To want to walk barefoot in the summer (including into shops)

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I don't understand why in this country it is considered so bad to be barefoot, I have been told I am not allowed to walk into Tescos barefoot, or Waitrose, they claim it is a 'health and safety issue' because something might fall on my feet. Well if that is the case shouldn't they be banning flip-flops too? Flip-flops are pretty dangerous things really, accountable for many broken toes, ankles and feet in the summer. I have a friend who broke his ankle so badly it was like he had been in a car accident and all he had done is twisted wearing flip-flops.

So why the intolerance to bare feet? They have been outside the same as shoes so it can't be a hygiene thing and they are much safer than flip-flops.

I am sick of having to have shoes in the car just so I can walk into shops, it makes no sense to me, if I want to be barefoot I should be allowed to be!

I've not had a verruca for years, mind you I don't think they would get through the skin on my feet!

I would go to the doctor and they will give you something to burn it off fridge or you can buy stuff that is quite good from the chemist.

I have never in my life seen anyone walking barefoot in a city. I wouldn't have a problem with it per se, but can't imagine how it's even possible? Surely the road surface is hard and would hurt your feet? What about when you got to gravel? Also, my feet are freezing at the best of times even with socks and shoes on. I would be in far too much discomfort without them.

no issues with gravel thought its rare i have to walk on it

I just find it so bizarre that there are people around who actually have never taken their shoes off and walked on a road. Seriously? To me its like you have only ever breathed filtered air conditioned indoor air because 'it is cleaner'.

I think verucca is a wart virus. I just gets flattened

Yeah it's part HPV isn't it that causes excess keratin to build up? I think.

I go barefoot pretty much all the time at home and in my garden. Would also do it at places like the beach or countryside as long as the terrain is clear and it's not a case of peering a yard in front all the time to watch out for dog shit, glass... Tbh that would be more restricting to me - having to pay attention to the ground rather than enjoying the scenery around me, than wearing footwear. Comfortable, breathable footwear enables you to be free from the worries of microscopic bits of glass etc

Not sure where you live OP or how much you get out and about but it's hard to imagine somewhere free of all those possibilities

I was getting dressed yesterday and the postman came and I saw him through my bedroom window, I needed to catch him about a parcel I was expecting so dashed out to catch him and I made it 2 steps outside on my brick path within the property boundary so I know there's no glass, dog poo, drunk man urine etc, I know it's been swept a couple of weeks ago and also had some cleaner chucked on it when I did the front step so as far as an outdoor floor surface goes it's pretty good. And it felt horrible. So rough and hard and sore, it felt just as bad as if any other part of my body were rubbing on a brick and bearing my full weight - not good! And even those 2 steps on a relatively clean path left my feet mucky. I still don't get it.

I really wouldn't want you and your dirty hobbit feet walking barefoot in my house. If I wanted dogshit and the other stuff found on pavements walked through my house I'd leave my shoes on when inside.

Your feet can't be clean and frankly you're deluded if you think they are.

Grim.

I have a strict shoes ON policy in my house. I'd rather have shoes on my floor than sweaty cheesy smelly feet.

In Thailand it is absolutely very rude to show the soles of your feet to someone, or to gesture towards someone with your foot. Thais believe feet to be dirty. It is pretty much the norm to not only remove your shoes but to leave them outside when visiting somebody's home, a temple or somewhere catering for Thais as opposed to tourists.

You may see people barefoot in the vicinity of a beach, but even then it is more normal to see flipflops being worn. Even cockle pickers and the like tend to wear shoes while working. Certainly anybody who foregoes shoes will be assumed too poor to own them.

Oh and walking barefoot and then entering somebody's home without fully washing your feet is the height of rudeness in many of the countries you listed OP.

YABU... get dressed to the required standing, including footwear. I really don't like seeing people slobbing about half-dressed when they're out. Be clean and dressed, that is all. Sorry.

I agree with the other posters about the culture in the countries you mentioned. I lived in se Asia and travelled around a lot in the region. I never saw locals walking around barefoot other than kids or on the beach. Even the poorest will have a pair of cheap flip flops.

I think that in many of these countries they're quite tolerant of strange westerners and just shrug and get on with it.

The thought of walking around Bangkok bare foot makes me cringe. Even with sandals, my foot would often find its way into matter of dubious origin!

I am very impressed that Aussie+NZ public places are so clean that people can realistically go barefoot. One thing about Britain that gets me down are the filthy streets. I didn't wear shoes regularly except at school until age 17 or so, but I don't know how I did that, now. The places I've lived were pretty dirty.

If you live in a clean area with hardly any gravel, where do you live?

Mainly on a beach?

Mind you, minimum dog poo.
So on the moor or in a wood.

I saw a guy with bare feet in pets at home last winter. He crunched over the thick frost back to his car afterwards. I was so surprised that I nearly skidded over.

I have spent all day at an agricultural show - held in fields covered in cow pats. I'm glad I was wearing shoes.

I am Australian and go barefoot all the time- shops included. I have even taken my shoes off during a class.

Lots of NZ & Australian public places are pretty clean. Some are not ofc

My mothers family is from the Far East - we walk around the house barefooted but never outside. If we visit family homes, we take shoes off and walk with bare feet but use socks in friends & acquaintances homes. Too much spit, wee and bugs everywhere to want to bring that home :(

Here's the Vibram link

m.bbc.co.uk/news/business-27335251