving instructor didn't want to end up wasting his quality time making my mom remove her shoes. For the record, my mom's friend who learnt driving barefoot still drives that way.

[anekho]

Although I agree driving barefoot makes one feel really connected to the pedals it is too much of a hassle to remove shoes; put them on...

I love driving with shoes that have a really thin sole, like converse for example! Feels great! Absolutely hate driving with thick soled shoes or boots.

[mayankk]

Tried barefoot once, but the skin on the ball of my clutch foot got scraped raw!!
so, couldnt walk, couldnt drive....never again.

off note:
I used to keep a pair of adidas goodyear shoes in my car.
plan was to change into them, but the novelty wore off after about 23.5 seconds....

[yvasprasad]

Never drove barefoot or with hawai chappal either my bike or car. My dad always used to say that wearing shoes protects your toes and stuck by his advise. Well this was the only advise which I stuck to whole heartedly.
Rgds,
Prasad

[Reisender]

I think its about with what you start learning would be more comfortable. If i drive with shoes i drive with shoes only and if have to drive with chappals, i remove them and drive bare foot.
Chappals tend to slip or move a lot between pedal and feet makes it uncomfortable i guess.
It is not that difficult to switch on, just couple of days driving is enough to move over to another mode.

[Wind splitter]

Originally Posted by anekho

Although I agree driving barefoot makes one feel really connected to the pedals it is too much of a hassle to remove shoes; put them on...

I love driving with shoes that have a really thin sole, like converse for example! Feels great! Absolutely hate driving with thick soled shoes or boots.

+1 to driving with thin sole shoes, I have a pair of puma shoes whose sole is made out of pvc rubber and it feels like those shoes have been made for driving only.

[manasm]

When I did my driving test in the US (Arizona) in the early 1990s, I remember reading in the manual that it is illegal to drive without footwear.

Not sure how that was enforced though.

[lucifer1881]

While driving with our without footwear is a matter of personal choice, from the safety point of view I would like to make a statement.

Please stow your footwear away from the driver foot-well if driving bare feet. While driving, footwear may move around and get stuck in the gap between your brake pedal and floor making it impossible to depress the brake pedal.

[alpha1]

What if you wear high heels?

I believe its better to drive barefoot in that case.

[nfsfreak]

Originally Posted by lucifer1881

While driving with our without footwear is a matter of personal choice, from the safety point of view I would like to make a statement.

Please stow your footwear away from the driver foot-well if driving bare feet. While driving, footwear may move around and get stuck in the gap between your brake pedal and floor making it impossible to depress the brake pedal.

In many countries, driving without footwear is illegal and they can fine you, if they caught driving like that. Not sure how it is in India, as no traffic police bothers about it.

Having said that, I learnt my driving barefoot as per Instructor's advice but quickly got used to driving with footwear when I tested my real serious driving stints in South Africa as driving barefoot was illegal there.

Now, I could not drive barefoot even for a short trip. It's a torture

[srinivasmhn]

I have this habit of driving with barefoot. As I learnt with barefoot it continued as of today. Tried multiple times to drive with shoes but somehow I give more attention to it and my driving becomes jerky in stop & go traffic. But in highways I am comfortable driving wearing shoes.
To overcome this problem easy solution was, I got thin sole pump shoes and remove it while driving and wear it back once I reach the destination.

In US when I was learning driving to get the US DL I first drove bare foot. But the instructor saw it and asked me to wear the chapples. It was not an issue with automatics.
But with manual gears I get the confidence of safe drive only on barefoot and driven almost 1L Kms like this. I do not think this habit will change at least for now

[selfdrive]

Originally Posted by nfsfreak

In many countries, driving without footwear is illegal and they can fine you, if they caught driving like that. Not sure how it is in India, as no traffic police bothers about it.

Just curious to know how the cops can know if one is driving barefoot or not. I am not sure they would be peeking into each and every cramped footwell. It would be interesting to know if there is any technology for this too!

[nfsfreak]

Originally Posted by selfdrive

Just curious to know how the cops can know if one is driving barefoot or not. I am not sure they would be peeking into each and every cramped footwell. It would be interesting to know if there is any technology for this too!

When cops ask you to pull over for something, they can fine you if they see you driving barefoot.
Though I don't have any personal experience on this, Many of my friends in South Africa got fined for barefoot driving when they asked to pull-over for casual checks.