Going out without shoes

[ConwyC]

Went to Edinburgh yesterday, well Sunday but arrived late.

Weather was nice, went sightseeing, but my new trainers were hot and sticky and after a while I took them off. While I held them in my hand no one seemed to have an issue with this, but when I left them in the car people stared and I even got stopped and some nice people pointed out I had no shoes on.

I quite like not wearing shoes, I often drive without them especially longer distances or when wearing heels, I don't bother to put them on when going into the petrol station shop for example people can react oddly. It might be the Aussie in me and although I am not Australian I lived their for a while or I am just plain weird but I don't care.

However kind of surprised especially how oddly some people dress and no one seems to care, there were even men in skirts that day . Also people were wearing all sorts of footwear, flipflops were common and a few wore slippers and that was OK too.

So If you see me wondering round with no shoes on, I am not a drunk or high on drugs, some metal health issues perhaps but harmless.

[sherman]

Im fairly certain its illegal to drive with no shoes on.
As for walking around Edinburgh barefoot.
I work in a pub on the royal mile and theres a simple rule of no shoes no service.
Im not patching you up because you stepped on broken glass because you dint have shoes on

[blue_haddock]

sherman said:

Im fairly certain its illegal to drive with no shoes on.
As for walking around Edinburgh barefoot.
I work in a pub on the royal mile and theres a simple rule of no shoes no service.
Im not patching you up because you stepped on broken glass because you dint have shoes on

i'm fairly certain its not illegal and its something going round the internet for years.

i also occasionally drive barefoot, i have more feeling about the pedals then say i do when wearing safety boots so its not dangerous so why would it be illegal?

[anonymous-user]

I’d hate the idea of walking in flob, dog st, discarded chewing gum etc so I’d keep my shoes on but walking on a nice lawn or the beach can be nice. It’s all down to context.

[Jaguar99]

sherman said:

Im fairly certain its illegal to drive with no shoes on.

Not illegal. Law just says you must be in full control and able to brake as hard as required in an emergency. Nothing specific about footwear though. Outside the U.K. some countries do have specific laws about footwear when driving.

I really enjoy driving and walking without shoes. I wouldn’t walk in a town centre or city centre though. A beach, park, the countryside or even quiet back streets but not anywhere there might be something nasty to step in or on….

[sherman]

Jaguar99 said:

sherman said:

Im fairly certain its illegal to drive with no shoes on.

Not illegal. Law just says you must be in full control and able to brake as hard as required in an emergency. Nothing specific about footwear though. Outside the U.K. some countries do have specific laws about footwear when driving.

I really enjoy driving and walking without shoes. I wouldn’t walk in a town centre or city centre though. A beach, park, the countryside or even quiet back streets but not anywhere there might be something nasty to step in or on….

Rule 97 of the highway code.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/rules...

[dingg]

sherman said:

Jaguar99 said:

sherman said:

Im fairly certain its illegal to drive with no shoes on.

Not illegal. Law just says you must be in full control and able to brake as hard as required in an emergency. Nothing specific about footwear though. Outside the U.K. some countries do have specific laws about footwear when driving.

I really enjoy driving and walking without shoes. I wouldn’t walk in a town centre or city centre though. A beach, park, the countryside or even quiet back streets but not anywhere there might be something nasty to step in or on….

Rule 97 of the highway code.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/rules...

No footwear is ok

Clowns shoes that get stuck under the foot well and prevent you operating the brake pedal is not OK

[Gooose]

It’s weird. Someone could have stepped in dog turd and spread it all over the road / pavement and you are walking all over it. Also half of Edinburgh is covered in piss. Put some shoes on.

[Jaguar99]

sherman said:

Rule 97 of the highway code.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/rules...

And…? Not sure what point you are making?

[paralla]

dingg said:

No footwear is ok

Clowns shoes that get stuck under the foot well and prevent you operating the brake pedal is not OK

Ski boots can be tricky but are fine if it’s just a short drive back to the Chalet from the lift car park.

[sherman]

Jaguar99 said:

sherman said:

Rule 97 of the highway code.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/rules...

And…? Not sure what point you are making?

If a vigilant poice officer deems you to be in violation of rule 97 you could easily be done for something like driving without due care and attention.

[MiniMan64]

sherman said:

Jaguar99 said:

sherman said:

Rule 97 of the highway code.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/rules...

And…? Not sure what point you are making?

If a vigilant poice officer deems you to be in violation of rule 97 you could easily be done for something like driving without due care and attention.

Something tells me you’d have to be doing something else tttish and fail an attitude test before you got done for that.

It would also be interesting to see someone argue you were less in control of a vehicle barefoot than great big clumping boots

[Jaguar99]

sherman said:

If a vigilant poice officer deems you to be in violation of rule 97 you could easily be done for something like driving without due care and attention.

There are probably many clothing and footwear related things you could do which could be construed as driving without due care in the right circumstances. The act of driving without shoes alone is not grounds for being done and is not an offence. In the aftermath of an accident it could be construed to be but the police would still need evidence to support this.

I have had it confirmed in the past directly by the police that driving without shoes is not illegal and in fact would be considered safer than flip-flops, wellies, very high heels, etc. Again, as long as you have full control and can exert enough pressure on the brake pedal there is no issue.

[ConwyC]

Gooose said:

It’s weird. Someone could have stepped in dog turd and spread it all over the road / pavement and you are walking all over it. Also half of Edinburgh is covered in piss. Put some shoes on.

True, but on the road/pavement I can see where I am standing in parks an on beaches I can't.

People don't seem to care that they are doing the same with their hands, handles, rails, petrol pumps can all harbour dirt and desease yet many people are happy to eat without washing their hands.

[ConwyC]

sherman said:

Rule 97 of the highway code.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/rules...

In ten years of driving I have only ever been stopped once and told it might get me into trouble if I am in an accident.

I find I tend to press the clutch in all the way when driving without shoes, something I dont always do depending on which car I am driving. The clutch on my mother's automatic Mercedes always gives me problems though whether I have shoes on or not.

[aponting389]

My mate went barefoot for a year, for charity! Looked like real good fun when he was out at 6am in the snow mucking out his Mrs’ horse 😂 he done it though which was pretty impressive in our climate! He did have to put some on for a flight I think

[Zio Di Roma]

ConwyC said:

Went to Edinburgh yesterday, well Sunday but arrived late.

Weather was nice, went sightseeing, but my new trainers were hot and sticky and after a while I took them off. While I held them in my hand no one seemed to have an issue with this, but when I left them in the car people stared and I even got stopped and some nice people pointed out I had no shoes on.

I quite like not wearing shoes, I often drive without them especially longer distances or when wearing heels, I don't bother to put them on when going into the petrol station shop for example people can react oddly. It might be the Aussie in me and although I am not Australian I lived their for a while or I am just plain weird but I don't care.

However kind of surprised especially how oddly some people dress and no one seems to care, there were even men in skirts that day . Also people were wearing all sorts of footwear, flipflops were common and a few wore slippers and that was OK too.

So If you see me wondering round with no shoes on, I am not a drunk or high on drugs, some metal health issues perhaps but harmless.

I walked around Verona barefoot some years ago. It was an almost sensual experience. The smooth, ancient cobbles caressed my feet as I bonded with the very fabric and soul of the city.

It took me about six weeks for the black filth to grow out of my feet, after scrubbing with soap and beach couldn't remove it.

[sparkythecat]

Seen poking out of the OPs trousers.

[Rockets7]

Treading on needles.....

[XR]

ConwyC said:

The clutch on my mother's automatic Mercedes always gives me problems though whether I have shoes on or not.

Yes I've never understood why they have a ratchet on them