Driving Shoes

[Cotty]

To clarify I used to race karts and if you have you will realise that the brake and throttle pedals are a metal bar. Not really an issue on a quick sprint but when you are in the kart for upwards of 40 minutes not having the correct footwear can cause fatigue and sometimes pain. I used kart boots, basically a non flame proof race boot with a stiff sole.

When I had my elise with the same pedal box as per the picture above, I could not press the brake pedal straight as my leg was too long to fit behind the steering wheel. I kept meaning to buy a steering wheel spacer but never got round to it. So I used to press on the edge of the brake pedal and being a safety minded individual having a shoe that I could do that with seemed the right thing to wear.

[paua]

All horses for courses - can drive my landcruiser in any manner of footware, from barefoot to jandals ( flipflops) to heavy boots/ gumboots. My car, on the other hand, requires round heeled, narrower shoes due to unusual hinging of the 3 pedals. Have a pair of casual Camels for this, previously. a pair of Merrels.

[nickfrog]

technodup said:

t's not the word 'track' that's the issue. It's the Partridgeism of adding 'work' to it which makes it sound ridiculous when it's basically going round in circles for fun.

No issue with that either btw, each to their own, but 'track work'? It's not work. Track day users don't get paid, in fact they pay for the privilege so it just sounds a bit pompous. It's classic Partridge, self important > self aware.

And for the record, although I am not a car 'enthusiast' (another phrase to shudder at) I do like something unusual, and there are areas, particularly build threads where I can admire and respect the passion and dedication people have. Anyone can buy an M4 and 'hoon' it everywhere at 100 'leptons' in their Sparco driving shoes. Far fewer would contemplate a GT40 build or a Lexspace, and I find that infinitely more interesting than wannabe driving gods waffling about pedal feel.

Ah so your issue is with a word ? Now I understand. It's just a convenient expression, like leg work for instancee. Don't read too much into it. Really nothing to do with Alan Partridge, this is all in your head. There is no need to draw absurd conclusions about someone you don't know. I think your classic straw man argument about driving god says more about your insecurity than anything else. But I may be wrong, I don't know you.

It's just about shoes, that's all. If you have no interest in them, that's cool, move on to another thread where you could make an experienced based useful contribution.

Edited by nickfrog on Friday 9th March 23:19

[technodup]

nickfrog said:

Ah so your issue is with a word ? Now I understand. It's just a convenient expression, like leg work for instancee.

Aye, because leg work is better.

My issue is with trumpets making things out to be more interesting or exciting than they actually are, by use of painful and unnecessary terminology. And I'm not alone, even in this thread.

[zygalski]

Nothing wrong with track work as an expression.
Anyway, gotta go on the tools today. Oil filter needs changing.

[jonnyb]

Not sure why all the haters, it’s different strokes for different folks.

I find Converse best for driving.

[NRS]

technodup said:

nickfrog said:

Ah so your issue is with a word ? Now I understand. It's just a convenient expression, like leg work for instancee.

Aye, because leg work is better.

My issue is with trumpets making things out to be more interesting or exciting than they actually are, by use of painful and unnecessary terminology. And I'm not alone, even in this thread.

It makes language more interesting in general. I live somewhere that has a much smaller range of words and It's a bit 'boring' sometimes. I haven't used those phrases before, but I'd say someone is as much a trumpet for making fun of those who do - even more so when they don't even care about the subject in hand.

(Also trumpet - don't you mean idiot rather than a musical instrument? Or did you use that word to sound more interesting?)

[jonlk]

davepoth said:

I always defer to Ayrton Senna in this matter:



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUVkVB3SUf4

Apparently the best type of driving shoe is the Pope's slippers.

Spot on!

[ecsrobin]

havoc said:

Cotty said:

Do you not feel it is a waste of your time to comment on something you have no interest in either way.

This. Unequivocally this.

Especially when they then get uppity because people disagree with them or call them out on their ignorance...

+1

I read many threads on PH however many I don’t post in because I have no knowledge, nothing useful to say or just not interested I then just move along.

Back to shoes the problem with the converse option is for anyone with large feet you end up looking like a clown.

[nickfrog]

technodup said:

ye, because leg work is better.

My issue is with trumpets making things out to be more interesting or exciting than they actually are, by use of painful and unnecessary terminology. And I'm not alone, even in this thread.

No idea what a trumpet is as I am probably not into using bizarre expressions that can't be easily understood. "Track work" makes track days out to be far less interesting or exciting than they actually are but if you're not into them or motorsport (nothing wrong with that, don't take it personally) then you might not realise that. It also probably explains why you can't appreciate that the right shoes help irrespective of skill level (especially when that Puma Cats can be bought for £20). I could probably tell you that I have a Bell Mag but I fear that you might not survive the thought.

[nickfrog]

NRS said:

(Also trumpet - don't you mean idiot rather than a musical instrument? Or did you use that word to sound more interesting?)

You couldn't make it up. Comes here despite not having any knowledge or interest in the subject. Gets upset about a totally banal turn of phrase and makes absurd assumptions invoking comedy characters and then does quite precisely the same thing himself. Very weird even by PH standards. Sounds very Victor Meldrew to me actually.

[AW111]

I usually wear steel-toe boots at work. They are no problem when I'm driving my van, but too heavy for the lighter pedals in the MR2, so when I'm driving that I wear sneakers, and change into boots at work.

It's nothing to do with heel-and-toe or track work* : it's just easier to drive smoothly with lighter footwear.

• I wear unbranded lightweight soft leather shoes on track - they're no better than sneakers, but fire resistant.

[shirt]

has anyone tried the piloti trainers - pistone or the st honore high tops? how do they compare against the cheaper/most often recommended shoes on here?

[shirt]

Cheers. Liked the look of the st honore as a driving shoe I could also walk / pub in but will pass in that case.

[Tickle]

shirt said:

has anyone tried the piloti trainers - pistone or the st honore high tops? how do they compare against the cheaper/most often recommended shoes on here?

My Piloti Prototipo didn't last that we'll, just replaced them with Sparco Zandvoort. Not tried them yet, the Elise has just come off SORN. The heel is rounded, more like a speedcat than the clumpier Piloti.

[AdeTuono]

I've just received my latest pair of Marine Subakwa driving boots. My 0-60 time has improved considerably, though I'm having a little trouble with clutch control , [/nasal tone] heel & toeing is less than precise also...

[blueg33]

fk me there are some knobs on this thread

[ecsrobin]

blueg33 said:

fk me there are some knobs on this thread

Every time this topic appears a hoard of knobs come out the woodwork.

If people prefer different shoes for driving or need to when the pedals are close together then so be it.

[JakeT]

jonlk said:

davepoth said:

I always defer to Ayrton Senna in this matter:



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUVkVB3SUf4

Apparently the best type of driving shoe is the Pope's slippers.

Spot on!

I was going to say the closest thing I have to driving shoes are a pair of Russel and Bromley suede loafers. Good thin sole, and a rolled heel. I think they're called a 'driving shoe' but I bought them as I think that they look nice. Shame about the bloody price!

https://www.russellandbromley.co.uk/soft-top/52834...

Mine are the same as those, but in Grey. Usually what I wear around the office too.

[ecsrobin]

JakeT said:

jonlk said:

davepoth said:

I always defer to Ayrton Senna in this matter:



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUVkVB3SUf4

Apparently the best type of driving shoe is the Pope's slippers.

Spot on!

I was going to say the closest thing I have to driving shoes are a pair of Russel and Bromley suede loafers. Good thin sole, and a rolled heel. I think they're called a 'driving shoe' but I bought them as I think that they look nice. Shame about the bloody price!

https://www.russellandbromley.co.uk/soft-top/52834...

Mine are the same as those, but in Grey. Usually what I wear around the office too.

Surprisingly Cheaney leather driving shoes are cheaper https://www.cheaney.co.uk/search/donnington