Driving in flip flops
Discussion
greysquirrel said:
Rather coincidentally this was discussed on the Chris Evans show yesterday. He agreed with my view that they generally have no place anywhere except a beach. 22 degrees really isn’t that hot that you have to wear flip flops, and wearing them to work would get you in trouble where I work.
I don't have to wear flip flops because of how hot it is, I actually like wearing them, I've worn flip flops in the winter, I've worn them on long dog walks, it's up to me when I wear them; no one else! I hate the way that people deem you shouldn't wear something because they don't think a certain aspect is suitable, sod off, it's up to me!
My best one was driving a delivery mileage S Class with s
t on my shoe. Was delivering it to the customer and only noticed when the guy was coming to inspect it. I was wondering why my foot was slipping and there was a rank smell in the cabin.
Not what you want when you have spent £95k on a car. Needless to say I replaced the footmat and had the pedals cleaned.
t on my shoe. Was delivering it to the customer and only noticed when the guy was coming to inspect it. I was wondering why my foot was slipping and there was a rank smell in the cabin. Not what you want when you have spent £95k on a car. Needless to say I replaced the footmat and had the pedals cleaned.
BricktopST205 said:
I actually did a track day in flip flops. Well until lunch so I could go to Tesco and buy a cheap pair of shoes. I was that busy getting ready that I totally forgot to put my shoes on. Didn't realise till I got out of the car (Was a passenger on the way). Ended up using gaffa tape to keep them on my foot to resemble a shoe!!
Thin soled nonnslip gaffer taped racing flip flops?You might have found s niche product there.
Lol yeah - that's why people wear them... to impress others obviously 
Not because it feels nice to have the air round your feet or because keeps your feet cool on a warm day.
Not because they take seconds to slip on if you're popping out in to the garden or to the shops.
Only because it's a fashion statement and anyone who wears them NOT on the beach is a massive "stroker".
A lot of flip flop hate on this thread - yes I drive in them, just fine, sometime if I feel they're in danger of catching on the pedals I slip them off and drive barefoot. I can drive barefoot just as well as I can in shoes.
Not because it feels nice to have the air round your feet or because keeps your feet cool on a warm day.
Not because they take seconds to slip on if you're popping out in to the garden or to the shops.
Only because it's a fashion statement and anyone who wears them NOT on the beach is a massive "stroker".
A lot of flip flop hate on this thread - yes I drive in them, just fine, sometime if I feel they're in danger of catching on the pedals I slip them off and drive barefoot. I can drive barefoot just as well as I can in shoes.
Timbuktu said:
Lol yeah - that's why people wear them... to impress others obviously
Not because it feels nice to have the air round your feet or because keeps your feet cool on a warm day.
Not because they take seconds to slip on if you're popping out in to the garden or to the shops.
Only because it's a fashion statement and anyone who wears them NOT on the beach is a massive "stroker".
A lot of flip flop hate on this thread - yes I drive in them, just fine, sometime if I feel they're in danger of catching on the pedals I slip them off and drive barefoot. I can drive barefoot just as well as I can in shoes.
See, stroker! Not because it feels nice to have the air round your feet or because keeps your feet cool on a warm day.
Not because they take seconds to slip on if you're popping out in to the garden or to the shops.
Only because it's a fashion statement and anyone who wears them NOT on the beach is a massive "stroker".
A lot of flip flop hate on this thread - yes I drive in them, just fine, sometime if I feel they're in danger of catching on the pedals I slip them off and drive barefoot. I can drive barefoot just as well as I can in shoes.
I'm fortunate enough NOT to live in England so I wear flip flip day in day out for about 5 months.
I walk, run, cycle and drive in them and I have NEVER had any type of incident or near miss, or near incident due to wearing flip flops.
I can not believe people are getting so excited about it.
If I was to have an accident, and my insurance company said I wasn't insured because THEY think my footwear is unsuitable I would,
A Make them prove that my footwear was a contributing factor
B Sue the flip flop manufacturer for not labelling the flip flops as "not suitable for driving"
I walk, run, cycle and drive in them and I have NEVER had any type of incident or near miss, or near incident due to wearing flip flops.
I can not believe people are getting so excited about it.
If I was to have an accident, and my insurance company said I wasn't insured because THEY think my footwear is unsuitable I would,
A Make them prove that my footwear was a contributing factor
B Sue the flip flop manufacturer for not labelling the flip flops as "not suitable for driving"
Never used to drive in flip flops. Did it abtoad recently and was able to heel toe perfectly well in the Opel Adam hire car.
Suppose possible the flip flip could slide under brake pedal if quickly trying to brake. Can't see how it would get stuck under accelerator and prevent brake application.
Having tried it I would far rather wear flip flops than certain pairs of shoes I own or boots.
I thought driving barefoot was illegal or saw a BBC documentary on A1 Road where driver was successfully prosectuted after crashing down an embankment whilst driving barefooted.
Like other posters I cannot see how thats worse
Suppose possible the flip flip could slide under brake pedal if quickly trying to brake. Can't see how it would get stuck under accelerator and prevent brake application.
Having tried it I would far rather wear flip flops than certain pairs of shoes I own or boots.
I thought driving barefoot was illegal or saw a BBC documentary on A1 Road where driver was successfully prosectuted after crashing down an embankment whilst driving barefooted.
Like other posters I cannot see how thats worse
lord trumpton said:
Unless on the beach or female, anyone wearing flip flops should have their balls kicked up their back. Good and hard. 
Much more appropriate to wear a socks & sandals combo, clearly. Ideally this should be set-off with a used handkerchief on the head, right?!Alternatively, simply let people wear what they want and be less judgy. I wear flip-flops as often as I can during the summer, slipping them off when I drive and drive in bare feet. I'll bear in mind that its chavvy in future, by which I mean I'll totally ignore anyone else's view or opinion of how I choose to dress, appreciating that my lightly aired feet are probably a nicer pair of feet than those wrapped up in socks in the heat.
Edited by BigR on Friday 15th June 12:25
Otispunkmeyer said:
greysquirrel said:
Aside from the fact it is never hot enough in the UK to justify flip flops, I have driven bare feet for very short distances and found it rather difficult. Your brain is used to the feel through shoes and even though you are technically in closer contact with the pedal, it just feels very odd.
Barefoot is actually the most comfortable way to drive in my Abarth. That is as much to do with the awful pedal setup mind. I don't have to work against the stiffness of the shoe to crane feet onto the pedals.Different stroek8and all that....I find barefoot driving entirely transparent and natural feeling. It's nice on a hot day to have the footwell blower on. Cool AC air on the toes. Lovely.
The only problem I ever find is that the part of the floormat immediately below the pedals can be plastic not carpet, so the heel can get a little sore on a long drive - all carpet is the way to go !
But I always throw my flip flops behind my seat or in the passenger footwell, for fear they will move about under rapid acceleration or sudden braking
Whenever anyone notices, they always seem surprised, but when questioned have mostly never actually tried it
Living in a warm climate (Algarve), I almost exclusively wear Keen sandals when out and about because they have good grip but I often just slip them on and not bother with the heel support strap so, in effect, no different from flip flops when driving etc.
I do own flip flops too, have a pair for indoors instead of slippers and a pair for around the garden and the beach. Back in SA, I used to drive in flips flops a lot in my teens and twenties. Never an issue and living permanently in a coastal tourist area, shorts, T-shirt and flops are the norm.
You can spot the British tourists quite easily walking down my road; no shirt revealing a pasty or severely sunburnt skin, surfer shorts and plasticky flip flops that must be blister-inducing. Their female partner just wearing a bikini top (which is often off as soon as they arrive at the beach) and thong with the same flops.
I do own flip flops too, have a pair for indoors instead of slippers and a pair for around the garden and the beach. Back in SA, I used to drive in flips flops a lot in my teens and twenties. Never an issue and living permanently in a coastal tourist area, shorts, T-shirt and flops are the norm.
You can spot the British tourists quite easily walking down my road; no shirt revealing a pasty or severely sunburnt skin, surfer shorts and plasticky flip flops that must be blister-inducing. Their female partner just wearing a bikini top (which is often off as soon as they arrive at the beach) and thong with the same flops.
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